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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 1996)
Well Now The Ki^ht Way to a New You By Dennis Morrisroe “I know I should eat better and exer cise more, but it’s too hard.”“I want to eat healthier and to be in better shape, but I don’t know how.” Sound familiar? Odds are that either you or someone you know has said these words when the subject of a healthy lifestyle was brought up.This feeling of helplessness is completely understandable given that we are bom barded with conflicting information from TV infomercials, fad diet pro grams, and the often misleading adver tising of those amazing “FAT FREE!” foods. It is difficult to know what to believe and where to start. So how do you sort out the useful information and get going on the road to fitness? Be Informed Up-to-date and accu rate information is cru cial when starting a fit ness program. Not knowing the facts can lead to lack of proper nutrition or injury. Start with finding out about the food you are eating. Many have no idea how much of each type of food makes up a healthy diet and what they eat reflects this lack of knowledge. Fortunately, the Student Health Center (SHC) offers free nutrition analysis based on a detailed food diary. Simply pick-up a form, available in the Health Education office on the first floor of the SHC, and record everything you eat for three days. A computer program ana lyzes the data about your diet and Peer Health Educators are available by appoint ment to help you inter pret the results. If you’re wondering whether you get enough calcium or protein or B vitamins, the nutrition analysis program is a good place to start. In addition, many students don’t have all the facts about their current health status. In a recent survey con ducted by the SHC, only 43% of the students polled had their cholesterol level checked in the past five years. You can find out your level for free at the SHC.Testing occurs every Tuesday and no appointment is necessary. You can also get your blood pressure checked while you’re at it. Moreover, many students may not know how many calories their bodies actually require. Each person needs a different amount of calories based on their age, height, weight, gender, and activity level. Each activity uses calories and lists are available that show exactly how many calories are used I for a specific type of exercise. With this information, a person can calculate the number of calories they need to eat and burn off in order to lose some weight, allowing them to plan exercise and meals that will meet their needs in a safe and effective way. Be Consistent No matter what some advertisers say, getting into better shape is no overnight process. It entails incorporat ing healthy eating and exercise into your life every single day over a long period of time.There are lots of ways of doing this without having to go to the gym or for a run. When you go to work or school, get off the bus early and walk the rest of the way. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Sign up for PE classes or intramurals where you exercise sever al times a week and have fun doing it. For lunch, stay away from fat-filled fast foods. Watch the amount of alcohol you drink—a few drinks at a party can add up to half the calories you need for a whole day and cause the infamous “beer belly”. Instead of eating out at restaurants, learn to cook some low-fat dishes in your own kitchen. One of the best ways to learn new and healthy behaviors is to sign-up for a workshop with the Health Education Program.They have a lending library full of cookbooks and books about staying fit, among others. In addition, each term, the Program offers several workshops, free to registered students. Weight manage ment will be offered this term. See this page under Fall Workshops for more information. Be Realistic Being healthier will require changing your lifestyle and resisting tempta tion. Avoid joining the ranks of failed dieters by setting some attainable goals for yourself. Write down the changes you would like to see and the small steps you will use to get there. Reward yourself when you attain a goal with some non-food related treat. Keep a log each day of exactly what food you eat and exercise you do.This log will cause you to look more closely at the type of foods you eat and to map out the progress you are making toward your goals. Remember that change takes time, so relax and enjoy the process of becom ing a healthier person. Resources Health Education Program: Free workshops, peer counseling, lending library, nutrition analysis, and cholesterol screening. Main floor of the SHC, 346-4456. Carbo4oadm<£! By Maziar Sattarl Carbo-ioading? Many of us have heard about