Suffering from a holiday hangover? At the time, that extra serving of mashed potatoes and slice of homemade pecan pie sounded delicious but, like holiday presents, dietary indulgences come at a cost.
Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, the pounds start to add up. The damage is even worse when the holiday hearty eating patterns take hold and last well into the spring. Fortunately, with a little help from the Recreational Complex’s group exercise classes and tips from Marilyn Gordon, registered dietician, licensed nutritionist and certified specialist in sports dietetics, there are healthy ways to cut some of those indulgences.
Those dreams of sugarplums dancing in your head may be more like a nightmare brought on by too many sweet treats. Gordon recommends losing weight in a slow but healthy way rather than rushing to drop pounds. So cut back on those sweets and avoid all fried foods, greasy burgers, creamy sauces, gravies and sodas.
“Healthier eating can help you to lose weight due to the higher fiber intake from legumes, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. The fiber fills you up and keeps you full longer. You eat less and snack less resulting in fewer calories consumed during the course of a day,” Gordon said.
Instead of drowning those holiday sorrows in a Venti Frappuccino from Starbucks, try washing them away with a healthier option like water. Eating healthy is a necessity when wanting to lose some of that baggage brought into the new year.
According to Gordon, the healthiest items available on campus include fruit and veggie cups, sushi platters, green salads, broth-based vegetable bean soup, Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal with fruit or nuts, most Subway sandwiches, yogurt, lowfat or nonfat milk, and most deli sandwiches from the West End Avenue Deli in the Alvin Sherman Library.
Students can plan their meals by following a specific food intake guideline called MyPlate, which Gordon suggests using. MyPlate is from the United States Department of Agriculture, helping user create a healthy meal by selecting how much of each food group should be on their plate. For example, for a 2,000-calorie daily food plan, you need specific amounts of food from each food group to stay healthy: two and a half cups of vegetables, two cups of fruit, six ounces of grains, two cups of dairy, and about five and a half ounces of protein foods.
In addition to eating healthy, working out is the best way to accomplish a new year’s resolution to lose weight. A fun, efficient way to work out on campus is to take group exercise classes at the RecPlex. The classes are a great stress reliever for all fitness levels that allow you to lose excess body fat and help you tone your muscles. There are a variety of group classes, including spinning, yoga, power sculpting, Arms + Abs, Yoga Flow, body sculpt, hip-hop, Zumba, and Pilates. Whether a beginner or expert, instructors try to cater the class to students’ needs.
Amanda Mazzeo, junior biology major, said that everyone is treated with equal attention in the group classes.
“I feel like the yoga classes are at a level that everyone can participate in,” said Mazzeo. “Each instructor is unique so you’re not expecting the same yoga class each time you go.”
Brittany Middlemiss, junior business major, said she loved taking the Zumba classes.
“Zumba is my favorite group exercise class to attend. The class allows you to actually enjoy working out,” said Middlemiss. “I lost up to eight pounds by taking Zumba classes all fall semester, and because of that, I want to become a Zumba-certified instructor.”
Freshman Francesca Verret, a secondary mathematics education major, takes Zumba with her friends to enhance her dancing skills.
“I like dancing even though I’m not really good at it. I attend the Zumba classes with friends to have fun and to learn new ways of dancing,” Verret said.
The classes are even more beneficial when eating the right foods and fueling the body with plenty of fluids.
Gordon said, “Always hydrate with water.”
Drinking H20 helps boost metabolism. For example, after drinking cold water, the body has to work to warm the water, which would burn a few extra calories. Water also benefits the heart. If someone consumes enough water, the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood throughout the body.
So instead of digging into leftovers, dig into goals. Don’t wait until a week before spring break to visit the gym. Start now.
To make an appointment with Gordon, contact the NSU Sports Clinic at 954-262-5590. For more information about group exercise classes, including a full schedule and registration, visit www.rec.nova.edu/index.html.
