4-23-07
Student Fit-Tips: Take
Time to MAKE Time!
"Crunch Time": end of term papers and exams looming,
if not already at the doorstop. No time to waste!
Barely time for a decent meal, so nabs and pop will
have to suffice. Shorten the sleep time, to cram in
another few minutes or hours. And, of course, skip
that non-essential exercise session, to add another
30 minutes or so to the POTENTIAL study/coursework
allotment.
Problem? It just doesn't work that way. Nationally
renowned efficiency experts...the guys to whom
Fortune 500 companies pay thousands of dollars to
bestow their wisdom so that employees become just
that much more productive...know this well.
Certainly you need to allot a reasonable amount of
time. And certainly cutting out the "non-essential"
items is a large part. But those "non-essential"
items include things like shuffling of papers
because you've allowed items to clutter your desk.
Continually changing tracts without following
anything to a conclusion. Allowing others to "steal"
your time for their own interest or entertainment.
And, primarily, working inefficiently because you
are too tired from lack of rest, undernourished from
lousy eating, sluggish from lack of exercise, or
overstressed from lack of appropriate time for
yourself.
In other words, from cutting out all the things you
CHOSE to cut out to make you MORE efficient!
So take a good look at what CAN, and SHOULD, go, and
what SHOULD stay. You may even have to shorten THESE
things on rare occasion, just don't cut them out.
Sleep is essential, don't change your habits now.
Exercise will GIVE you energy, reduce stress, help
keep your mind alert so you can concentrate. What do
you think SUPPLIES the physical AND mental processes
with THEIR energy, if not food? Want GOOD
performance, eat GOOD food.
So, as you organize your time, include the items
that will make it work. For you. Physically and
Mentally. Without destroying the emotional state as
well.
God bless you with a good finish to a productive
term, and a great Summer break!
3-29-07
Any idea what you're
eating?
As in all other
areas of life, things are not always as they
appear. Especially when it is to someone's
(usually financial) advantage to make them
appear different than they are..
Nutrition and weight
control are hot items, and big money items. So
anything a company can do to sell its product is
considered "fair game." By the company, that
is. The unknowing consumer may pay a price in
wasted dollars or compromised health.
Anyone remember
"cholesterol-free" bananas? (As if bananas ever
had cholesterol!)
Then the current
"low-carb" craze. Carb's are NOT the enemy,
although simple sugars can be a
problem. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are
all primarily carbohydrates. And without
them, you will soon be in sad sad shape.
"Low fat" on a snack
food (or any food), does NOT necessarily mean
"low calorie". It sounds good, but may be full
of sugar. (Itself disguised on the ingredients
list by a host of innocent sounding or
incomprehensibly long names.)
Likewise, "light"
MAY mean lower in calories, or lower in fat, or
lower in salt, or just lighter in color. In
other words, in and of itself, it means,
essentially, nothing. But it sure sounds
healthy!
And one candy bar
may look OK in terms of "calories per serving",
but note how may "servings per container". It
may be 2, 3, or even 4. So you must multiply the
calories, grams of fat, and all other "nasties"
by that factor.
Solution? Learn to
read labels, and read them, carefully. Short
course: The ingredient list must show all
ingredients in order of prevalence by
weight. That tells you something, but not
much. You are interested in their prevalence by
percentage of total calories. The
nutritional information part will list how many
calories of fat, and how many total calories per
serving. Divide the former into the latter. It
its much over 30%, take it easy. If its much
over 50%, throw it away.
Example? 2 % milk.
2 % of the total WEIGHT of the milk is fat.
Sounds great, no? But MOST of the weight is
water. In actuality, fully 1/3 (33&) of the
milk is fat, by calorie. (For whole milk, by the
way, which is "4% fat", the true story is 50%
fat, by calorie.)
No, milk is not
evil. Or even a bad food. But you get the
point, I hope. Apply it to everything you put
in your mouth.
BEFORE you put it in
your mouth!
Blessings for happy,
healthy reading...and eating!
3-21-07
Alcohol: "What, Me
Worry?"
A famous line by Alfred E. Newman of the infamous
nonsense rag, "Mad Magazine", which, if you don't
remember, your parents will (ask them!).
Yes, this
concerns alcohol, an we'll focus on the
following popular attitude:
So why
should this concern ME...I'm no alcoholic..."
or, maybe, "I don't even DRINK!"
