THE STUDENT HEALTH CENTER NEWSLETTER
Ahhhh . . . Yessss . . .
Easier said than done!
by Beth Gaiser
“Ugh —I need an overhaul!” Sound familiar'7 During the nine
months rat race of college: sitting, studying, stressing and living
on the edge, it's a much shared sentiment to want to spend
summer undoing the damages of going through the “academic
wringer.” Bad habits are easily acquired and endured during
busy, busy, busy times but alas—old habits die hard. In setting
goals to turn over a new leaf this summer, it may be helpful to
understand the forces which cause old habits to stick and how
to undo those.
Have you ever wondered why you do things you know aren't
good for you but are simply irresistible? The old belief in behav
ior change is that given enough information, attitudes and be
haviors will change in accordance. There are numerous other
forces at work, however, and knowledge plays only a part in
change. You may know everything about nutrition You may be
lieve a healthy diet is the key to fitness and optimal functioning
and regardless of this, you will load up on candy bars. Big Macs,
pepperoni pizzas and Fruity Pebbles. This is a typical frustra
tion— “I know better!"
Knowledge can influence attitudes, but the stepping stone be
tween a changed attitude and actual behavior is the behavioral
intention—what you intend to do regardless of what you know
Behavioral intentions are influenced by your attitudes about
specific things as well as by your environment. While you be
lieve quitting smoking would be great, you have friends who
smoke and this makes it difficult to abstain So the behavioral
intention is that you will smoke regardless of how you really feel
about it.
In choosing goals to strive for during the summer overhaul,
it's important to identify all the intervening factors that may
weight you down In becoming aware of “cues" that contribute
to a behavior, you can begin to plan strategies to resist them as
they come up. If you want to change your diet, you may note you
eat too many sugary, refined, fatty foods. Why? Probably be
cause you became very hungry and headed for the nearest con
vemence outlet. There's your cue: hunger and no food. Change
your behavioral intention then by planning to eat a healthy
snack and keep fruit, cereal, bagels and other complex carbohy
drates on hand or in your backpack to tie you over. If you plan to
quit smoking, but know that on Friday night you will be out on
the town with old time "smoking buddies,” plan ahead, antici
pate the situation, rehearse your refusal to yourself and others
and even ask your friends not to smoke around you. By doing
your 'cue'' homework, you enter the situation ready to respond
accordingly
Turn to chunge, I’ajji" 2
PfiOM THE HIP
YO-YO
Dieting
Aspartame
Mind
Traps
ARE YOU
STRESSED
OUT???????
Gel some help from a
Peer Health Advisor who
is a Stress Management
specialist To set up an
individual appointment
just call 686 4466 Of
come by the Health Edu
cation Center in the Stu
dent Health Center,
Monday through Thurs
day between 9 30am and
4 00pm
NEED SOME
HEALTH
INFORMATION
FOR THAT PAPER
YOU ARE
WRITING?????
Come by Ihe Health
Education Center Mon
day through Friday be
tween 9 30am and
4 00pm You II hnd a va
nety ol books and audio
cassettes to check out
plus educational pam
phlets and handouts on
many different health
topics
HAS FOOD BECOME
YOUR ENEMY OR
YOUR BEST
FRIEND???
DO YOU FIND YOU
ALWAYS EAT
TOO LITTLE
OR TOO MUCH???
You are not alone
Peer Health Advisor and
GTFs are available to
talk with you about your
eating habits Call 686
4456 or come by the Stu
dent Health Center.
Health Education Centei
M F 9 30 4 00
LOOKING FORWARD
TO THAT SUMMER
ROMANCE?? MAKE
SURE THAT YOU DON’T
CATCH ANY MORE
THAN THE LOVEBUG
BY:
• Dot !»ng in advanca what
kind ot toiationamp you can
handle
• Communicating with your
partner betore your body
become* a walking hormone
• Remembering that love can i
protect you from unwanted
pregnancy or se«uaily
transmitted diseases
BUT GOOD CHOICES CAN
I r mine ntormabon c all the
Health Education Center at the
student Health Center 6B6 44S6
or come by M f 9 JO 4 00