Nutrition

Physical Activity Counseling

Meet the Physical Activity Counselor (PAC)

Kayla Olson, NSCA-CPT Physical Activity Counselor Special Interests - Nutrition and Fitness Hobbies - Ultimate Frisbee, Movies, Music, and Hanging with Friends and Family

Ask The PAC

Do you have a question for the PAC? Type your question below and we will email you back with the answer. Check out the examples below.

• Can I lift weights two days in a row?
• Are free weights better than weight machines?
• I am a female who just started to weight train and someone told me I am going to get too muscular and big, is this true, and should I be concerned about it?
• How often can I do cardio? And how long should my cardio session be?

About the physical activity counseling appointments

Who can use the PAC services?

• Any student enrolled at the University of Connecticut Storrs Campus can set up an appointment with the PAC.

What does the PAC do?

• The physical activity counselor provides professional advice and guidance on fitness related topics. From beginner to advanced, the PAC can provide you with advice on starting a new exercise program or improving an existing one.

What are the appointments like?

• The initial appointment:
  Every individual, no matter their level of fitness, needs to set up an initial appointment. It is a 30 minute appointment where the PAC will perform a health risk appraisal and ask questions about your medical and exercise history. The PAC will help you create attainable exercise goals. Based on those goals the PAC will design your new exercise program.
  
  At the end of the 30 minute session the PAC and you will discuss your follow up appointments. Depending on your goals, your schedule, and your fitness level you and the PAC may decide to meet for additional appointments each an hour long at the Student Recreational Facility (SRF) on campus. If you are not interested in going to the SRF, the PAC will meet with you at Student Health Services similar to your initial appointment to go over your exercise plan.
  
  The follow-up appointment(s):
  During these appointments the PAC will help get you adjusted to the new exercise program designed for you. You will schedule these appointments with the PAC throughout the semester.
  To make sure you are ready to put 100% into your new program you and the PAC will sign an agreement contract to ensure you will attend your follow up appointments. These follow up appointments are your obligation to schedule and attend throughout the semester.

All appointments are FREE!!! Including the initial appointment and up to 4 follow-ups.

How do I set up my initial appointment?

• Call student health services (SHS) at 486-2719
  OR
  Stop by the appointment desk located on the first floor of SHS.

I've set up my initial appointment but I'm not sure where to go. Where is the PAC located?

• The PAC office in located in the Students Health Services building (the infirmary) on the second floor room 218-B. Be sure to check in on the first floor before heading up to the second floor. Once you check in find the PAC office and sign in on the board on the door and have a seat.

I have a follow up appointment scheduled, what should I wear?

• You must follow the recreation services policy and wear proper gym attire. Sleeved shirts, shorts or exercise pants, and sneakers. For more on the policies click here: http://web.uconn.edu/recreation/facility.php.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I lift weights two days in a row?

• Yes. It is ok to lift weights two or more days in a row if you are leaving at least 48 hours of rest between muscle groups. For example, if you work your arm muscles on Monday, the next time you work that specific muscle should be at least 48 hours from then, this is to allow the muscles to repair themselves from the previous workout. Working out sooner can cause injuries, and can even cause exercise burnout. Depending on your exercise program and your goals, it is usually enough to work a single muscle group (chest, back, arms, shoulders, and legs) only once a week. Just remember resting is also an important part of staying fit. Beginners would want to only lift weights 2-3 days per week concentrating on either splitting up the body into three days (Example: back and biceps on Monday, legs and shoulders on Wednesday and chest and triceps on Friday) or doing 8-10 exercises for all muscle groups 2-3 days per week (Beginners should be including 1 day of rest in-between both of these types of routines).

Are free weights better than weight machines?

• Each professional in the fitness field has their own opinion on this question. Both methods of weight resistance training provide muscle strengthening opportunities if used properly. Free weights provide a type of resistance training that requires stabilization and balance. It takes more energy and more muscles to smoothly control a free weight during an exercise than it does a weight that is guided by a machine. There is however a disclaimer, if you are not using proper form you can not only cause injury to yourself and others but you also may not reach the benefits of training with free weights. Before you attempt to do any exercises with free weights make sure to seek professional assistance.

I am a female who just started to weight train and someone told me I am going to get too muscular and big, is this true, and should I be concerned about it?

• This is a common misconception with weight training. Females that lift weights would have a difficult time gaining a lot of muscle that would make them look big like a body builder. There are certain exercise programs that are designed to strengthen muscle, build muscle size, improve muscle power and improve muscle endurance. Although all of these will help increase muscle strength, not all will create a lot of muscle size. An exercise program designed to improve muscle endurance is what most women who are afraid of "bulking up" should focus on. This involves using lighter weights with 12-15 repetitions. You should choose a weight where voluntary fatigue occurs at or near the 15th repetition. It is important to choose a heavy enough weight to feel this fatigue in order to obtain the benefits of weight training. Women should not be afraid of gaining muscle; in fact women should participate in resistance training activities because adding these types of activities promotes bone growth and increases bone strength. Women are at a higher risk for osteoporosis, and resistance training is one of the best ways to prevent this bone disease. Also, adding resistance training to your workout is a great way to burn fat, during and after your workout.

How often can I do cardio? And how long should my cardio session be?

• Cardiovascular exercise is a very important part of exercising and staying healthy. Every routine should incorporate some cardio no matter what the individual's goal is. Depending on your level of fitness cardio can be done 5 if not all days of the week. If you are a beginner a good start would be 3 days of the week spread out through the week. As you become more comfortable with the exercise increase your days per week, try adding an additional day every 4-6 weeks. The length of time you spend doing a cardio session is very dependent on your level of fitness and your goals. Someone who is training for a marathon will obviously be able to recover more quickly from a long run than someone who just started running. Beginners should gradually build up the time they spend doing cardio; starting at 15 minutes for a beginner and moving up to 60 or more minutes for advanced fitness levels.
  

Cardiovascular and Resistance Training

Cardiovascular exercises help keep our heart, lungs, and other organs and systems of the body strong. Starting to do these types of exercise early in life is the only way to actually extend your life and live it healthier. Activities such as walking, jogging, running, biking, skiing, swimming, hiking, rollerblading, ice skating, skateboarding and more are all types of cardiovascular activities that are fun, and important to our daily lives. The idea is to start slow, and gradually build up your routine to challenge yourself as you become stronger and healthier.

Building muscle through resistance training can only promote a healthier life. Every pound of muscle that we have helps keep our metabolism fired up and energized for each day. Muscles are calorie burning furnaces and will help you reach your goals of staying fit and healthy. In addition, muscle becomes very important as we age because as we age our metabolism slows, and our muscle mass lessens, especially if we are not using them. Keeping the muscles in our body strong can slow muscle loss that occurs with age, and at the same time keep our metabolism higher. Although we are young now, muscle will become very important as we age for preventing injury. Being able to keep our balance, pick up things from the floor, and reach for high objects, are tasks that can become difficult in old age if strength is deteriorating. Why not start living life to the fullest now and continue into our golden years?

Some benefits you gain from participating in both cardiovascular and resistance training activities include:

1. Increases energy and endurance.
2. Slows the aging process.
3. Strengthens and boosts your immune system.
4. Reduces stress, depression and anxiety.
5. Improves confidence.
6. Builds and maintains healthy muscles, bones & joints.
7. Helps you sleep better.
8. Improves mental acuity.
9. Reduces the risk of many diseases.
10. Great way to meet new friends.