Well, lets see:
are you a human person? an American? do you have
or are you part of a family? do you drive a car?
do you pay taxes? do you know anyone else who
fits in any of these categories? do you CARE
about the welfare of anyone in any of these
categories, including yourself?
Consider these
little "snippets", the "tip of the iceberg":
Half of all
Americans over the age of 12 drink..
One fifth
of all those over 12 binge drink at
least once per month
6%, or 13
million, are heavy drinkers
Almost half of
all 21 year olds binge drink
17% of those
12-17 drink
7.4%, or 14
million Americans, are alcohol abusers or
alcoholics
Alcohol
kills about 85,000 Americans every
year, and costs the health care system over $80
billion (count the zero's, I can't..., and gee
what could we accomplish if we could have some
of that money back..)
Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome, which results in facial deformities,
growth deficiency, retardation, and other
abnormalities, occurs, overall,once in 1000 live
births. It occurs in 1/3 of all babies
born to alcoholic and heavy drinking mothers.
Alcohol is involved
in over 50% of all motor vehicle crashes
Alcohol is involved
in over 85% of all homicides
Now to move from Mad
Magazine's cultural icon wisdom to some
real, classical
wisdom,
specifically from Ernest Hemmingway. And
if you don't recognize this line
and novel/movie, shame on you; your parents
definitely
will:
"Never send to know
for whom the bells toll...they toll for
thee..."
2-6-06
But I'm OK the way I am!
Another reason a lot of young folk give for not
exercising: I don't really need to. Not
now, anyway. Maybe later, when I really need
it! Right now I'll focus on what I need to do
and like to do. Now..
And that would seem to make sense:
Likely your weight isn't a problem. Yet. Your
blood pressure doesn't bother you. Yet. (You
have no idea what it is but that doesn't bother
you either. Yet.) And no doctor has told you
you have a cholesterol problem. You probably
haven't been to one anytime lately other than
for emergency treatment, but that doesn't bother
you either. Yet. And really, how many 21 year
olds keel over from heart disease? In point of
fact, you probably still have retained enough of
the benefits of your high school athletic career
that you don't get winded walking to classes and
such. And what else do you need to do. Now....
Well, all of those arguments are, essentially,
true.
And equally irrelevant.
Your generation will be, by far, the most
overweight that has ever lived. Surpassed
only by those behind it. Remain inactive and you
will be right in the "thick" of it (pun
intended.) It will just take a few years.
During which your metabolism will slow more and
more, and you will find it harder and harder to
maintain your "school-girl/young hunk" figure.
The majority of you will fail.
High blood pressure nearly always has no
symptoms at all, unless you count strokes
and sudden death from heart attack or other
cardio-vascular complications. It just takes
time for those things to develop. But time is
what you have. Now..
And for the first time ever, your age group and
those slightly ahead of you, are being found
with elevated cholesterol at an unbelievably
young age, and evidence of arterial plaque in
young adulthood. But the dire consequence of
that, too, takes time.
But mostly, it takes complete indifference to
eating habits. And and inactive lifestyle.
If that's not reason enough to start taking
care, right now, of the only body you will ever
have, then consider this: you'll actually feel
better. NOW! Guaranteed!
My blessings for a healthy lifestyle and a long,
healthy, happy life!
1-30-06
"Choose your
Game, or Pick your Poison!"
Few folks of
any age will any longer argue against the
benefit of exercise: When asked, "Do you
believe you should" nearly all say
yes. But when asked "Do you?" the
consensus is the opposite.
"No time" is
the most popular excuse, yet just about all who
dwell on earth are subject to the same 24-hour
day. And many DO find...more correctly,
MAKE...time to exercise.
Laziness is
another reason offered, but the same "lazy"
individual will put many times more effort into
something that sounds more like "fun" (skiing,
basketball, or such) than something that sounds
like "exercise" (pumping iron or running the
track at the local spa.)
So while, as in
school-work, a job, a relationship, sports, or
nearly any other worthwhile endeavor in life,
commitment and self-discipline certainly ARE a
vital ingredient of success...
Finding
something you actually ENJOY or can learn to
enjoy (give it an honest effort!), whether
called "exercise" or a game or just an
activity..will make it much more likely that you
will actually DO it.
And, whether
called "exercise", "activity", or "having fun
walking (briskly) around the mall with friends"
(as an example), it only works IF you do it!
