Volume 38, Issue 6. Today is
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Volume 38, Issue 6. Today is
.
|
|||
You are viewing To return to the current issue please click here. |
12-ounce curls just won’t do
|
 |
| Kim Patterson/MESA LEGEND |
| HAVE YOU SEEN ME? It's the typical diet of an MCC student, complete with nicotine and caffeine. |
A lot of parties usually means a lot of alcohol. Anyone attempting to stay fit must learn that alcoholic beverages are rather high in calories. A 12-ounce can of beer contains 150 calories. Drinking light beer, which contains 110 calories, won’t help much either.
Females may want to think twice the next time they reach for that mixed drink. It contains about 90 calories for every 1.5 ounces of liquor and 75 calories for every six ounces of carbonated drink mixed with it.
Lisa Hayden, a broadcast major at MCC, noticed weight gain after several months of excessive drinking.
"Now, in order to stay in shape, I work out five days a week and only drink three," Hayden said.
According to the college J. Crew magazine website, etown.com, it is recommended that students limit drinking to one or two nights per week, and nourish their bodies with plenty of water during the rest of the week.
Although alcohol is not a healthy choice, neither is late night snacking, which is commonly associated with late night studying.
Remember that ordering a pizza is not considered snacking. Also, many fast food items are high in fat, high in sugar and offered in large portions. Besides fattening, there is also a psychological drawback to late night eating.
Maureen Zimmerman, a foods and nutrition instructor at MCC, said, "Eating late at night while studying is one response to stress and becomes a habit that the brain goes back to over and over again."
She suggests that students find something else to do when stressed such as taking a walk, a quick jog or listening to music. If that doesn’t work, Zimmerman also suggests keeping some fruit on hand for those late-night eating binges.
Late-night study sessions not only cut into students’ precious sleeping time, but they often send them out the following day in hot pursuit of the nearest coffee house for that extra boost of energy.
According to Zimmerman, caffeine doesn’t offer any health advantages and can only become harmful to a student’s health when he or she drinks more than three eight-ounce cups per day.
"The recommendation is to drink only one-to-two eight-ounce cups of caffeinated beverages per day," said Zimmerman, who is also a registered dietitian. "These drinks are loaded with calories," she added, noting a 20-ounce cup of Starbucks’ Venti Cafe Latte contains 350 calories.
Twenty random students at MCC were surveyed by the Mesa Legend about the status of their health. Eighteen of those students claimed to be in good health, however, all of them said they could be in better health.
When asked what prevented students from being in better health, lack of motivation was the most common answer but lack of time was also an issue for many students.
Anthony Manna, an acting and broadcasting student at MCC, said he takes his health very seriously.
"I work out five nights a week on my weight set at home," Manna said. "After my homework is done and before I watch television, I work out. It’s just part of my daily routine."
Zimmerman suggested that students try to adopt a more active lifestyle, doing anything that gets them moving around, even if it means just walking around campus, walking to the parking lot or up and down stairs.
Being fit doesn’t mean participating in vigorous exercise, Zimmerman added, suggesting that students start at a moderate pace and gradually work their way up to a comfortable level of activity.
"Small daily changes that increase movement can make a difference to health. Moderate exercise confers health benefits."
|
The Mesa Legend is the student newspaper of Mesa Community College, Mesa, Arizona. Copyright © 2000 by The Mesa Legend. Text and art are protected by copyright. All rights reserved Contact the Mesa Legend Webmaster |
