Healthy body, happy student

Maryna Dahkno
Team Member

growing trend for many post-

secondary students across North
America seems to be drinking gallons
of coffee weekly, and grabbing less than
nutritious, on-the-go lunches because they
have procrastinated so much that they
have no time to properly feed their body.
A well-known phenomenon, the famous
“Freshman 15”, goes hand in hand with
this trend. A handful of students believe a
can of pop and a juicy burger with a side of
fries make a good enough meal to get their
sleep-deprived brains through the day. This
provides about 1055 calories, which is half
of the daily caloric needs of an average
adult. Because of the low nutrition values
of this fast meal, students do not gain
much energy to get them far in the day.
Hunger will strike again, and their hands
will reach for a fast, and sweet, snack.
Hopefully it is an apple and not the candy
bar from the vending machine.

Luckily, “Freshman 15” is a big fat lie.
Many university students do end up
gaining weight during their study years
because of factors such as stress, sleep
deprivation, lack of money, little or no
exercise, and binge drinking, but studies
have shown that an average student will
gain around only five pounds in their
first year. Throughout the rest of their
post-secondary years, these students can
see an exponential rise in their weight--
up to 15 pounds and more. Doctors have
expressed their concern for the physical
and mental health of university students
due to their weight gain, but what is most
concerning is that a lot of these kids do
not seem to be as worried about their
health as they are about their education.
Education is important, but health should
be too. Would it not be a shame if someone
ends up kicking the bucket in their late
30s after having spent 12 years of school
to get to university and then another
5-14 years specializing in something

they really want to do, just because they
did not feed their body properly?

I have gathered some pointers to help
you avoid becoming festively plump. As
an added bonus, | will challenge myself as
well as all the students at UNBC to stick to
these for the whole year or longer. Share
your progress on social media with the
hashtag #healthybodyhappystudent.

Get organized. Not only is this useful
for staying on top of your classes, but
organization helps you manage your
time properly. Being able to make
some wiggle room in your schedule
for extra hour of sleep or to eat a big
healthy breakfast in the morning
will guarantee a good day ahead.

Drink water. Our lungs are 90 percent
water, our brains are 70 percent water, and
our blood is more than 80 percent water.
This is why drinking water in the morning
and throughout the day keeps your body
going better than any coffee would.

Eat nutritiously. Eat those vegetables,
throw them in your water, or add some

UNBC Life 9

to your omelet. Consume vegetables
every day to receive the vitamins your
body needs. Fish and nuts are wonderful,
because they are full of B vitamins, vitamin
E, iron, zinc, magnesium, and proteins.
Consider investing in some good 100
percent whey protein isolate. Protein
powders are not just for bodybuilders--
proteins function as building blocks for
bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, blood,
enzymes, hormones, and vitamins.

Exercise. Take advantage of the fitness
plan that is included in tuition, because
gyms are expensive out in the real world.
Go for fast paced, long walks around
campus if running is not your thing. Lift
heavy weights--resistance training builds
muscle as well as increases bone density
reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Attempt to live by these for at least
three months. Listen to your body,
and get to know what works for it!