So choose your
own "game", but DO make a choice. Because the
"default value" (inactivity) will, one way or
the other, bring you down: twice to four times
the premature overall death rate, 5-7 years
shorter lifespan (and a healthy lifespan
compromised much more than that), and well over
twice the rate of any illness, acute or chronic,
you can name (and many you can't..!)
Your body, your
choice, and my blessings for a wise choice!
1-23-07
Word Origins:
"Beer Belly"
Hope we've caught your
attention. No, this is not a clever, witty, amusing
quip that glorifies drinking. I'll leave that to
the TV ad's; they do a great job. (For better or for
worse.) However, neither is it an "evils of
alcohol" sermon. I'll leave that for later, and/or
for others. Rather, I'll just address one tiny
little health aspect of alcohol that will, or
should, catch the eye of many of you: The
body-fat/weight control issue.
We've before noted the
high prevalence of significant weight gain upon
entering college. (Perhaps that "we" includes many
of "you?"...) A number of factors are involved.
Here's one more:
Consider that protein
has 4 calories per gram (check it out if you like).
So does the "evil" carbohydrate (surprised?). PURE
FAT (uggh!) has 9 calories a gram. (Eat fat, get
fat, is an easy way to remember it.) What may
surprise you is that alcohol, the heart and soul of
those light, zingy, bubbly, and/or foamy drinks
consumed by all the sexy, thin, fit folks on TV,
contains 7 calories per gram. That's right, count
'em, seven. A lost closer to pure fat than to our
other two sources of calories. And those are truly
"empty calories", providing no nutritional value.
Except, of course, mega-doses of calories. Since
they replace nothing, they are generally extra
calories, as in extra pounds. Since these beverages
are usually consumed with potato chips and other
nutritional nightmares...each increasing the taste
and appetite for the other...you generally can
double the alcohol calories as you assess the
"damage". And since a drink begets a drink, if not
"ad infinituum" then, quite likely, "d nauseam" the
ledger just gets longer. Or should we say, "bigger
around".
The "beer gut". Aptly
named. Consumer beware...
1-15-07
Look on the Up
side and that's where you'll end up!
Here's a quote to
consider: "I am convinced that life is 10% what
happens to me and 90% how I react to it"....Chuck
Swindoll
If anything, that's
an understatement! You'll always
head where you're facing. So you choose
whether you will face forward or backward, up or
down. And you'll always see what you are
looking at. So you decide whether
you will look for the positive or the negative, the
good or the bad, the challenge of a new situation or
the chore involved. Orr, especially, the good in
people, or their (human) flaws. Will this help you
in your school? Are there cows in Texas??? Will it
help you in your career? Who wants to hire,
supervise, work for, or work with a dour ole
humbug? But will it improve your HEALTH? (i.e.,
what's the "fitness guy's" excuse for including it
in your weekly "Fit-Tips"?) Absolutely, Positively,
YES, and YES.... People with a positive attitude
are more emotionally stable, and much happier
(well..."duh"...) AND (now this just MAY surprise
you) they have less illnesses, recover more quickly
from nearly all illnesses and injuries, suffer less
premature deaths, and live longer.
So if you've been
focusing on the down side, flip the coin over and
take another look. You'll be surprised how
everything improves. Including, interestingly, your
"luck"...!
May God bless you
with another great college term and the best use of
another 4 months of your life!
12-12-06
Take a "body break"
for your MIND!
One more example of
pushing your bike all the way to work because you
didn't have time to get on it:
Studying straight
through because you didn't ever have time for a
break! Have to make every precious minute count.
Eat fast if at all. Stay up late. Cancel all
social engagements. No time for friends. Be
especially short to people who really AREN'T your
friends to begin with. And certainly no time to
waste with exercise. All these things can wait.
Exams WON'T!
Time management IS
important; we addressed that earlier. (go to my
website, and to Student-Fit Tips, for that and any
other previous article, as well as some really cool
video's (Video-Tips) you probably HAVEN'T seen...).
And a poor work ethic, (OK, just call it what it is:
downright LAZINESS) will NOT get the job done.
But neither will a
large VOLUME of less-than-productive study or work
time. Your mind gets cluttered, your brain waves
slow down, your attention fades, your patience
wanes, your concentration lapses, your temperament
takes a turn for the worse. You annoy your friends,
your friends annoy you, everything annoys you. You
realize from time to time you can't remember what
you accomplished (if anything) in the last 30
minutes.
