Promoting wellness through active living…even while remote!

However you choose to move, the most important part is that you do! We spoke with Robbyn Hesch, Donna Rheams and Adam Steeves from the Department of Athletics and Recreation about the importance of active living and the wellness initiatives they’re leading.

Highlighting the benefits of being active and creating unique opportunities for individuals to move are just some of the ways they are demonstrating their commitment to wellness. The average university student spends approximately 12 hours a day sedentary (PDF). And this number may have increased, considering many of us spend our days in one location. By encouraging our campus community to take a break to do something they enjoy, their hope is that active living becomes a sustainable part of daily life.

The department has been diversifying existing programs and activities, integrating new ones, and fostering fun environments in the hopes that they can provide something that meets the interests of everyone. Even during these uncertain times, the department is promoting Healthy Warriors at Home, and offering Online Warrior Workouts throughout Spring 2020 term, as well as virtual personal training, Warrior health webinars, nutrition tips, intramural e-sports and more. For students unsure where to start, Move Your Mind offers individualized peer support to help overcome barriers to physical activity. This innovative approach provides opportunities for everyone at the University of Waterloo to stay active, while fostering a sense of community and connection during a time of physical distancing.

As we return to campus, you will find posters in 30 buildings across main campus featuring student participants from every faculty. This campaign aims to showcase the diversity of participants and programming in campus recreation and the many benefits of involvement. These poster boards help to promote a culture of active living at University of Waterloo. This same culture of active living can be found on the department’s Facebook (@waterloowarriors) and Instagram (@wloorec), and features everything from at home workout plans, personal stories from students, meal ideas, volunteer opportunities and more.

Finding a way to take care of our mental and physical health may look a bit different right now and the Athletics and Recreation department is here to support you with a myriad of opportunities. You can check out Athletics and Recreation's website to find up-to-date information about how their services evolve throughout the university’s response to COVID-19, or connect with a member of the recreation team to help you get started.