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October 24, 2006

Recipe for Health

Students share ways to stay healthy while maintaining a busy schedule

Story by: Anthony Williams

The Shorthorn staff

Everyone knows of the famed “Freshman 15,” but those first-year pounds could become much more of a pain over the years if students aren’t careful.

As students get more involved with classes and jobs, they tend to leave their health behind.

Some students can eat Blue Bell cookies and cream ice cream and still maintain their weight, but for others, exercise is a hard pill to swallow.

Student athletes with their rigid practice schedules would seem to have an edge over the casual student, but for some, the extra load only means late-night studying on top of an already grueling day.

The bottom line that most students seem to get is that everyone should have some sort of routine, whether it’s running five miles every morning, not eating after 9 p.m. or eating one scoop instead of two.

Kinesiology junior Tyler Garner plays for the Movin’ Mavs wheelchair basketball team.

He practices with the team five days a week for three hours and does some cardiovascular exercise on the side.

“Outside of practice, I do the ergometer, which is like a bicycle for your hands, in the mornings before class,” he said. “I also lift weights three times a week.”

Garner gets seven to eight hours of sleep every night and watches his diet closely. He doesn’t even eat ramen.

“I try to eat six times a day and stay away from processed foods,” he said. “I do indulge on Italian food, though.”

Garner studies between classes whenever necessary and refrains from too much excitement. He parties a little, but hasn’t in a while.

He advises others to develop a routine and be firm.

“It’s consistency — just do things that work for you,” he said. “If you’re going to the gym and eating right, you’re going to see results.”

Undeclared freshman Cara Hulme plays for the Lady Mavericks softball team.

In addition to practicing five days a week for three hours, she has more specific training. On three of the practice days, she works on her pitching for an hour before she meets with the team. Before the other two practices, she practices hitting for an hour.

Hulme said she watches what she eats but still indulges in desserts.

“I try to eat my veggies and basically eat healthy, but of course that usually doesn’t happen,” she said.

Even with team study hall Mondays and Wednesdays, Hulme studies on her own for two hours Tuesdays and Thursdays and still gets seven to eight hours of sleep.

“Definitely get enough sleep,” she said. “Even when you don’t feel like working out, at least go walking or something because if you get into a routine, it’s much easier to stick with it.”

Undeclared freshman Jared Tuel, who pole-vaults for the Mavs track team, said the team has the same workout routines that last two to three hours a day.

“We’re all doing a quarter-mile workout. The only thing different that pole-vaulters are doing are drills after practice,” he said.

Tuel aims for eight to nine hours of sleep a night and follows a strict diet.

“I eat high carbs during the day and proteins at night. I stay away from carbonated drinks and drink a lot of water,” he said.

Unless he has a test coming up, Tuel studies about two hours a day but said he’s still getting accustomed to college life.

“I’m kind of learning how to do things myself right now,” he said.

Undeclared freshman Marissa Alvarez is on the pom squad.

The squad works out three times a week, but Alvarez still hits the gym three to five times aside from that.

“I run a mile, hit the elliptical machine, do 8 Minute Abs and lift weights for my arms,” she said.

Alvarez said she usually gets eight hours of sleep and tries to eat healthy.

“I mostly eat Lean Cuisines,” she said, “but I do indulge on Snickers.”

With her busy schedule, Alvarez isn’t very active on campus. She isn’t involved in anything other than the squad, but she tries to go out Saturdays with friends.

Alvarez urges students to fight laziness. One way they can do that is by taking the stairs to class and walking more.

“You don’t have to take the elevator up one floor, and you don’t have to drive everywhere on campus,” she said.

Public relations graduate student Ashley Bobb is on the women’s basketball team and practices with the team for three to four hours Monday through Saturday.

“We lift weights three times a week,” she said. “Toward the end of practice we scrimmage, then we run lines, and at the end we stretch again.”

She studies regularly after practice and has study hall six hours a week. She gets about six or seven hours of sleep a night and says her diet includes whatever she wants.

“I have a high metabolism,” Bobb said, adding that she does watch for some of the bad foods.

Bobb suggests working out several times a week and monitoring your diet.

“Try to cut out fatty foods and soda,” she said. “Instead of junk food as a snack, try some fruit instead.”

Nursing junior Amanda Mann exercises three to four days a week at the gym but runs daily.

“I run four to six miles, and I do sit-ups,” she said.

She usually gets six to eight hours of sleep and has only one food vice.

“I normally eat healthy, but I have a weakness for salty foods,” Mann said.

Though she parties a little on weekends, she has other goals, like training for a half-marathon.

Mann said that while maintaining a workout routine may seem tough, anyone can do it.

“I think as long as you get enough sleep and can balance school and your social life, you should have plenty of time to workout,” she said.