Take a break! The
top "efficiency experts" in corporate America preach
it. Get to the "battle" a few minutes later, but
ready to fight, not half-dead/half-defeated at the
onset. Organize your study session, and incorporate
periodic breaks. Not for naps, which will generally
make you MORE sluggish, but for a short little
exercise session. Anything from a walk around the
block to a little jumping around in place.
Personally, 15 seconds devoted to that many sit-ups
will allow me to get in a full hour of work during
the next 60 minutes, and that IS the objective, no?
And by the way, not
taking time to EAT is like running out of gas
because you were in too much of a hurry to tank
up...you end up HOURS later, as well as tired from
the hike (with the container) and quite annoyed with
everyone...ESPECIALLY yourself. Not taking time to
SLEEP will run YOUR motor into the ground as well..
I wish you a
smooth, efficient, and productive exam week, and a
terrific Christmas Holiday and Vacation (and/or
whatever Holiday you and your's celebrate,
hopefully, together!)
12-2-06
Smoking: It
ain't really all that BAD...is it?
Don't
listen to "them", Smoking "ain't all that bad!"
Certainly you had a
great-grandad who "smoked 4 packs a day" (also drank
a fifth of liquor, ate nothing but butter, grease,
sausage, bacon, buttery grease, greasy bacon, etc.)
and lived to be 105. So don't let anyone tell you
smoking will kill you.
It didn't kill HIM,
after all!
And besides, you
don't really WAN'T to live forever, do you? It's
better to just "enjoy the time you have". So why
make yourself miserable by denying yourself that
morning/mid-day/between-class/whenever smoke break.
With all the "really cool" kids who have enough
self-esteem they aren't intimidated by all the
"goody-goody health-nuts" who actually BELIEVE all
that government propoganda.
It's YOUR body,
after all, right?
Just one
suggestion: drop in the long-term, chronic illness
sections of hosptials, nursing homes, and such, and
check out all the cool people who also didn't listen
to the squares who preached the "evils" of
cigarettes. Check out how much they are enjoying
their SHORTER BUT MORE FUN time here on earth.
Get a feel for it.
So you'll be ready
for it.
Much sooner than
you think. And by the way, you really WERE "cool".
So we'll miss you!
With my prayers
that you'll think a little about all those who think
a LOT about you,
JNW
11-28-06
Low Carb Diets:
Still think "carbs"
are the bad guys?
A lot of people
have made a lot of money jumping on the "low-carb"
bandwagon.
And a lot of
well-intended people have suffered.
First, what's the
attraction of the "low-carb diet"? It SOUNDS like
it will work. It's promoted effectively. One can
ALWAYS find an attractive person or a catchy
advertising logo or an important sounding person
(Dr. so and so of the whoziwhatsit clinic says..),
play with statistic or cleverly re-word research
findings ("clinical trials" showed that such and
such diet was effective in ...). And we've
mistakenly equated carbohydrates (fruits,
vegetables, grains of all types) with simple sugars
(candy, sweets...only ONE TYPE of "carbs")
Couple that with
the fact that, initially, people DO tend to drop
weight quickly on a "low-carb" diet:
1. They are simply
eating a lot less food...something they cannot keep
up.
2.
Carbohydrates cause the body to retain an
appropriate amount of fluids, without this they
become relatively dehydrated (something else you
cannot safely keep up)and show an apparent
loss of pounds.
Of course, long
term consequences are inevitable:
1. Poor overall
nutrition will cause a myriad of serious problems,
from abdominal and digestive disorders to
compromised kidney function to heart disease to
stroke to muscular problems, and MANY MANY critical
nutrients...vitamins, minerals, fiber,
antioxidants...are found exclusively in carbohydrate
sources. And by the way, the energy to power your
brain comes exclusively from
carbohydrates..
2. Low
carbohydrates MUST necessarily mean excessively high
protein and or fat, assuming you are eating
SOMETHING. The former can cause serious kidney and
liver problems, and in extreme cases death. The
latter is linked to obesity (isn't that what you
were trying to AVOID???), clogged arteries, heart
disease, stroke, and other "big nasties".
More later on how
TO eat, but, for now, take my word for it (and that
of about every legitimate dietitian and exercise
physiologist in the country, by the way...these are
not, in case you haven't noticed, the ones promoting
the low-carb diet...!) on how NOT to eat.
11-21-06
Team Up!
