Empowerment tip #22: empower your kids socially by signing them up for little jack rec camp!

As humidity slowly infiltrates Nacogdoches, it is becoming more and more apparent that summer will soon be making its appearance.

I went home for a four-day weekend on Easter and I spent a lot of time with my oldest sister, Katie Greene. My sister is the mother of a 2-year old and an 8-week-old. I love my nieces, but something that I observe every time I spend time with them is how intense motherhood is.

Kids are wonderful high-energy beings, but planning activities is definitely a key part of survival. And summer time is definitely the time to let your kids be active and make new friends.

So this summer sign your kids up for the Little Jack Rec Camp.

The SFA Campus Recreation Department will be hosting multiple, one-week "Little Jack Rec Camp" sessions during June and July of 2011 for children between the ages of 5 and 12.

A broad range of exciting activities have been arranged for the kids to participate in. Activities in the camp include: outdoor games, indoor soccer, recreational games, rock climbing and free swim every day. All activities have a noncompetitive nature, and camp staff will work with campers to improve basic skills used in most sports. The camps will emphasize some core values of our department: teamwork, communication, sportsmanship and fun.

There are 7 sessions total throughout the summer between June 6- July 29.

The SFA Community cost is $145 per session and for Non-SFA Community is $175 per session. You can sign up for however many sessions you would like your kids to participate in.

For more information and camp applications go online at www.sfasu.edu/campusrec and look under “camps”. Or you can go into the administration office at the rec center and sign up and pay for your sessions, today!

Little jack rec camp is something that will be a fun and memorable experience for your kids.

Just grindin’ the ax- Liza

Earth Day: Growing Seeds of Sustainability

Saturday April 16^th is Earth Day, and Campus Rec will be celebrating this much-needed holiday outside at the Pineywoods’ Native Plant Center, located on Raguet Street between 10a.m. and 2 p.m.

In a world where we buy all-things disposable, leave our water running, pump gallons of gas into our cars and pave everything possible, it’s easy to forget that we’re actually impacting our environment. And the reality is that there is only so long until we’ve destroyed our environment beyond repair.

The purpose of this Earth Day celebration is to create awareness. These types of events are not intended to create guilt and manipulate people, but rather to invest in making lifestyle changes as a community.

This year’s theme for the festival is “growing seeds of sustainability”. There will be free food, guest speakers, kids’ activities, live music, plant sales’, info booths and much more.

So come out to Earth Day tomorrow from 10-2 and celebrate change with SFA and Campus Rec.

Just Grindin’ the ax- Liza

Finding Your Personal Healthy Lifestyle

I am not someone whose natural inclination is to lift weights; however, in the fall of 2009 I found myself working out six days a week, lifting three days and cycling 30 plus miles the other three days. Then I rested on the seventh day. Not to say I was God, but I sure was feeling pretty supernatural. I lost 45 pounds from my 6-foot-2 frame, dropping from 225 to 180 in a span of six months. It helped that my mother is a personal trainer.

Unfortunately, a bout with the swine flu and a rough patch with my girlfriend, Jacqui, ripped me out of my routine. With all motivation lost, even after a quick reconciliation with my girlfriend, I slowly began to put the weight back on. It was a painful farewell to my abs and a self-pitying hello to my love handles.

My wedding to the aforementioned girlfriend, now fiancée, happens at the end of May. Thank you for your congratulations. I put off getting back into shape for the big date until two weeks ago. I was back at 225, but this time I swore the weight would stay off. Two weeks in and I’ve lost ten pounds. This time around the goal is to find a routine that I can live with, because in order to achieve permanent weight loss one must change lifestyles, not start a fad diet.

I am going to find my personal healthy lifestyle. As stated previously, working out does not come naturally to me. Fortunately, these days I have a dog named Scarlett. Jacqui, Scarlett, and I have discovered the joys of running together. My interest in running is most definitely new, but there are few greater challenges than trying to keep up with an Australian Shepherd. The three of us like tackling the mountain bike trails across from the Arboretum together on foot.

I am only a couple weeks into my lifestyle change and the road is a long one. The most challenging aspect for me is watching what I eat. I enjoy food and I have a reputation amongst my friends for being able to wolf down a lot of it. I used to be an ardent drinker of Mountain Dew, but I’ve stopped that. Corn chips, potato chips, Triscuits, club crackers, if it’s loaded with carbs and calories then I’m down. However, I am back to asking myself a pivotal question, “will eating this lead to the lifestyle I want to live?” The answer for all of those snacks is no, they will not. Well…maybe the occasional Triscuit…those things are good.

The challenge I pose to readers is to find his/her personal healthy lifestyle. Simple changes like eliminating soda from one’s diet, or replacing the potato chip snacks with fruits and vegetables can make the difference between adding ten pounds and losing ten pounds. Tom Naughton’s documentary, Fat Head, (which I highly recommend) states that Americans consume an inordinate amount of their calories from beverages and snacking. Another change could include making better decisions at restaurants. Instead of the large waffle fries and large sweet tea, perhaps try the fruit cup and unsweetened tea with those chicken strips.

Not only will eating healthy and exercising lead to a body he/she can be confident in, but more importantly one will experience a better quality of life. A year and a half ago, I dramatically decreased my sugar intake. This reduction increased the pleasure I gained from eating fruits. I love raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries, so when I reduced my high fructose corn syrup consumption, eating fresh berries became a new experience. Fruit became my candy, candy my body benefitted from eating.

