By Tracy F. Harris
An apple a day keeps the doctor away – not to mention it may improve grades. Maintaining a healthy body can decrease stress, relieve depression and improve mental performance, health care experts say.
But getting in shape means exercising and eating right. College students often see those two things as idealistic goals that don’t fit into a busy schedule.
“It takes a lot of motivation,” said Dr. Barbara Mercer, a U of L nutrition professor. Her advice for exercise and nutrition is to form a group with other motivated people so there’s no backing out.
Mercer also recommended grabbing every opportunity to get a little bit of exercise. Walking from place to place on campus, if done regularly, can be a great workout, she said. “All those pieces of exercise can add up.”
There are four main gyms on U of L’s campuses for those with enough motivation to visit them. The gym in the SAC, Crawford Gym, Humana Gym and the Health Sciences Fitness Center offer a variety of workout equipment, fitness classes and sports activities. Additionally, the university offers 15 intramural sports this semester. Deadlines to sign up for most sports and classes are soon.
Now, after a long, leisurely walk to the SAC, what to eat? Subway was Mercer’s first choice for the healthy sandwiches and breads offered. However, she said, even McDonald’s has items like the Chicken McGrill that aren’t too unhealthy.
“Almost every fast food restaurant has something healthy,” she said. Online menus and nutrition information for most restaurant chains can help students make informed food choices.
No time for breakfast, lunch, dinner or anything in between? Try snacking on apples, bananas, nuts or yogurt instead of vending machine treats, Mercer said. According to Mercer, almonds are one good snack item. They contain more calcium than any other nut, and also provide magnesium, vitamin E, dietary fiber and protein.
Just 15 almonds counts as a serving, which counters the “I don’t have room to carry around snacks” excuse, Mercer said. The rest of her snack suggestions are just as easy to pack: try baggies of Cheerios, Mini-Wheats or other whole-grain cereals.
Students also tell Mercer they can’t afford healthy snacks. That’s not true, she insisted: the yogurt on her desk cost less than 50 cents.
Another thing students should remember when considering their health is sleep, or in many cases, the lack thereof. Caffeine is only good for short bursts of energy, Mercer said. The brain gets jumpy and can’t process information. Instead of loading up on coffee, she suggested trying a short nap.
Ten-minute power naps can help concentration and memory, experts say. Many students, though, say that they don’t have time for this or that they won’t wake up – but with practice, the body will learn to wake up after a short period of time, Mercer said.
So, lay off the Red Bull and Doritos. Take a quick nap and a walk to the grocery instead. For gym times visit http://www.campuslife.louisville.edu/intramurals.
