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The Impact of Yoga
Like its low-impact counterparts, yoga offers fitness through its involvement of mindfulness, concentration, strength and flexibility. There are many diverse types of yoga to choose from, and the space in which it is practiced can be personalized for further relaxation. Harmon says, “Similar to Pilates, yoga can build up relative strength, mobility, muscular endurance and help stretch out the body. While some poses or holds do not require a lot of movement, they can still build up muscular endurance the body needs to build muscle mass, hypertrophy and overall functional fitness.”
Many options for low-impact exercises are effortless enough to overpower the “gym-timidation” that many beginners in the gym experience. After the knowledge of simple and enjoyable exercises is instilled, going to the gym can become a daily and positive addition to your routine, clearing your mind of outside stressors and leaving you feeling confident in your skin.
For More Information:
Pilates: how does it work and who needs it?
Relationship between Physical Fitness and Academic Performance in University Students
Overcoming Diet Stereotyping Among College Students: Promoting Healthy Eating Habits
By Ashley Colombo
Sophomore, Art History
College of Arts and Sciences
After a long class, a challenging exam or a night out, students will gravitate toward an on-the-go snack or a meal that brings them comfort, such as a slice of pizza. This habit of disregarding healthier options causes a lack of nutrients in the body, a decrease in health and a toxic relationship
with food for many college age individuals. A study by Northwestern Medicine and Northeastern Illinois University states that 95% of college students don’t consume their recommended daily serving of fruits and vegetables.
Nigel Graham, registered dietician and an adjunct instructor at Syracuse University, says, “This is college students’ first real chance at freedom; they have the freedom to eat what they want, when they want, however frequently and how much.” The food freedom students experience can cause a
shift in their relationship with food and overall eating habits. College students are also faced with new challenges, such as mindless eating, endless food options in the dining hall, a lack of parental guidance or small increments of time to fit meals in.
Often, students confuse healthy habits with some form of dieting in fear of the “freshman 15” weight gain. However, healthy dieting can result in unhealthy practices for young people. “Don’t feel like just because everyone around you is putting themselves on a calorie restriction diet that you have to as well,” says Graham. “Calorie restriction is not necessarily a key component in a healthy diet.” Calorie-restriction diets quickly turn into binge eating and weight gain, as your body tries to take in the nutrients it has been restricted from.
To help combat this, “the U.S.D.A. MyPlate model comes in, showing that all foods can fit if consumed in moderation,” Graham says. The U.S.D.A. MyPlate displays the five main food groups that should be incorporated into every meal: fruits, grains, vegetables, proteins and dairy. The MyPlate model has different variants to accommodate allergies, cultural differences and special diets.
“When you get the portions of food like the MyPlate method shows, you’ll find that your satiety lasts a lot longer, and you will get full quicker,” Graham says.
Regarding mealtime, Graham says that a college student should “ideally focus first on having lean meat, then choosing a hearty portion of vegetables, as vegetables and fruit are usually something that people tend to leave out of their diets. Most people will obtain adequate protein
if they steer towards lean cuts and adequate grains.” Overall, the key to building balanced meals, especially in the dining hall, is to rebuild the understanding of nutrition.
No food can be stigmatized as healthy or unhealthy, because every food can fit into a balanced diet with moderation. When it comes to mealtime, and it feels overwhelming to start building your plate, remember the MyPlate method of incorporating fruits, grains, vegetables, proteins and dairy. All the positive benefits will follow.
For More Information:
What is MyPlate?The Freshmen 15: Is It Real?
Dietary Habits and Lifestyle Practices among University Students in Universiti Brunei Darussalam