Trying to stay healthy and keep a solid fitness routine in everyday life can be a struggle for many. Not everyone has time to go to the gym.

Being an athlete brings many new challenges with health and fitness. Outside of playing in matches, practices and conditioning are essential to keeping in playing shape throughout the season.

“Our routines are pretty intense,” said freshman defender Vanessa Curtis. “We have basic conditioning and we try to get in shape for the rest of the season.”

While how an athlete works out on the field counts towards their health and fitness, there are other factors to consider.

Like with most other physical activities, staying hydrated is essential. There are more ways than drinking water to stay hydrated.

“I eat lots of fruit,” said freshman forward Kelsey Jantzen. “Fruit is good for energy and lots of water.”

Many of the athletes said they try to eat a lot of protein and carbohydrates before taking part in a game. They recommended food like pastas as acceptable for a healthy diet.

There is a lot that is required of any athlete to stay prepared for games, but freshman forward Nicole Sanchez said sometimes taking time for your self is just as essential as any other routine.

“I try to rest as much as I can on a weekend,” Sanchez said. “I take the weekends to my full advantage.”

Since athletes try to stay healthy and fi t, whether they are on the field or not, a healthy balance of rest and activity is important even on their off days, much the same as for anyone that wishes to stay in shape.

Most of the women from the soccer team said that if fitness is involved even when not preparing for the big game, it is a good thing.

Many of the players also said that they lift weights and run a few miles to try and keep in shape.

The gym is almost like a second home to most over the weekends even if it is a short session.

Freshman midfielder Kate Burkhart said that there aren’t any special diets that she follows. She said that she just eats clean and trades the sodas for a water bottle which is enough to stay in shape.

Burkhart said that the main point to staying healthy and fi t is to have good eating habits, and limit foods like Taco Bell for the weekend.

Staying healthy and fit can be difficult, but can be an easier path to walk when the right routine is found. Just like with non-athletes, every athlete has her own routine or ideas about health and fitness.

Burkhart said she feels staying healthy is necessary off of the field, but not to overdo it.

“On the weekends, I am just chilling at home,” Burkhart