Liz Applegate tells her students: “This is the only body you have. So treat it well.’”

And eat your vegetables.

Her approach must be working. Applegate, who has taught nutrition at UC Davis since 1985, seems in better shape than many students. Her diva-like energy is boundless — she rises at the crack of dawn every morning for a hard-core work-out. This apostle of fitness is an avid swimmer, runner, cyclist and strength trainer who has spread her healthy message on ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, ESPN and elsewhere.

Applegate earned both her undergraduate and doctoral degrees at UC Davis. As a student she took the class she now teaches — Nutrition 10. Today, Nutrition 10 is the biggest class on campus and the largest in the country with more than 2,000 students enrolled annually, she said.

Applegate’s latest passion is training on fitness balls. She’ll sign copies of her most recent book, Bounce Your Body Beautiful: Six Weeks to a Firmer, Sexier Body, at 7:30 p.m. today at the Avid Reader in downtown Davis.

She is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, on the Board of Directors for the American Council on Exercise, and a member of the Sports and Cardiovascular Nutritionists, a practice group of the American Dietetics Association. She also frequently offers keynote lectures at industry, athletic and scientific meetings and has been a guest on more than 300 international, national and local radio and television shows.

In addition, Applegate is a nutrition consultant for the U.S. Olympic Team as well as players and teams in the NBA and NFL.

What do you like most about your job?

I believe in what I’m doing. Nutrition has an everyday impact on people’s lives. My students will remember things they’ve learned 10, 20, 30 years from now. I also enjoy my students. My classes are so large — hundreds of students at a time — that it’s impossible to get to know everybody. But it’s my policy to respond to them and show sincere interest when they approach me.

The least?

Academic misconduct — cheating. When a faculty member has so many students to oversee, the laws of probability say it’s going to occur. The result is that it makes one not trust other people as much. It hurts the collegial environment on campus and it takes up too much time.

What’s something surprising about you that people don’t know?

I’m actually very shy. You wouldn’t know it, with all the TV and media appearances I’ve done. But put me in a social setting, and I’m quiet and not exactly at ease. Also, people around town know me well. I have a hard time going out shopping without people watching what groceries I’m buying. I can’t just run into the store anymore.

Where do you feel most at home?

I feel very at home in my classes and with my students and, of course, with my family. I have a son, Grant, and a daughter, Natalie.

Read any good books lately?

Yes. Guns, Germs and Steel: the Fates of Human Societies, by Jared Diamond. He explains what has become a central issue in the study of global history — why the rise of the West? In other words, why did civilization occur most dramatically in Europe and not Australia? Diamond presents the biologist’s answer — geography, demography and ecological happenstance. What he says in terms of food production and animal domestication makes sense to me as a nutritionist.

What are some of your most treasured possessions?

Simply, health. Awhile back, I was in a wheelchair for five weeks and on crutches for three months after having serious knee surgery. It gave me a new perspective on health and meeting challenges. It showed me I can do without material things if my health is good.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Shopping. See (pointing) these sequine pants? They cost so much I have to keep wearing them to bring down the cost — the cost divided by the times I wear them. Yes, I love shopping. It’s true, I break the mold set for academic stereotypes in many regards. But I’m just being myself.

What’s your favorite spot on campus?

I love the arboretum. I’ve run there a lot. When I was a student, I use to work at the Coffee House.

What do you think about organic foods?

People eat organic foods for different reasons. Certainly, some people eat them for political and/or environmental reasons. And that’s all right, to be sure. However, the data doesn’t show that the pesticide or herbicide risk from non-organic food is truly a threat to one’s health. Eating plenty of fruits and veggies, whether organic or non-organic, boosts your health. So keep a balanced perspective — eat organics if you like them, but realize they are perhaps no more healthy than regular food.

What about supplements?

All types of supplements are available to consumers — these products are not well regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Some, such as creatine, may actually boost performance and are relatively safe. But others, like ephedrine (which has been in the news lately), pose serious health risks, including death. Still other supplements like chromium have not been shown to aid health or performance and are better left on the shelf. So, spend your money on fruits and vegetables or a new pair of running shoes.

What’s your best advice on health?

People need to focus on what’s good for them. Food is about pleasure. Try fruits and vegetables. My attitude is everything in moderation. That includes ice cream and chocolate as well as fruit and bean sprouts. •