Those looking to finally make good on those New Year’s resolutions to be healthier should be happy to know that the Raymond B. Preston Health and Activities Center is a one-stop shop for all their healthy needs.

Offering several fitness programs, two floors of fitness equipment, nutritional counseling, intramural sports and more, Preston is the go to spot for those who are serious about fitness – and even those who aren’t.

All students have to do to get in is present their WKU ID. Once inside, they can play a game of basketball, go against a friend in a racquetball match, swim a few laps in the natatorium or lift some weights. On the second floor, an indoor track, exercise bikes and the dance room await.

One of Preston’s largest programs is the exercise group Group X. The group meets at different times every day of the week, so students can attend the classes that fit best with their schedules and needs. The group started Aug. 24 and goes until Oct. 9.

Chris Vibbert, a junior from Bowling Green, said the fitness center is what he uses the most.

“I go about four, five days a week,” he said.

Hannah Mraz, a freshman from Atlanta, said that’s all she uses.

“I’ve literally only been over in that area, I use the treadmills and stuff. I use the ellipticals sometimes,” she said.

WellU is another large program that is offered through Preston.

WellU strives to promote healthy living among all WKU students, in both the classroom and life. They offer incentives, such as scholarships and giveaways, to encourage students to attend the many events on campus geared towards healthy living.

For example, going to 10 Group X classes adds credit to a student’s WellU account. Once they’ve reached five credits, they are entered into a drawing to win a $500 scholarship. 

Students struggling to eat healthy on campus can utilize the nutritional advising offered as part of WellU. An hour-long session is only $15, and offers tips and advice on how to not only eat healthier but also how to improve eating habits.

Offered in conjunction with WellU, Wholesome WKU is another option for students to eat healthy on campus. This service offers menus that list the healthy food options at each restaurant on campus. They also offer a vegan/vegetarian guide, as well as a gluten-free guide to eating places on campus.

The Health and Fitness Lab at Preston offers many walk-in services. A student can get their blood pressure checked, their height and weight measured or discover their percent body fat.

Another service offered by the Health and Fitness Lab is the Fitness Assessment. With their medical history form and only five dollars, students can discover their current level of fitness, after being evaluated in six areas.

The Health and Fitness Lab also offers personal training for students. They have both one-on-one training with a certified personal trainer, as well as “buddy” personal training, with two to three students being trained together by a certified personal trainer. 

Several instructional programs are also offered each semester at Preston. This fall, an eight week course of self-defense is being offered, where students can learn ways to defend themselves as well as increasing their strength and stamina for $35. 

A variety of intramural sports are offered both semesters at Preston. For fall, some of the sports offered are flag football, dodgeball, volleyball and 3-on-3 basketball.