SIMONE VIRZI — Copy Editor
With midterms here, many of us are focusing on our academics. Or if you’re like one of my friends, you’re starting your Christmas shopping list. Regardless, it seems like the last thing on everyone’s mind is being healthy. After all, bathing suit season is over and there are other things we need to pay attention to, right? Wrong. Your health is important throughout the year, and it’s never something to put on the backburner. By making small changes to your daily routine, you can get healthier in a jiffy.
Bring on the day with Breakfast
Finding time to sit down and have breakfast in the morn- ing can be difficult, especially if you have an early class. So you skip breakfast, and by lunchtime you’re starving. Not anymore. It’s time to wake up 15 minutes earlier to have a sufficient breakfast; doughnuts don’t count. According to Web MD’s website, “breakfast is linked to many health benefits, including weight control and improved perfor- mance.” If you’re trying to lose weight, breakfast could help you. The site also says studies have shown both children and adults who eat breakfast tend to weigh less. One possible reason for this is that “eating a healthy breakfast can reduce hunger throughout the day, and help people make better food choices at other meals.” Breakfast can also help you concentrate better in class, and you will actually be able to comprehend what your professor in your 8:10 a.m. class is teaching.
For the Love of Salad
I’ve very aware not every is a fan of salad, or vegetables in general, but you can’t just avoid them like the plague. Some people will try to argue they get lettuce and tomato on their greased up burger on McDonald’s, but that doesn’t even come close to counting. Real vegetables are often low in calories but extremely nutritious – some- thing each body needs. It’s simply a matter of getting over a fear of vegetables. Whether you make your own dinner or go to Conn, start off your dinner with salad. You’ll start to fill up before beginning your main meal and will therefore consume fewer calories total. Instead of having a basic lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad, spice it up! For instance, try baby spinach, olives and red peppers. You have an endless amount of possible combinations; you can easily get creative with your food and pick and choose something different to excite you each day.
Water: Not Just for Showering!
We all know we’re supposed to consume at least eight glasses of water a day, which can seem like a lot, but it’s easier than you think. In- stead of drinking multiple bottles of soda every day, have water. Soda consists of hundreds of empty calories, which you really don’t need. The same is true with Gatorade, alcohol, and juice drinks. If you find it impossible to give up apple or orange juice, fill half of your glass with water, and the other half with juice. You’ll still get the flavor of the juice, but it won’t be as high in calories.
If you drink enough water, in the long run it can make your
skin clearer and give it a glowing effect. Take a water bottle with you, whether you’re going shopping or to class. If you think you may be hungry for a snack, try drinking two glasses of water first. Many times people think they are hungry when they are actually just thirsty. Think about the amount of calories you could save every day by simply re- placing your beverage!
Just Keep Movin’
Many of us have busy schedules, and finding time to sweat the gym can be a challenge. If that’s the case, try finding a way to incorporate little ways to burn off extra calories every day. Whether you live in a dorm or in an apartment building, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Instead of dragging your feet to class, walk with a little pep in your step to increase your heart rate. If you’re out shopping, don’t take the parking spot closest to the store entrance. By parking further away, you’re going to do more walking. This is especially ben- eficial if you’re at the mall since the parking lots are bigger.
Sleepy Time
As much as I hate to admit it, coffee does not replace the sleep you don’t get each night. In fact, back in the day when I took a drug and alcohol course before getting my driver’s license, we watched a video during class. Cops were pulling over drivers thinking they were under the influence based on the way they were driving, but it turned out they were sober; they were just tired. Still, they were equally dangerous on the road. Not getting enough sleep can also make you cranky, and no one wants to be around a cranky person.
If you want to change, start calculating how much sleep you get each night. If you wake up tired the next morning, try getting an extra hour of sleep the next night until you learn how much sleep your body needs to function properly. Granted, there may be nights you won’t be able to get enough sleep as you would like because you have an essay or a project due the next day, but try to get as close to eight hours of sleep every night as possible.
