Because we're still in high school, we're most likely involved in some type of athletic activity like sports, cheerleading, dance, martial arts, or anything that gets our butt off the couch and in shape. But at some point during the transition from senior year of high school to freshman year of college, we lose that enthusiasm to stay in shape. After all, schedules become crammed with classes, tests, parties, and more parties. It's easy to forget one of the most vital parts of your physical and social well being -- keeping your body in shape.

Most of us can reason that we're still young; our metabolism enables us to eat pizza and ice cream three times a day. We have plenty of time later in life to work out, so why waste time doing it now. Right? Wrong.

This is the most important time in our lives to stay in shape. Why? Well, besides the fact that you don't want a certain hottie to see how big your love handles have gotten, your health is important because the standard that you set now will follow you throughout life. (Not to mention that your health quotient affects brain power!)

Diet
Kathy Reynolds, a nutritionist at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, KY, explains that people need to start taking their diet and health regime into consideration from early on. And just how early? Her response: "From birth." She elaborates by discussing the typical habits of teens and college students -- once most hit the dorms, they "change a lot of good habits." Things such as drinking soda, eating out on a regular basis, skipping meals, and leaving out healthy foods such as milk contribute to the decrease of nutrients in a college student's diet. "Without these nutrients, they're not giving their brains energy." According to Reynolds, while many students may change these habits once they graduate, "some will be lifelong junk food eaters."

Hmmm... this could be food for thought. But it gets better. The Tufts Longitudinal Health Study, conducted at Tufts University (Medford, MA) reported that students who exercise claim they're in a better state of happiness and have a greater feeling of control in their lives than those who don't. And, women who exercise report using their time more productively.

If that's not enough to get you off the couch, take a look at the hard facts of a study conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2002. According to the report, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, obesity prevalence from ages 35-37 years old was substantial. Think this doesn't apply to you because it's too far down the road? Think again. More than 80 percent of men and women who were obese in their mid-30s became obese during college. And if you still think exercise can wait, the study also claims that fewer than "15 percent of those who were obese at age 20-22 years were non-obese at age 35-37 years, suggesting that although obesity can be reversed, such reversal is uncommon."

Now, no one is telling you to work your body to exhaustion, but it is a good idea to start a solid health routine at this point in your life so you don't have difficulties later on. While some of us don't have a problem spending three hours a day in a gym, 365 days a year, there are those of us who have other things to do -- like homework, for starters.

Rhonda George, a senior at Rollins College (Orlando, FL), says the first thing that comes to her mind when she thinks of exercise is "I'd have to get a new outfit." In fact, 50 percent of the students I surveyed did not list exercising on their priority list of things to do. Out of the other 50 percent who did, they only made it to the gym two-thirds of the days they had it listed on their "things to do" list.

For those of us who either don't have time, don't have the money for a gym membership, or just plain hate the idea of sweat and pain, here are some fun alternatives to running on a treadmill like a gerbil.

Yoga
While you may associate yoga with twisting yourself into a pretzel, there are a lot of elements of control and balance that will help tone your muscles. The movements are generally slow enough that you don't feel like you're working out, just having fun. Yoga instructor Heidi Schweder at Earth, Body & Spirit in Lexington, KY, compares yoga to exercising at a gym: "I think the biggest problem is that [people] push too hard [at the gym] - the focus [in yoga] is to listen to your body." This could reduce the level of injuries and tears to the muscles, thereby giving you a better all around workout, she adds.

Schweder also explains that there are many types of yoga available for different needs and levels. She teaches Ashtanga yoga, which concentrates on strength, stability, and clarity. Other types of yoga focus on flexibility or give you a more cardiovascular workout, if that's your goal.

Look up the different types online to be sure you're selecting the one that's best for your needs. Here's a site to get you started: www.yrec.org/forty.html. It lists 40 different types of yoga! Once you figure out what you need, check out a tape at the library for a free trial version before you commit to purchasing your own tape or paying for classes with a personal instructor.

Pilates
Models and dancers alike swear by it, and it's great for us everyday people, too. Chadwick Saunders, a senior at the University of North Florida (Jacksonville, FL), reminisces about his first Pilates experience. "Pilates seems very simple when you watch people on the video tape, [and it] seems even easier when I saw my girlfriend do it. But when I bet her dinner that I could do it -- let me just say, that was a very expensive dinner that I paid for." In other words, Pilates is an exercise to be taken seriously.

According to John Degenshein, an instructor at The Pilates Studio in New York, NY, Pilates concentrates on the powerhouse -- or the center -- of your body (abs, back, etc.) It helps your alignment, stability, and balance while stretching and lengthening the muscles in your body to give you a long, toned look. Degenshein recalls hearing that Joseph Pilates used to say you'll feel better after 10 sessions, look better after 20 sessions, and have a new body in 30 sessions. It's definitely worth checking into, don't you think?

Dancing
As a dance major and a teacher for more than five years in Gainesville, FL, I have taken every dance class imaginable. Ballet is wonderful for strength, flexibility, composure and confidence. Sure, it might be hard to put on a leotard and tights and stumble around in front of a mirror, but with a good teacher, you'll feel beautiful when you leave, and the fat will melt off your body.

If classical is not quite your style, try a jazz or hip-hop class. It works the same muscles, gives you the same flexibility, but has a more upbeat, modern approach that isn't much different from dancing at a club or in a music video. If you want to try something really different, you can even check into an African class. Not only will you learn the history and symbolism behind the dances, but African dance is a kick-butt cardio workout.

"I have attended several dance classes (hip-hop and belly dancing)," states Mary Liszweski, a graduate of the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL), "and it's easy to forget that I'm actually exercising."

Shopping
There's a lot to be said for power-walking in a mall. Usually malls open their doors very early, before your first class. Even very small malls have at least one mile of walking distance. Grab your girlfriends and go window-shopping together. If you walk fast enough, you can slim your body down to fit into that really cute pair of jeans you just saw in your favorite store.

While there are many other ways to include exercise as part of your daily activities, the idea is to do something you enjoy that will help you keep your body the way you want it.

As Tracey Flemming, a sophomore at the University of Miami (Miami, FL), says, "There's nothing better for your grades than a little fun."

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