One of
Solomon's ageless wisdoms addressed this issue
succinctly enough: "two are better than one, for
they get a better return for their efforts." But
we'd already been hitching up TWO oxen to carts, TWO
horses to chariots, in fact applying TWO something
or others to just about any tough job.
Well, many of us
would agree that exercise is indeed a "tough job".
Not to DO, necessarily, just to "get around to
doing." So why tap into that "better return" deal?
Find someone who enjoys the same activity you do, or
at least would like to give it a try. Someone who's
schedule is somewhat commensurate with yours, or at
least could be. Someone you enjoy being with, or at
least tolerate fairly well. Decide on two or three
(more is better, of course) times and places to meet
each week. Could be a spot on campus for a walk.
Could be the courts for tennis, or one of the fields
on campus to kick around a soccer ball. A local
course for golf (Bridgewater's PAR-3 Rivercourse is,
by the way, free...) Maybe you're both members of a
local gym, or would consider joining. Or both live
near, or pass by, the mall and might enjoy brisk
walking indoors. Maybe you know of a racquetball
court (Funkhouser Center in Bridgewater offers quite
inexpensive memberships and is quite nice, though
not as elaborate as some facilities) or a pool
that's convenient (Most of the health clubs and all
area Y's). Perhaps you can hook up with a runner:
I can remember rationalizing away a planned solo run
for a number of reasons that sounded legitimate...at
the time...and I always regretted it later. But
practically never did I miss hooking up with a
running partner at the prescribed time as I knew the
embarrassment, shame, guilt, (and I would officially
owe someone breakfast next time...) would motivate
me sufficiently.
You probably
already partner for an enjoyable lunch, and
(hopefully!) a more productive study session.
Perhaps even (hopefully NOT) for a smoke break. But
the point is, two ARE better for getting things
done. Keep it in mind. But, mostly, put it out on
the sidewalk, trails, fields, courts, pools....
With my blessings
for a great mix of health AND fun!
James N. Wright, MS,
RCEP
Instructor of Health and Physical Education
11-14-06
The "no
money, no time" workout that really WORKS!
Last issue we
discussed the health club/fitness center route,
versus exercising on your own. Today we'll get a
bit more into the latter.
The
#1 excuse for not exercising is "no time", another
consistently "top 5" choice is "can't afford it".
Both are, as described, excuses...as opposed to
reasons. Regarding "time": 1. If you live on planet
EARTH you have exactly 24 hours every day, 7 days
every week...168 hours every week. No exception.
And, unless you live under one of the very few
remaining slave regimes in the world, it is,
ultimately, YOU who decides how to appropriate that
time. Sure you're "busy", everyone is, but "busy"
doing what? The average American watches 3-4 hours
of TV each DAY. You may watch more or less, but out
of that cache alone you can certainly carve out
enough time to get in an effective strength training
AND cardio session at least 3 days each week.
Cardio is easy: just accumulate some extra walking,
for one thing. Take the long way around campus, or
the neighborhood. Walk the errands you can. Lay out
$3-$4 at walmart for a pedometer to encourage you to
add little bits and pieces..you'll be suprised how
they add up!
To more energy, better
weight management, better mental clarity, and..down
the road..a longer, healthier life! For a nice
little STRENGTH training program you can do with
essentially NO equipment and practically NO time,
check out the Poor Powerful Me video series on the
"Video-Tips" page of this website!
And
enjoy, with my blessings!
11-7-06
OK, I agree
(begrudgingly...) that I really DO need to
exercise. Does that mean a gym membership? And
aren't they expensive?
Well, 1. It
depends, and 2. It depends
What is important
is, (in THIS order, no less):
1. THAT you
exercise
2. THAT you
exercise regularly
3. THAT you get
sufficient quantity and quality of exercise
Notice "WHERE" and
"HOW" do not make the "top 3"
But they may add
to or detract from the top 3.
Back to
"depends"...on what? Well, YOU, mainly: your
finances, your time, your preferences, your
motivations, your friends, to name a few.
If you can make
yourself do it "on your own", or even enjoy it
(preferred but not necessary), you may be fine
on your own. Particularly if you have access
to a few hand weights, or a stretch band, or a
couple dollars and a ride to Wal-Mart or any
sporting good store for those quite inexpensive
items. And if you are rather impervious to the
weather, or actually thrive on the rugged challenge
of facing the elements on your daily walk, by all
means "have at it!" But if you need a group for
motivation, won't step outside unless the
temperature is between 60 and 75, the humidity 0 and
10%, and the wind less than 5mph..then you might be
best served (if not only served) by an
affiliation with a local gym.
