OSU employee sets goal for his healthy lifestyle

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Wellness is a priority for many students and employees on America’s Healthiest Campus, including Landscape Design Supervisor David Brown whose healthy lifestyle has given him the confidence to set a big goal for an upcoming birthday. 

An Oklahoma State University alumnus, Brown has been working here for three years. He has been focused on wellness since his time as a student. In fact, he used to work at the Colvin Recreation Center. "I was a center manager, a job I did because I really enjoyed wellness,” said Brown.

After a few semesters on the job, he took an aptitude test that indicated he should be a designer. After sharing the results with a friend during a workout, Brown found his true calling.  "Turns out, my workout friend was a professor in landscape architecture. Next thing I knew I was enrolled, and had a full schedule of landscape architecture classes."

While Brown is now focused on providing a healthy campus landscape, he also prioritizes his own health with a workout before work and during lunch.  "I really enjoy it," he said. "I have a high energy office, so I use wellness to help me with that. I'm a little obsessed with it I guess, but it helps give me a little energy boost to start the day, and then in the middle of it as well." 

Brown uses on-campus wellness facilities such as the Colvin and the Seretean Wellness Center to exercise and find supporters who hold him accountable for working out regularly.  He also enjoys breaking up his regular workout schedules with fitness classes, such as yoga. “As staff, we get to use the facilities and that's huge," Brown said. "Of course I take advantage of that quite a bit and I’m also proud to spend my working hours landscaping America's Healthiest Campus. I get to keep a foot in both areas.”

Nevertheless, Brown admits diet and exercise weren't always his priority. Several years ago, he really had to work for it.  Brown had his own landscaping business and also worked as a firefighter and paramedic before coming to OSU. During that time, he turned 30 and got out of shape. He worked on a team of firefighters, and the last one to get dressed and ready for an emergency would have to do most of the dirty work at the station. Brown said he was stuck as the go-fer one too many times. 

"I was getting frustrated because my level of fitness was pretty bad," Brown said. "About five years ago, I decided--no more. I've got to get myself back in shape." 

He’s currently planning to compete in a body building show when he turns 40 in about two years.  "I'm planning my pre-midlife crisis," Brown grinned. "I'm getting some help doing this and I'm training toward that goal, but the real goal is not to embarrass myself when I step on stage."

Brown has been getting help from staff at the Colvin, many of whom he worked with when he was a college student. Preparing for the competition includes a vigorous diet and exercise regimen to increase strength.  

While most people won't train for a tough body building show like Brown, he insists the key is to make whatever you do fun for you, so you fall in love with it and stick to it.  "My own personal experience has shown me that there comes a point that you start to love exercising and that’s when it becomes a permanent change, something you look forward to doing, something you enjoy. It's really adjusting your lifestyle to that and figuring out what's right for you."

Story by Susan Occhipinti