this mystical dietary technique used by athletes, but not many of us know what it is. How do I carbo-load? Is it for me? Is It a useful practice for all athletes? The main and most efficient fuel used by our bodies comes f rom car bohydrates, and is stored in mus- , eie tissue in the form of glyco gen. Glycogen, in turn, is bro ken down into many dif» fcrent molecules of glu cose, and is used as ^ the ultimate fuel source for muscle cells. Unfortunately, our muscles are only able to store a limited amount of glycogen at any one time, amount ing to only about half a days supply for a sedentary person. For this rea son, active people should be sure to replenish the body ’s supply of mus cle fuel by eating adequate amounts of carbohydrates several times throughout the day. For athletes, suf ficient dietary maintenance of carbo hydrates can pose a problem. According to Jane Brody (1987), carbo-loading offers a method for athletes to maintain an adequate sup ply of muscle glycogen for various competitions. She recommends the following program: Starting three days before an event, decrease the intensity and amount of your exer cise program. At the same time, increase your consumption of carb6 hydrates, concentrating on starchy foods like pasta, potatoes, and rice. Carbohydrates should consist of about 70% of your day’s calories, with the remaining calories fulfilling the rest of your daily need for pro tein and fat. This type of diet should be consumed as three or four large meals a day, and has been shown to super-load muscles with glycogen. Carbo-loading is recommended only for occasional, prolonged endurance events, not as a reg ular dietary pattern. It is of , no known benefit to those 3 whose strenuous activity lasts for only 30-60 min utes, nor can it help brief, high-inten sity activities such as sprinting. Carbo-ioading is a means by which athletes, as well as other highly active individuals can maintain suffi cient amounts of muscle glycogen for sustained aerobic activity lasting typically more than an hour. As a reminder, one should not start such a program without first consulting one’s physician and/or trainer. For more information on carbo ioading or athletic nutrition, check out the Health Education lending library on the first floor of SHC. References Brody, J. 1987.Jane Brody’s Nutri tion Book. New York: Bantam Books. Well Now Staff Director of Health Education: Joanne Frank, M.S. Peer Health Educator Coordinator: Annie Docbnahl, M.S. Registered Dietitian: Kristen Olmos, M.RH..R.D. HIV/A1DS Coordinator: John Tullius Editor of Well Now: Holly Knight, M.A.; John Monahan Outreach Coordinator: Rick Ginsberg Salesperson: Anne Amador Production: Ingrid White Second Term Peer Health Educators: Melissa Durham, Amy Erenberger, Emilie Hart.Tamberiy Koorndyk, Alesha Liddell, Dennis Morrisroe, Maziar Sattar-Raoof, Melanie Weber, Lorri Wilson First Term Peer Health Educators: Jamie Abbott, Greg Byrd, Jeff Erickson, Amy Getman, Jennifer Hoyt, Dan Maclellan, Lisa Meneely,Tessa Moser, Mathew O’Brien, Robin W'eber W l !SHC! 4, J Practlcum Students: Melissa Crown, John Dodd The Well Now is a newsletter sponsored by the Student Health Center and produced by the Health Education staff with the assistance of the Oregon Daily Emerald. Fall Workshops The following workshops are FREE to registered students Smoking Cessation This is a six-week educational support group to assist those who are ready to quit tobacco and for those who have already quit. Tuesdays, 4:00-5:00 p.m. • October 22-November 26 • Medical Library, Student Health Center Weight Management This four-week workshop is designed to assist participants in improving eating habits and adopting a healthy and more balanced lifestyle. 71 Thursdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. • October 24-November 14 • Medical Library, Student Health NIA - (Neuromuscular Integrated Action) This exercise class combines dance, martial arts and yoga to create a mind-body mcwfcmeiyt , form. NIA is wonderful for all levels of fitness and is a relaxing, fun way to start the "0s! Fridays, 4:00-5:00 p.m. • October 25-November 15 • Room 219, Gerlinger SAD - (Seasonal Affected Disorder) The goal of this class is to increase awareness of the physiological and psychological \ effects of seasonal change and to offer alternatives to cope with this stress, including - rull spectrum lights, optimal diet and exercise. f ,/• •• V Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. • October 30-November 13 • Medical Library, Student HcalOtCent'er Call 346-4456 to register or for more information. Drop-in s welcome! This four-page insert is a paid advertising supplement. Material contained herein was provided and paid for by the Student (fi&stfsir.