Cost varies, my
advice is to check them all out. Call, AND visit.
ALL, before joining any. Try Health Clubs in the
yellow pages. There are YMCA's in both Waynesboro
and Staunton, they tend to be quite nice and
relatively cheap. Bridgewater's Funkhouser Center
accepts public memberships and is seldom crowded.
Harrisonburg features two well-equipped gyms, "Golds"
and the "RCH Wellness Center". Fisherville sports
the most modern, the AMC-Lifetime Center. And don't
overlook the smaller, more "basic" exercise
facilities...it might be just "basic" that you
need. One or more in each local township.
Back to the real
basics, as best stated in the famous Nike ad line:
it doesn't matter so much where or how you do it...
..."Just DO it"!
With my blessings!
10-30-06
Food
Labels: any idea what it is
you're eating?
The great Yankee
catcher/slugger/manager AND dubious but oft-quoted
philosopher Yogi Berra was quoted with saying: "You
can hear a lot just by listening"..
(duhhhhhh!)
...as well as the
follow-up, "You can LEARN a lot just by READING"
No, this is not a
lecture, or sermon, on how to do well in your
classes. (Although it could easily be...)
It's a short but
useful tidbit on how to remain alive, healthy, and
lean in a society that does everything possible to
steer you the other way.
KNOW what it is you
are putting in your mouth! Most things...and,
especially, most really unhealthy junk food things,
are packaged, and the law now requires the companies
to attach labels, which CAN give you the truth.
Or be quite
misleading.
READ them, and
LEARN what they mean!
Let's focus today
on FATS: labels generally show "calories from fat",
and "total calories". Just divide the former by the
latter. That's the percentage of fat. The American
Heart Association recommends less that
30% of your calories come from fat. If your label
shows a much higher percentage than that, be
concerned. Don't necessarily throw it away, just
don't make it a big part of your diet. Or it'll
become a big part of yourself. (Emphasis on BIG...)
(On the other hand,
if it's something like 75% fat, then DO
throw away the food...and eat the wrapper
instead...you're better off!)
More later, but,
for now, just listen to Yogi...and READ!
My blessings for a
healthy week!
10-23-06
Fast
Foods: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!
So what's so
terrible about my burger and fries diet? Especially
when I "balance" it out with a diet coke?
Well, fast
foods, aka "junk foods" do have their good side:
1. They
are, well, FAST! (usually)
2. They are,
admittedly, pretty tasty. Especially after we've
developed a taste if not dependency for grease,
sodium, and sugar.
But they clearly
have a bad side: they tend to be quite high in
sodium (think high blood pressure and bloating),
sugar (think calories, weight gain, possible
increase in diabetes risk, tooth decay..), fat
(think heart disease, obesity, even increased cancer
risk). They also tend to be quite low in a lot of
good things: vitamins and minerals (think
osteoporosis, anemia, and a number of other "lesser
evils"), fiber (think constipation, and colorectal
cancer, and high cholesterol), and anti-oxidants
(think, again, increased heart disease and cancer
risk and premature aging of most of the bodies
tissues.)
Swear them off
forever? Of course not, it's un-American! Just:
1. Don't LIVE off
the stuff. Remember, a small quantity of
nitroglycerin will save heart attack victims, a
larger quantity will blow up a building...
moderation!
2. Choose
"the best of the worse": most fast food restaurants
have a number of decent choices these days. Ask for
their nutritional information flyer. Do a web
search. Look for broiled and baked things. Salads,
minus high calorie dressing, a lot of cheese, bacon,
croutons, etc...
And thus AVOID the
"ugly"...fat, heart disease, you name it..
Name it, but don't
do it!
My blessings for
healthy, AND fun eating this term!
James N. Wright,
Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist, American
College of Sports Medicine
Instructor, Health
and Physical Education
10-11-06
Got stress
problems? Weight problems? Energy problems?
Just "walk it
off"...literally! It's too simple to be true, and
too easy to bother with.
But it is true, and
it does work: studies consistently point to a simple
lack of
walking (its is,
after all, the very last resort, is is not???) as a
culprit in our rapidly
declining health
(especially among young people) and our equally
rapidly inclining
waist lines (this
generation is by far the fattest ever...) and high
stress levels
(suicide is the #2
cause of death among college age people...!) As a
country,
we walk about 1/3
as much as we did 25 years ago!
