Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Your Ticket to a Healthy Thanksgiving!

It’s finally here! Thanksgiving! The holiday where you don’t have to buy anyone anything or worry about wrapping gifts. This is the one holiday where all you have to do is eat.


However, for most of us this means the beginning of our 5-10 pound gain that we don’t shed until around April when the bikinis hit the shelves at the local Target.


But how can we prevent this gain in the first place, so we’re not killing ourselves later

trying to run off that dressing from six months earlier? Well, the answer maybe simpler than you think. And I don’t mean not eating, as that would defeat the point of Thanksgiving.


First off, don’t starve yourself the day of waiting for that awesome dinner. This will lead to overeating when you do get to the dinner. You’ll actually take in more calories than if you ate breakfast, lunch and dinner.


Secondly, keep in mind your portion sizes. Just because you can eat a whole pound of turkey doesn’t mean you should. Try just putting a few spoonfuls of each item on your plate and not huge piles of everything.


Thirdly, start your meal with salad and vegetables. This will ensure that you don’t fill up on less healthy foods.


Finally, watch your pace. There is a link between how fast you eat and how much you weigh. Eating slower gives your body time to register that it’s full before you get too full. This means that you’re less likely to overeat.


These are just some helpful tips to keep in mind this Thanksgiving. But remember if you overdo it, you can always come work out at the Rec Center when you get back to school.


The Rec Center will go back to regular facility hours Sunday, November 27th.


Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!

Your Ticket to Campus Recreation – Erin

Friday, November 18, 2011

Your Ticket to Healthy Living

So I love caffeine. I mean to the point where I would probably cry if I had to go a day without it. Pretty unhealthy, I know, but we all have our issues.


My obsession started when I became anemic at the beginning of my freshman year of college. I literally couldn’t stay awake unless I had at least two if not three cups of coffee a morning, and an energy drink during the day. Now, if I don’t have that much everyday, I get caffeine migraines…not fun.


But what I didn’t know is that that much caffeine isn’t good for you. It seems like common sense - too much of a good thing isn’t good - but whatever, I was tired.


This love/addiction to caffeine isn’t just a problem that I have, it’s a problem for people all over the U.S. The main issue isn’t coffee consumption (coffee has many health benefits that we won’t go into this week), but energy drinks.


The caffeine content in energy drinks here in the U.S. can range from 50mg to 505mg. This is because the U.S. has some of the most lax regulations in the world when it comes to energy drinks. Energy drinks are fine in moderation, but let’s face it - most of us don’t usually just stick to the recommended serving size.


The main issue with these drinks is the amount of caffeine they contain. Studies have shown that if you consume 500mg-1000mg within an hour (one or two energy drinks), you can experience dizziness, irritability, nausea, nervousness, jitters, headache, and fatigue later on.


Also, consuming this much caffeine can lead to caffeine intoxication (who knew?). Some of the signs and symptoms of Caffeine Intoxication include a racing heart beat, palpitations, arrhythmia, fatigue that worsens during the day, insomnia, upset stomach, dehydration and muscle cramps. Caffeine can even become lethal at extremely high doses (5-10g).


This has to make you wonder whether drinking this stuff is worth it. As for me, I’m planning on cutting down my caffeine consumption.


Your Ticket to Campus Rec - Erin

www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871608002858