Magazine Article - "How to Stay in Shape" (Winter 2009): Each new year, people everywhere vow to make changes or improvements to their daily lives by setting resolutions for themselves. One of the most popular resolutions made is to get in shape for the new year. These goals can consist of losing 30 pounds, being able to swim one mile or eating healthier foods to help stay in shape. But why is it that each year people fail to uphold their New Year’s resolution to get in shape? What is it that keeps them from succeeding or falling short of this goal? More importantly, how can they actually achieve the goal?

The idea of exercise has been prevalent since the B.C. era. Hippocrates noted that "if we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, we would have found the safest way to health." The problem is that too few people understand the actual reasoning of why exercise is important.

For many, getting or staying in shape is close to impossible because they are not educated on the facts. In today’s world, people are far too "busy" to take the time to learn what nutritional facts actually mean or what they are pertaining to. The fact that you exercises six times a week will ultimately be cancelled out if you are not eating correctly. Now this is not a ground-breaking discovery, however, people often are consuming foods they believe to be healthy when in reality they might be more detrimental than they think.

One example of consumer sabotage is what people see when they shop for groceries. When you are trying to eat healthy and purchase foods that will compliment your exercise workouts, you might buy products that are associated with positive words. People equate "fat-free" with "healthy" so they automatically purchase the product, but they fail to realize the amount of sugars or sodium in it. The consumer becomes distracted by the words "fat-free" and fails to read the rest of the ingredients. Pictures also tend to trick consumers. When people see the image of a red heart or a ribbon or vegetables they automatically associate that product as being healthy. Is it?

There are also certain ailments that can be directly attributed to poor diet and lack of exercise. According to the American Medical Association: Family Medical Guide, diabetes, back pain, Gallstones, heart disease, high blood pressure and Osteoarthritis are just a few diseases and conditions that can develop due to poor health habits. Dr. Hugh E. Stephenson Jr., Missouri ’43, says that more severe conditions could have been prevented in his patients if their diets were different.

So, how can you commit to exercising and getting in shape this new year? It is simple and can be broken down into three separate categories.

Hidden Calories

People also need to be wary of hidden calories that can be found in what looks to be a healthy food. Similar to the consumer sabotage, you need to fully understand what you are really ordering when trying to make the best decision for your diet. When people dine out for dinner, they will opt to take the side salad instead of fries, or a fruit smoothie instead of the ice cream shake. But is this really the healthiest decision? It can be, but only if you are looking out for the hidden calories.

A salad will often include cheeses and salted nuts on top along with a very fatty dressing that can contain more than 1,000 calories alone. The same holds true for smoothies. Depending on what is selected, some smoothies can contain many more calories and sugars than people think. According to the American Medical Association: Family Medical Guide, one 12 ounce smoothie can contain up to 300 calories due to sugars and other ingredients. To put this into perspective, a small fry at McDonalds has only 250 calories. One way to make sure you know what you are getting is by going online and doing some quick research. Most chain restaurants will have the nutritional information on their websites and fast food establishments will have them posted. There are also websites that will help you track your caloric intake, such as the USDA’s MyPyramid Tracker and My CalStep.

How to Fight Sudden Snack Attacks

Spontaneous snacking is a huge contributor to overeating whether you are in the office or walking on campus. When working on deadlines, projects or studying for an upcoming class, people tend to snack on whatever happens to be around them at the time. Mindless eating or eating when bored will certainly steer you into calorie trouble. One way to combat this is to purchase individual snack packs or 100 calorie packs. This automatically will set a limit to the amount of food the individual is consuming and keep you from overeating.

Another area where people tend to get into trouble is late night snacks. Everyone has been there before when they have an "uncontrollable" urge for a slice of chocolate cake. When you eat late at night, you are normally eating less nutritious options and are severely increasing your caloric intake. Sometimes the portions can be similar to that of an entire meal, which defeats the purpose of the snack. One way to get around this is to make smart decisions. Instead of taking that slice of pizza or ice cream, go for the piece of fruit or even a glass of water.

Exercise is the key

Most people do not realize it, but there are easy exercise opportunities everywhere. For instance, instead of riding the elevator, climb the stairs. It may sound insignificant, but those few extra flights not only help burn calories, but will also begin to tone the legs and help build endurance. This strengthens the heart and builds lung capacity. Set some time aside each day, at least 20 minutes, to commit to some type of physical activity. Joining a gym or health and fitness center is a great way to be held accountable and staying on top of the commitment to getting in shape.

Proper diet and good exercise can change your entire outlook on life. Even though eating right and exercising can be difficult and require more persistence and energy than you may like, proper nutrition will not only give more energy, but will also aid in a more healthy and balanced lifestyle. And those are two goals well worth pursuing this year! — Alex Hammel, Florida '08