So, "go take a
hike"...
With my blessings!
10-4-06: Just Do the
Right Thing to Reduce Stress!
Lets address stress
once more...as it's always a top concern for
students. And justifiably so: it affects nearly
everything ELSE you do: your work, your social life,
your school performance, your relationships, your
physical health (ulcers, blood pressure, energy
level, susceptibility to virtually ANY illness...you
name it.)
One PRIMARY cause
is simply acting inconsistent with what you know is
right. A very sophisticated term for it is
"cognitive dissonance". By whatever name, it will
undoubtedly penalize others, but the primary victim
will be the perpetrator!
You KNOW you should
be studying, but you are partying. Immediate
stress. Then an attempt at last minute cramming.
Fatigue. More stress. A plea to the instructor for
some special consideration when, tired and stressed,
you forgot your assignment. Request denied, the
instructor probably calls that the student's
responsibility. More stress. Now grade trouble.
Greater stress.
Study when you
should, play when you should, DO what you should,
when you should. Sounds too simple to be of any
value? Very few things will benefit you more, in
school, or in life.
God Bless your
efforts and your outcomes!
James N. Wright,
Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist, American
College of Sports Medicine
Instructor, Health
and Physical Education
9-27-06: Freshman
Spread
Student Fit-Tips:
"Freshman Spread"
Hardly fair, is
it? Enough new situations to deal with, enough work
for you and a couple friends (who can't be found
when needed, no?), a lot more expectations from the
college profs than you were used to in even the
strictest high schools, and now this:
The average
freshman will add 7-20 pounds the first year!
That's not a good thing in any case, and if you "do
the math", that rate will REALLY have you in trouble
in a couple more years!
Why? Change in
eating habits are largely to blame: less decent
meals at home and more junk meals on the road, less
time to eat and pop/snack machines are handy. Also
the vast majority of high school athletes do not
find the opportunities to exercise they were used to
after high school. The time demands sometimes
relegate even favored activities to a "back
burner". And we tend to much to help with the
tedium and/or stresses associated with long hours at
the computer or studying texts.
So what's the
solution, wait till AFTER its over to get back on
track? Sure, if you want to be a huge mound of extra
fat behind...which will become harder to shed as the
years pass by. (And by the way you will REMAIN busy,
just in different ways.)
What can you do?
First, be aware of your eating and exercise, and
realize you can't put those items "on hold" while
you deal exclusively with everything else.
Secondly, schedule THOSE items in your daily plan
right along with your class and study times. And
plan ahead: take a few minutes when your mind is
clear and fully functional to consider exercise and
activity options, whether walking before, between,
or after classes, joining a local gym, finding a
jogging partner, or the like. Likewise, plan your
meals. Consider packing something from home: it's
generally healthier, quicker, and nearly always much
cheaper. Spend the extra money on something useful
AND fun.
You may indeed have
trouble scheduling the same activity you did in high
school, or enjoying quite as many good healthy meals
from mom, but you will do much better...
As the classic song
from Mick Jagger and the Stones so prophetically
proclaims:
"You can't always
get what you want...but if you try sometimes....you
just might get what you need.."
And the "freshman
spread" is not what you want, OR need!
9-20-06: Stress
Tips: Dump but don't Grump!
Stress is clearly
an issue with young adults, and it is NOT just "in
your heads".
But the SOLUTION
may be in your heads... and in your words!
We all know that
sometimes we just need to "dump". Just empty all
those pent up frustrations and negative feelings
about your overstressed life, the impossible demands
on your time, the unrealistic expectations of your
parents, friends, and, of course, your teachers.
Yes, some "dumping"
is quite therapeutic. But don't "over-do" it:
excessive use of "negative" talk will, in fact,
create more negative feelings. And negative
feelings about other things and other people will,
in fact, contribute to negative feelings about
yourself. And, of course, more stress, if not
downright depression. Simply stated, if you say
something long enough...good or bad...you will come
to believe it.
So share,
occasionally, those pent-up frustrations. Get them
"out" of your system. And KEEP them out. And start
filling that empty space with POSITIVE words. Which
will lead to positive thoughts. And a more
positive YOU!
It will
work. (I'm POSITIVE!!!)
My blessings for
better days and better grades ahead!
9-13-06: Save your
mind and body
by Managing
your TIME!
