2008 Woodie Awards
Health Matters
GETTING HEALTHY, FIT FOR SUMMER
Kaila Thompson
Staff Reporter
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: Arts & Culture
The spring semester is quickly coming to a close and many students are looking forward to summer plans. Whether vacationing, going home, or staying for summer school, spring dieting and exercise can bring the "sexy back" just in time for hot summer weather.
Although there are many different diets to partake in, be cautious of advertising appeals that make weight loss seem easy. The challenge in losing weight is oftentimes not losing weight; rather, it is creating long term health goals, and making a lifestyle change that includes regular excercise.
College students are renowned for following inconsistent schedules. The ever-changing daily routine can have a big impact on eating habits and workout time.
One fallacy of people seeking to lose weight is omitting breakfast. Many students reluctantly do not eat breakfast, which has consistently been labeled the most important meal of the day. According to MedicineNet.com, not eating a good, healthy breakfast is "like putting the number one tool that burns the fat in a time out." Failing to eat slows down metabolism and leads to weight gain.
Where morning meals fire up the metabolism, well-planned snacks feed the flames. The key, though, is well-planned. Many students turn to the vending machine for snacking solutions, but it's usually healthier to plan and prepare portable healthy snacks.
"I pack boxes of raisins, sliced apples, or trail mix before
leaving the house to avoid the temptation of eating from the vending machines," said Sherry White, a senior education major from Washington, D.C. "Students take their health for granted because they cannot see the long term damage poor food choices has on their body. While we are young, we should do everything in our power to achieve mental, physical, and spiritual health."
Students who find themselves always eating and never full should switch to a diet more rich in fiber. Fiber-rich foods have very few calories, but make your body feel full. MedicineNet informs us that a healthy fiber goal is about 25 grams per day.
Dieters can get more fiber by eating amore vegetables and fruits.
A well-known weight loss anecdote is to burn more calories than are consumed. When combined with exercise and diet change, weight loss usually happens.
Exercising not only burns calories but gets you physically in shape. According to Medical News, exercising positively affects the immune system and can reduce the risk of certain cancers. It strengthens heart and lung function, which enables the blood to carry more oxygen. Accordingly, a good exercise plan includes a cardio routine.
It's easy to start a diet but even easier to fall into weight cycling. A "yo-yo" dieting phase, in which weight fluctuates cyclically, is not good for the body. It increases the amount of fat tissue you have, increases the risk of hypertension and gallbladder disease, and diminishes metabolism. •
Although there are many different diets to partake in, be cautious of advertising appeals that make weight loss seem easy. The challenge in losing weight is oftentimes not losing weight; rather, it is creating long term health goals, and making a lifestyle change that includes regular excercise.
College students are renowned for following inconsistent schedules. The ever-changing daily routine can have a big impact on eating habits and workout time.
One fallacy of people seeking to lose weight is omitting breakfast. Many students reluctantly do not eat breakfast, which has consistently been labeled the most important meal of the day. According to MedicineNet.com, not eating a good, healthy breakfast is "like putting the number one tool that burns the fat in a time out." Failing to eat slows down metabolism and leads to weight gain.
Where morning meals fire up the metabolism, well-planned snacks feed the flames. The key, though, is well-planned. Many students turn to the vending machine for snacking solutions, but it's usually healthier to plan and prepare portable healthy snacks.
"I pack boxes of raisins, sliced apples, or trail mix before
leaving the house to avoid the temptation of eating from the vending machines," said Sherry White, a senior education major from Washington, D.C. "Students take their health for granted because they cannot see the long term damage poor food choices has on their body. While we are young, we should do everything in our power to achieve mental, physical, and spiritual health."
Students who find themselves always eating and never full should switch to a diet more rich in fiber. Fiber-rich foods have very few calories, but make your body feel full. MedicineNet informs us that a healthy fiber goal is about 25 grams per day.
Dieters can get more fiber by eating amore vegetables and fruits.
A well-known weight loss anecdote is to burn more calories than are consumed. When combined with exercise and diet change, weight loss usually happens.
Exercising not only burns calories but gets you physically in shape. According to Medical News, exercising positively affects the immune system and can reduce the risk of certain cancers. It strengthens heart and lung function, which enables the blood to carry more oxygen. Accordingly, a good exercise plan includes a cardio routine.
It's easy to start a diet but even easier to fall into weight cycling. A "yo-yo" dieting phase, in which weight fluctuates cyclically, is not good for the body. It increases the amount of fat tissue you have, increases the risk of hypertension and gallbladder disease, and diminishes metabolism. •
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