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Increased alcohol consumption, lack of activity can lead to freshman 15
I’age 3 A • Friday, September 17, 2004
PACE DESIGN BY JULIE BONE
By Jimmy Hissong
THE BATTALION
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By the time McDonald's has made the 10:30 a.m. switch from
iggMcMuffins to cheeseburgers, graduate student Ken Vincent
as already completed a full day's workout. But this is of little
oncem to Vincent, as exercise and healthy eating have become
art of his morning routine.
“I like getting the endorphins flowing early,” Vincent said.
Willianiv|^ ere aren ' t man y good excuses not to (work out) at this
nt adviserofI' me ’ ^ t ^ ie t ' me c 'I asscs are over, there’s a lot of damn
btfiil that a® 00 ^ excuscs -
imishingshf Sweatbands and Stairmasters renewed the popularity of exer-
7, but said*i s i n g' n the 1980s. The following decade incorporated a number
be an iijifdietary considerations into the minds of the masses. In the
npus, espccMlst-century, fast-food chains long-time enemies of healthy
Individuals — are continuing to expand their menus to include
ampus hoJnore nutritious options,
iption andrl But as time progresses, waistbands progress outward. Carbs
:tude the c;*nd calories are on the tip of everyone’s tongue, but the Centers
Williams ijoi- Disease Control and Prevention asserts that the American
k .i j 5 !* [ibesity epidemic is worsening rather than improving.
“It’s called ‘portion distortion,”’ said John Prochaska, a gradu-
ite assistant for Student Health Services. Prochaska said that
nany people don’t know correct portion sizes.
Ashley Walker, health educator for Student Health Services,
aid students may try to eat healthier foods, but their assumptions
the reside
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net a lot of ’ aow muc ' 110 cat ‘
‘We hope!
iren t exactly on par with the U.S. Depart-
nent of Agriculture, the inventors of the food pyramid.
The USDA recommends two three-ounce servings of meat a day.
“One portion is about the size of a woman’s palm,” said Walker.
I A six-ounce steak is pretty skimpy at any steakhouse, and at
Joughly four ounces, even one Quarter Pounder is enough meat
City plantio satisfy a whole day’s requirements but don’t ask how many
Sterling GrAunces of meat are in a Double QuarterPounder.
ho success?! Some restaurants have altered their menus to appeal to the fad
anto. He iMjets that ebb and flow with fashion cycles, but in an effort to
)r j s ^ er lppeal to consumers, many of their ideas of healthy servings are
'' Ikewed. Often times, getting more bang for the buck wins out
k with
food.
ver receiving smaller, healthier plates
“As children, we’re trained to clean our plate,” said Rhonda
and decr:!^ 111 ’^ education coordinator for Student Health Ser-
\&M gav«i ces - “We may be eating healthier, but we’re getting fatter since
tition andpfpe’re eating too much.”
iftforotte'l Problems concerning weight gain arc not noticeably preva-
icfit as/mm
t TexkMM.i
lent among the collegiate crowd. According to a National Col
lege Health Assessment of Texas A&M students in the Spring
of 2001, 60 percent of Aggies consider themselves to be about
the right weight. But to young 18- to 20-somethings with high
metabolisms, appearances may not be an authentic projector of
health problems faced later in life.
Of course, some long-term consequences are seldom rationalized
on a daily basis by anyone. Immediate possibilities weigh far
heavier... about fifteen pounds heavier.
“Really the ‘freshman 15’ is more like the ‘freshman seven,”’
Walker said. “1 guess the alliteration just sounds better.”
Rahn said the seemingly simple change from high school to
college alters the habits of most students, resulting in the un
wanted weight gain. They often become less active. Generally
students stay up later, Rahn said, snacking while studying, and
adopt eating habits upon which any mother or father would likely
frown. The increase in the consumption of alcohol (however low
in carbs) does not help the calories-consumed to calories-used
ratio, either, she said.
Each of these symptoms may result in unfavorable weight
gain, but overcoming myths regarding dieting and healthy liv
ing can greatly reduce the chances for experiencing the ‘fresh
man 15’ firsthand.
“Skipping meals slows down your metabolism,” Walker said.
“If you don’t eat breakfast, your body won’t break down a big
lunch like it should. That’s why they call it the most im
portant meal of the day.”
Sticking to a well-planned diet and exercising properly
can help any student with those 15-pound woes. Each day
some 3,200 students visit the Rec Center in an attempt to evade a
seven-, 15- or 70-pound weight gain.
“Exercise is a key to weight loss,” said DuAnn Woosley, the
Rec Sports fitness director. “But it’s also the key to feeling better,
less stressed and more focused.”
The College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes to an
hour of exercise on most days of the week.
“What used to be four (days of exercise as the necessary
amount) is now five to six,” Woosley said.
The Rec Center offers more than 85 classes seven days a week,
spanning everything from hip-hop aerobics to balance training to
keep exercising fun and entertaining for students.
“Keeping in shape and staying healthy is important to me,”
said Paige Nitsch, a senior radiological health engineering major.
“Working out in the mornings means that I only have to take one
shower each day.”
Woosley said commitment to nutrition and exercise for life
Ivan Flores • THE BATTALION
requires a daily routine inclusion as a college-aged individual.
“The choices you make in college go with you the rest of your life,”
Rahn said. “Poor habits now can lead to cardiac problems in your thir
ties and forties or the triple bypass you have when you're fifty/’
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