Changing one’s lifestyle is a difficult challenge. There will be pitfalls, failures, and progress gained then swiftly lost. However, it is possible. I have done it before, although it feels like a lifetime ago now. Reduce wasted time, such as procrastinating or sleeping in too late and get active. Become healthier for one’s self, not for anyone else. Because after all, it’s your life, make it a healthy one.

Jack’d Up – Zachary Overfield

Empowerment Tip #21: Empower Yourself FINANCIALLY by becoming a certified lifeguard.

I normally despise this saying, but if I had a dime for every time someone complained to me about not having a job I would be one rich college student.

Blaming the economy only goes so far.

At some point, people need to grow up and take charge of their own destinies.

I’m not saying there are a plethora of jobs just lying around waiting to be filled, but I am saying that it’s time to take some initiative.

Do anything you can to help set yourself apart.

My father is a successful real-estate agent and one time he told me he hired someone that played instruments. Playing music was not part of the job description, but he said it showed that they were disciplined and coachable.

April 15-17 Campus Recreation is putting on an American Red Cross lifeguard certification class.

Participating in the class does not guarantee a lifeguard position, but it is a great start- especially with the summer approaching so quickly.

Each class is taught by a Certified American Red Cross Instructor and will include a lifeguarding manual, rescue mask and certification card.

The registration deadline for the course is Monday, April 11 so get up and make the decision to Empower Yourself through Campus Recreation!

YOUR inside connection to Campus Rec- Steph

Classically relaxing: Sunrise Yoga

The morning, for some, is a time of exhilaration and expectation, new beginnings, a fresh start, brewing coffee, application of deodorant, clothes, and off you go in the car on the way to work, watching the sun rise.

While for others, the morning looks more like this: *ring…ring…ring* you muster the energy to hit snooze, 30 minutes later you drag yourself out of bed only to realize you’re technically an hour behind schedule. In a flurry of panic and adrenaline all the necessary items are shoved into the car, off you go, endangering yourself and everyone else on the road in the mad rush “to be on time.”

I, myself, fall into the second of these categories.

Although I like to consider myself a prepared and put together individual, the reality is I’am as disorganized and spastic as a person can be.

It was about a week ago, as I sped in the Rec Center parking lot that I realized, life doesn’t have to be so haphazard.

Now keep that thought in mind, hold onto that desire for change.

The Rec Center is offering something unusual, Sunrise Yoga.

Spring is here and the weather is delightful.

So join us tomorrow morning, April 7, from 6:15a.m.-7:15a.m. in the courtyard.

And now you’re thinking, wow you must be crazy to consider participating in a 6:15 yoga session. The rebuttal to that exhortation is; that although it will be a challenge to wake up at the six o clock hour, consider how it will affect the rest of your day?

Action can only be initiated by the person acting out.

Just grindin’ the ax- Liza

Empowerment tip #20: Empower yourself EMOTIONALLY by inspecting your relationships

Sit back, right now, and think: What are the classic reasons relationships fail?

-Sex

-Money

-MISCOMMUNICATION

If you Google “top reasons relationships fail” you will find lists upon lists of reasons for the termination of relationships.

The one element all of these lists have in common is a lack of communication.

Our lives are built on a foundation of people. Our family, friends, co-workers, children, lovers, and what we have with all of these people is a relationship.

But the relationships most commonly misunderstood are romantic relationships.

So I had to wonder, how much effort and thought does the average person put into a relationship? After asking several friends, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is a subject that has been widely debated and contemplated by the majority of people since a young age.

Here are some of the responses that I encountered:

James Mac Donald, married man of 29 years, said, no matter what “seek the best for each other.”

Well that makes sense, isn’t that what love is about, overcoming selfishness and being actively involved with someone else?

Elizabeth Ross, married woman of 7 years, said, whatever you do “don’t go to bed angry, laugh together at least once a day. It makes your relationship fun.”

Laughter is definitely one of the beautiful things about being with others. So why wouldn’t your spouse or significant other make you laugh? Love the quirks in others.

Katie Greene, married woman of 4 years, said, “The most important elements in a relationship are common core beliefs, honesty, fun, and a dogged determination to make it work.”

What struck me most in this quote was the determination to make it ”work.” How is a relationship with a friend or your parents any different from your romantic relationships? Friends are fun but there is always work involved.

Relationships require effort.

And finally,

Stephanie Slaughbough, a college student in a dating relationship, said, “A healthy relationship needs to be a friendship with an electric attraction and excellent communication.”

All of these comments represent people in varies evolving stages in a relationship.

The silver lining of communication is forgiveness. Be sensitive! The fact is people are human, and us human’s have a long history of messing up, a lot.

Use your power of introspection and really look at your relationship be flexible for change, take time to be intimate and nurture your relationship. Be sensitive, make the most of everyday and leave the negativity behind you.

There are always reasons you began a relationship, what were they? Have those reasons multiplied? Evolved?

The only thing I can infer from these comments and my research is that without communication relationships waste away until they are nothing but a shadow that follows you, forgettable and insignificant.

Love with passion and abandon.

Just grindin’ the ax- Liza