Spring Break
HealthyU: Tips to trim winter weight
Emily Abbate
Issue date: 1/23/09 Section: Focus
After a long winter break, it's time to get back into the groove of things here at UConn. While students have made resolutions to actually do the reading for their political science classes or save $10 per week to spend on their upcoming spring break trips, one of the most common New Year's resolutions is to lose weight and to fall into a healthier routine.
"Start small!" suggests Amy Pumerantz, nutrition coordinator/health educator at Student Health Services. "Change takes time, don't try to make big changes right away."
Here are some suggestions to help accomplish the healthy success many desire to jumpstart a winning new year.
Write things down
Keeping some sort of food and activity journal is the best thing to do in the earliest stages of a new fitness routine. Keeping a journal is a way for you to reflect upon how many calories you've consumed and how much activity you've done throughout the week, and then make changes to your routine as you see fit.
"A food diary will help you understand where your diet goes wrong and can reveal your calorie intake, so you know if you are getting too many or too few calories," according to about.com.
"It can also help you know if you are getting enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins each day and help you keep your carb-fat-protein ratios in healthy proportions."
Writing things down can also help students get some variety in their diet.
"Mix it up," suggests Pumerantz. "Try new foods, recipes and snack ideas."
Set realistic goals and celebrate small victories
Setting a weight loss goal at 50 pounds is not exactly a smart idea. In order to feel like you are making progress, set smaller goals. For example, set an initial goal of 10 pounds. Once you achieve this goal, make sure to reward yourself.
"Research shows that unrealistic expectations boost the risk of dropping out of a weight loss program," according to webmd.com. "And though at least one study has found that dieters may temporarily eat less if their expectations are too high, that undereating may be replaced by overeating at the very next temptation."
And not everyone is capable of shedding pounds fast. According to your body type and metabolism, weight loss can be a long and frustrating process. This is why the small goals are so important.
For every five pounds lost, trying rewarding yourself with a new shirt or spending some more time relaxing instead of hitting the books.
Make sure your reward is something you really enjoy, and only allow it to yourself when you see progress and accomplish your intermediate goals.
Don't let small mistakes ruin your whole routine
Similar to the intermediate goal setting, you have to be realistic and know that no individual is perfect. This means that once in a while you are going to mess up and, trust me, life will go on. Mess-ups, including skipping a gym day - or five - or "forgetting" to record the three pieces of cheesecake you just ate in your food journal, are recoverable. Just keep your mind set on the ultimate goal, and sure enough, success will soon follow!
"Honor your hunger," Pumerantz suggests. "Depriving yourself of food when you're hungry can lead to overeating at a later meal."
Have fun
Although it may not be the most appealing word in the English dictionary, exercise is whatever you make it out to be. Make sure you spend your exercise time doing something you enjoy.
If you enjoy walking to class, then continue to walk to class all day - and soon enough you can rack up over 3 miles of walking. If you enjoy dancing, then try a Zumba BodyWise class.
If you spend time doing something you enjoy, then you are more likely to keep the commitment to yourself to stay on track.
"Start small!" suggests Amy Pumerantz, nutrition coordinator/health educator at Student Health Services. "Change takes time, don't try to make big changes right away."
Here are some suggestions to help accomplish the healthy success many desire to jumpstart a winning new year.
Write things down
Keeping some sort of food and activity journal is the best thing to do in the earliest stages of a new fitness routine. Keeping a journal is a way for you to reflect upon how many calories you've consumed and how much activity you've done throughout the week, and then make changes to your routine as you see fit.
"A food diary will help you understand where your diet goes wrong and can reveal your calorie intake, so you know if you are getting too many or too few calories," according to about.com.
"It can also help you know if you are getting enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins each day and help you keep your carb-fat-protein ratios in healthy proportions."
Writing things down can also help students get some variety in their diet.
"Mix it up," suggests Pumerantz. "Try new foods, recipes and snack ideas."
Set realistic goals and celebrate small victories
Setting a weight loss goal at 50 pounds is not exactly a smart idea. In order to feel like you are making progress, set smaller goals. For example, set an initial goal of 10 pounds. Once you achieve this goal, make sure to reward yourself.
"Research shows that unrealistic expectations boost the risk of dropping out of a weight loss program," according to webmd.com. "And though at least one study has found that dieters may temporarily eat less if their expectations are too high, that undereating may be replaced by overeating at the very next temptation."
And not everyone is capable of shedding pounds fast. According to your body type and metabolism, weight loss can be a long and frustrating process. This is why the small goals are so important.
For every five pounds lost, trying rewarding yourself with a new shirt or spending some more time relaxing instead of hitting the books.
Make sure your reward is something you really enjoy, and only allow it to yourself when you see progress and accomplish your intermediate goals.
Don't let small mistakes ruin your whole routine
Similar to the intermediate goal setting, you have to be realistic and know that no individual is perfect. This means that once in a while you are going to mess up and, trust me, life will go on. Mess-ups, including skipping a gym day - or five - or "forgetting" to record the three pieces of cheesecake you just ate in your food journal, are recoverable. Just keep your mind set on the ultimate goal, and sure enough, success will soon follow!
"Honor your hunger," Pumerantz suggests. "Depriving yourself of food when you're hungry can lead to overeating at a later meal."
Have fun
Although it may not be the most appealing word in the English dictionary, exercise is whatever you make it out to be. Make sure you spend your exercise time doing something you enjoy.
If you enjoy walking to class, then continue to walk to class all day - and soon enough you can rack up over 3 miles of walking. If you enjoy dancing, then try a Zumba BodyWise class.
If you spend time doing something you enjoy, then you are more likely to keep the commitment to yourself to stay on track.
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