As the holiday season kicks into gear and the results of first quarter weigh in, the rumor of gaining the “freshmen 15″ begins to look like a little more than a prediction.
Returning home for the holidays is a huge relief from cooking and the monotony of dorm food.
But while the holidays should be a time of indulgence, don’t let the holiday season and the stress of the end of the quarter keep you from eating right.
Before the holidays even begin, many students overdose on Red Bull, coffee, Doritos and cookies to maintain their energy.
With finals right around the corner, it is tempting to allow exercise, sleep and healthy eating become low priorities. We tell ourselves that there will be plenty of time to rest during the break.
Unfortunately, with homemade cookies and holiday festivities entering the equation, we will forget our post-finals goals and put them onto the New Year’s resolution list.
It’s easy to excuse bad eating as a treat for finishing finals and a source of comfort when grades come out, but don’t let lounging on the couch and afternoon naps take precedent over a brisk walk around the block or a trip to the gym.
A study recently published by the Journal of the American Medical Association intensifies fears about falling into an overweight classification.
The study showed that those who are obese are more at risk of death due to cardiovascular disease or noncancerous causes.
Though Americans have recently been confronted with high rates of obesity across the country and are in no place to endorse being overweight, it is important to stress finding the body weight that is right for you.
While obesity is still an important issue, health concerns also exist on the other side of the spectrum.
The National Institute of Health reports that 10 percent of female college students have clinical or a subclinical form of anorexia nervosa.
Having sole responsibility for your health ““ without parents to make sure you are getting the right nutrients ““ makes it easy not to eat the right foods.
But staying fit and maintaining a comfortable weight makes us feel better because our body is healthy: We feel good, and this helps us keep our self-esteem high.
“I don’t stay in shape just for health reasons, but for both self-esteem and confidence,” said Nick Demarais, a second-year chemical engineering student.
Different motivations aside, students need to stay aware of their health.
The American Medical Association’s study encourages us to stay informed about our bodies so we can maintain a body weight that is right for us.
The holidays encourage consumption and a little indulging is understandable.
But keeping healthy eating habits as a part of daily life helps us maintain a balance of appropriate exercise and extravagances.
If you establish good behavior, then when the holidays or the stress of school takeover, your routine of taking care of yourself will come naturally.
The dining halls on campus are full of tips to aid students in healthy snacking and keeping a balanced diet of all food groups.
It isn’t hard to stay healthy: Avoid sugary foods and lay off the soda and copious amounts of eggnog.
Make sure you have something green on your plate at every meal.
These tips may seem silly but they should be heeded as a helpful reminder when the buffet becomes a sanctuary to project your stress.
“If you’re eating unhealthy stuff, I don’t think you’re going to change in the future because we’re getting to the age where habits are made,” said Bret Noel, a first-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student.
In the following weeks, as the holidays commence, and throughout your upcoming finals, remember that eating healthy is what will give you the energy during these fast-paced, energy-sapping events.
Your body will feel nourished and ready for exams if it is fueled with the right foods.
Don’t let laziness, nervous energy or a lack of talent in the kitchen stop you from eating what is right for your body.
And once the holidays begin, try to instate those New Year’s resolutions a bit earlier. Don’t put off eating right until after finals and the holidays.
The habits you form now could last a lifetime.
E-mail Mier at smier@media.ucla.edu.