News Taffy

Last week’s topic was the freshman 15; now here are some tips on how to avoid gaining weight. The top three things you should focus on in order to be healthy are sleep, exercise and proper nutrition. Once away from home, many college students pick up unhealthy habits by staying up late, partying and eating all the junk they want.

Studies show that getting plenty of sleep is actually more effective than staying up late to study. Sleep deprivation has been linked to lower GPAs because a lack of sleep leads directly to difficulty concentrating, learning or recalling information. Lack of sleep has also been linked to weight gain as the more sleep deprived you are, the higher your levels of stress hormones, causing an increased appetite and cravings. Your body may have more difficulty processing the sugar you crave, leading to high blood sugar. During sleep, our bodies are actually busy processing the information we took in all day, growing muscle, repairing tissue and other “housekeeping” chores. You really do need 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night to accomplish these tasks. Help keep your sleep cycle regular by spending some time in the daylight each day, exercising, eating regularly, skipping caffeine after 3 p.m. and scheduling your school work appropriately.

There are several studies that say that the single most important thing you can do for your body is to EXERCISE. The importance of regular exercise can not be stressed enough. Our bodies were meant to move; we are not pieces of furniture that hold our shape no matter what. Exercise improves your mood, fights the freshman 15, gives you a positive self image, helps you sleep better, wards off diseases like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers and gives you a better energy boost than an energy drink. Exercise is a great way to meet people, make new friends and have fun.

Last, don’t think you can eat whatever you want without consequences. Unfortunately it is incredibly easy to gain weight but oh so hard to get rid of it. It may be easier to understand if you consider how long you’d have to exercise to burn off those empty calories. A 20 oz. bottle of coke will take 55 minutes to walk off, you’ll have to jump rope for 12 minutes to burn off just 15 measly potato chips and you’ll have to mow the lawn for a half hour to get rid of a Krispy Kreme glazed donut.

Make a point to eat 3 to 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. If you eat a banana with breakfast, a salad at lunch and at least one vegetable at dinner, it’s not that hard. Avoid eating too many carbs like pasta, breads and cereals and opt for lean proteins like chicken and fish. If you keep snacks in your room, chose healthier options than chips, cookies and other processed foods. Almonds and other nuts are a good choice, as is any fruit except fruit cups loaded with sugar. Cheese cubes, yogurt, cottage cheese, hummus and carrots or other veggies, peanut or other nut butters are all better choices. Watch your serving sizes too.

Remember that many beverages like coffees and energy drinks are full of empty calories so don’t make them part of your daily diet. You can still have treats, just eat them in moderation, not every day.