-Burger and Fries

First, Dee wants to remind you that your weight is not the most important measure of fitness. Body fat calculation or body mass index is a far better measurement of healthiness. You can have both these calculated at the Student Health Center. Having said that, your diet is not healthy! We are sure you already know that healthy eating is critical to good health and productive studying. Our Health Educator can help you with food choices. She tells us we need to be eating from all the food groups each day: grains, veggies, fruits, meats and dairy. We know dining hall foods are not exactly like Mom’s, but you can eat well on campus. If you need help in the dining hall, just ask one of the servers. They can tell you ingredients in that particular item or answer your concerns. If an entrée has gravies and sauces you do not want, you can ask for the meat plain.

You can actually check the nutrient content (if not listed by the food), by checking Sodexho’s ‘Big Book’ nutrient analysis. You can also get personal help with your meal choices from the Health Educator in the Student Health Center, where staff members can help you determine your caloric and nutrient needs. If you need data to show the deficiencies of your current diet, go to http://www.fitday.com/ and enter your daily intake. You will quickly see any nutritional deficiencies.

Another important part of the weight maintenance issue is exercise. For healthy bodies, we should exercise at least half an hour a day within our target heart range.

How you eat is also important. It is far healthier to eat six small meals a day than one or two larger ones. With fewer eating times, our metabolism actually slows, sabotaging our maintenance efforts by making our body more efficient at storing energy as fat. With a student’s erratic daily schedule, this way of eating takes careful planning; but it is worth the effort. Last, but not least, you need to drink at least eight glasses of water per day!