By Kirsten Nguyen, The Whetstone

Wesley senior Erika Plez said she thinks the Freshman 15 is a real problem.

“As a freshman you eat out all the time not knowing how bad it is because it’s convenient,” she said.

Healthy Living, a new organization on Wesley campus, wants to create a healthier student body by educating students about eating healthy, working out, and feeling better about their body.

“I want to build a better relationship with my body,” junior Sasha Wise said.

For some students, eating at Wesley is the first time they don’t have parents or relatives making their meals.

“We want to help members maintain a consistent healthy life style,” Healthy Living Vice President Shamari Taylor said.

Healthy living is making arrangements to have guest speakers come to Wesley. The speakers will teach cooking classes to educate how to prepare healthy well balanced meals and touch on other topics such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

“As a freshman I was missing meals thinking it wasn’t a big deal, but now I know it isn’t healthy,” junior Amanda Louty said.

Healthy living isn’t just about eating healthy, it’s also about exercising, Plez said.

“We want to have different classes each month for our members,”
she said.

These classes will include yoga, Zumba, and hip hop exercise. They are going to hold workout sessions with their members and teach the proper use and effect of each machine. Some students are uncomfortable or nervous to work out by themselves because the feel judged Taylor said.

“We need spaces and a spot where everyone can come and feel comfortable to work out,” he said.

Each member will have measurements taken such as blood pressure, height, weight, and their body mass index to put in a journal. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight to height ratio that helps determine obesity or underweight of an individual. Members are expected to make personal goals for the semester. At the end of the semester they’ll have the measurements taken again to track the progress they made.

“We wanted to have a contest like the Biggest Loser,” Plez said.

The group wants members to be healthy physically and mentally.

“It’s a good way to build self-esteem and be happier,” Wise said.

Healthy Living wants its members to be able to lean on each other for support and motivation to keep a positive atmosphere in order to reach everyone’s goals.

“It’s easier to be consistent with support,” junior Maura Binkley said.

“We want to continue on the journey as a team and have fun,” Plez said.