Photos and Interview by Julie Natter ’04, MA ’09, 10

Lia Jiannine, FIU PhD candidate and Assistant Director of FIU Fitness Program, has examined sexual functioning and fitness in order to improve individual health and wellness.  Many who have taken her exercise classes know first-hand how passionate she is about fitness.  As Assistant Director of FIU fitness programs, she works with personal trainers, fitness instructors and plans events for the FIU community.  With the Recreation Center’s 10^th year anniversary coming up soon, celebration plans are underway. Below, I speak with Lia about her time at FIU, her doctorate dissertation and more.

 

JN: You came from Melbourne, FL and attended college in Gainesville.  What brought you to South Florida?  Also, what are your future plans with FIU?

LJ: I was working for a Fortunate 500 company in Tampa but I really missed health, fitness, and university life so I came down for the job supervising fitness and wellness programs.  One of the many advantages of being an employee is that the university provides a tuition waiver for those who want to seek a degree.  I’m very happy in my current job at the FIU Wellness & Recreation Center and would like to teach higher-level courses and produce more research.  At some point, I’d like to look into a faculty position.

 

JN: Tell us about the degree you are currently pursuing and why you wanted to focus your dissertation on sexual functioning and fitness.

LJ: I am currently getting my degree in curriculum and instruction, my dissertation is very different than all of my peers, but I wanted to study something that interests me.  Working for wellness and recreation gave me access to subjects and testing equipment so I knew I wanted to pursue research in exercise science (which is also the focus of my Master’s degree).  I like topics that are unconventional so naturally sexual behavior was a perfect fit.

 

 JN: You just completed your dissertation examining the relationship between physical activity, self-concept and sexual behavior.  What were the participants asked to do?

LJ: We started with a metabolic test where participants were asked to lie down for ten minutes and breathe through a tube to assess how many calories they burned at rest.  Then, they filled out questionnaires followed by measuring body fat, muscular fitness, muscular endurance, V02 max and finally flexibility testing.

 

JN: Your dissertation is about the relationship between sexual function and positive health.  How will your findings impact our students?

LJ: Despite the plethora of research on the relationship between sexual function and positive health, the benefits of sex are rarely discussed.  Knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases is accurately dispersed, but students rarely personalize this information.  Students need healthy guidelines for sexual behavior and educators need to provide an environment for self-fulfillment and healthy sexual expression.

 

JN: What were you looking for when you started your dissertation? 

LJ: I wanted to determine if there is a relationship between physical fitness, self-concept and sexual functioning among adults aged 18-50.  If this significant relationship exists, it may further justify a sex-positive approach to health curricula.  If we continue to ignore the complexity of human sexual relations, we will alienate young adults, placing their health at a great risk; however, if the benefits of sex and sexual pleasure are incorporated into the curricula, it may penetrate the long-standing barrier between adolescents and adults in discussions of sexuality.

 

JN: You found sexual functioning was significantly related to various aspects of physical fitness. What was the biggest difference between males and females?

LJ: I expected to find that male sexual behavior and sexual functioning, as well as number of sexual partners, would be related to muscular power and/or muscular endurance, particularly because of testosterone levels.  I incorrectly predicted that male arousal would be related to cardiovascular endurance because of the physiological requirements of male sexual functioning.  None of these aspects were related to male sexual behavior and experience; however, body fat and flexibility were significantly related to sexual behavior and experience.   

Although males had an average three more sexual partners than females, no aspect of physical fitness was related to the number of sexual partners in males; however, muscular power was significantly related to the number of sexual partners of females.  Additionally, women who define themselves as powerful according to the six factor self-concept scale were highly likely to have more sexual partners.

 

JN: Now I’d like to ask a few questions about your time as an FIU student. What was your favorite FIU class and why?  

LJ: Advanced Topics in the Social Foundations of Education (EDF 7937) with Dr. Farrell.  We discussed social, political, economic and environmental issues.  Every class felt like an episode of Politically Incorrect and no topic was off-limits.  I wish he taught more classes at FIU since he is a very animated person and his passion kept all of us engaged.

 

JN: Thinking back on your time at FIU, what is your advice to students? 

LJ: Study something you love and your career will never feel like work.  If you graduate and still do not know what you want to do, go to graduate school.

 

JN: There’s been some talk about the 10^th year Wellness & Recreation Center anniversary coming up; can you tell us a little about the event plans?

LJ: In early fall we are having a five day event for students and alumni; there will be healthy and delicious free food and fun giveaways.  Guests will be able to try out energy pumping exercise classes, and join FIU’s finest dieticians and nutritional enthusiasts in a food-fest provided by Simply Organic. On the last day, we will host a “Sweat Till You’re Wet” event and participants that complete all five sessions will receive a fun “Sweat Till You’re Wet” t-shirt.

I’m so excited that “The Biggest Loser” star trainer Bob Harper will be visiting FIU to give a presentation and teach a fitness class.  He’ll conclude his visit with a meet and greet session.

 

JN: Any special surprises for our Alumni Association members who attend?

LJ: Yes! Alumni members who attend any of the five days will be entered in a raffle drawing for one of the five complimentary Gold Gym one year memberships valued up to $365. Just make sure to let the instructor know you’re a member. Information about the gym membership can be found here.