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OPINION
| October 1, 2003
Guest Column
The Stress Diet
College life features a 3-step
weight-loss plan
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| The Shorthorn: Ryan Hartsell |
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From the stress of parking to a lack of
food centers, UTA is fighting obesity. The national average weight
may go up, but I predict UTA’s average will go down. If you’re
a student here, you’ve been enrolled in the university’s
three-step diet plan.
Ashlie Gray didn’t realize she had signed up for a weight-loss
program when she registered for classes. Gray, at 5-foot, 7-inches
and 125 pounds, is not overweight by anyone’s standards. You
may not be either.
But three weeks into school, the pounds are beginning to melt off.
And Gray has the university to thank. UTA has put the psychology
sophomore on a strict diet of low-calorie meals combined with a
hearty load of daily exercise. And she’s not alone, —
you’re signed up, too.
UTA has devised a mandatory program of diet and exercise that fits
into every student’s schedule.
First, let’s look at the exercise program: power walking.
If you commute to campus, as most of us do, you’re accustomed
to the fun game of finding a parking spot. You may be one of those
lucky people who drives up at the perfect time to find the perfect
spot, or you may be one of those aggressive drivers who stalks students
leaving class.
Maybe, like the rest of us, you’d rather park in Pantego (about
two miles away) than play traffic games. The result of this non-ambitious
parking practice is a long walk to class — a long power walk
to class.
A 10- to 13-minute power walk between each class burns about 50
calories, according to the Forest Hills Medical Associates Web site,
www.fhma.com. Throw on a 7-pound backpack, and you burn even more
calories.
If you face a broken elevator, the average 150-pound person will
burn about 30 calories walking up three flights of stairs.
With a heavy school schedule, I feel guilty about spending time
watching television. But exercising is nothing to be ashamed of.
Now we can do both at the same time with the personal televisions
in the fitness center. I don’t know about you, but there are
two ways to get me to work out: muscled, half-naked guys or The
Learning Channel’s “Trading Spaces.”
So, for a guilt-free dose of TLC, MTV or ESPN, just hop on an exercise
bike. During a 30-minute TV program, you’ll burn more than
200 calories.
UTA’s program not only helps burn calories, it helps cut calories.
After your workout, if you want to grab a bite to eat, get ready
to work for your food. Since The Corral closed, the only cafeteria
on campus is in University Center — one cafeteria for more
than 24,000 students. You’ll be lucky if you can make it through
the lunch lines in half an hour.
Patience is not one of my virtues. So, this saves me a few calories.
My lunch has become simple and healthy — peanut butter and
jelly sandwiches, pretzels and fruit — if I remember to pack
a lunch.
My other meal option is a grande cappuccino with hazelnut. I have
come to love Java City — cold drinks when you’re hot
— hot drinks when you’re cold. Coffee that fills your
stomach and helps you forget your hunger pains. With Java Cities
all over campus, who needs to eat? That’s a whole meal of
calories saved.
But the weight-loss plan offers even more.
If you don’t stay on top of things, pressure can pile up quickly,
but don’t worry. According to www.webmd.com, stress can make
you lose your appetite and cause you to lose weight.
So, the next time you’re asked if you exercise regularly,
it won’t be a lie to say, “Yes, I’m on the UTA
exercise program.”
Go ahead — buy that $100 bikini that is finally on sale. By
the end of next spring, we’ll all be concentration-camp fit.
And that “freshman-15” problem? Not at UTA.
— Catherine Cavazos is a journalism senior.
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