OPINION: KSU’s Employee Fitness Center offers improved fitness, nutrition for employees

Exercising regularly and generally taking care of one’s physical wellbeing offers countless benefits. Kennesaw State’s faculty and staff should take advantage of the Employee Fitness Center to improve their personal health and overall wellness.

The facility offers fitness equipment, wellness information, workout classes, nutrition consultations and many other resources that enable the university’s staff to improve their everyday lives with exercise and nutrition.

For KSU faculty and staff interested in reaping these benefits, the university’s EFC is the ideal place to start this journey. The facility offers members personal fitness orientations, assessments, coaching and use of the ActivTrax app for personalized workouts, according to the university’s Employee Wellness website.

The EFC also offers a wide variety of fitness options, from classic gym equipment to group fitness classes. Although the idea of embarking on a fitness journey is daunting, the abundance of resources available at the facility makes it much more accommodating.

Exercising regularly and consistently provides more long-lasting physical benefits than just weight loss, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Exercising just 150 minutes per week can prevent — and even treat — chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease and type two diabetes. Regular exercise and muscular fitness can also increase bone mass and strength, as well as reduce pain in osteoarthritis patients, according to the ACSM.

In addition to the physical benefits, practicing a consistent exercise routine offers mental benefits. Exercise is proven to improve mood and decrease feelings of depression and anxiety, according to Healthline. It can also cause the hippocampus — the part of the brain essential for memory and learning — to grow in size.

Exercise can even reduce the changes in the brain that cause Alzheimer’s and Schizophrenia, which are conditions that can drastically change one’s quality of life, according to Healthline. These long-term effects of exercise have the potential to improve lives for years thereafter.

The EFC is an ideal resource for KSU faculty and staff members interested in starting their health journey because of the personalized, low-cost experience. KSU is one of the only universities in the University System of Georgia to offer a separate fitness facility specifically for staff and faculty members. Coupled with no contracts and fees and a low monthly membership cost of $10, the EFC offers a great deal for a private fitness experience that caters to every individual member.

Members of the EFC are offered a wealth of resources to improve their nutrition through the university’s Employee Wellness program. The facility offers members nutrition consultations with registered dieticians through the EFC as well as cooking demos and discounts on healthy meal plans, according to the Employee Wellness website.

Everyone should consider the plethora of benefits that come with embracing a healthier way of life and make the decision that is best for their future. KSU’s faculty and staff are specifically well equipped to improve their health with the presence of the EFC at the university. Faculty and staff members should consider becoming members of the EFC and taking the next step on their journey of personal wellness.

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