This time of year can be an absolute pain to successfully work out at the gym. By the time you’re finally motivated to put on those Nikes and head over to McComas, you come to realize that not only have you finally crawled out of your cave, but so has the rest of the Virginia Tech student body.
Forget the treadmill or elliptical, there’s an hour wait for every machine in the building and being the fifth one in line just means by the time a foot is placed on the machine the facility will have closed. But, instead of getting discouraged consider this: “Any physical activity is better than none at all. Small amounts of activity add up during the day. You don't have to exercise for an hour at a time to get health benefits or to burn calories,” says Kathy Hosig, associate professor for human nutrition, foods and exercise.
Exercise plays a key role in burning calories, but so do things like cleaning, dancing, fishing and hunting, sex and many other leisure or daily activities.
Did you know that a person who weighs 130 pounds burns 59 calories just by taking a 15-minute walk across the Drillfield to class? Even better if you have a backpack full of heavy books.
By using a calories-burned calculator, like the one at ivillage.com, anyone can figure out how many calories they burn during normal everyday activities just by entering their weight, duration of time for the activity and some specifics about the activity. It’s simple and painless.
Simply knowing that physical activity is part of a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean that we’ll be quick to change our personal lives in order to adopt the habit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Despite the proven benefits of physical activity, more than 50 percent of American adults do not get enough physical activity to provide health benefits. Twenty-five percent of adults are not active at all in their leisure time. Activity decreases with age and is less common among women than men.”
Still no motivation? Here’s something that’ll get you going — the mere activity of eating helps burn calories. Of course eating McDonald’s certainly isn’t going to help burn calories unless you walk two miles to get there, but choosing the right foods to eat will burn calories faster.
According to Schiffert Health Center, balance is key.
“Balancing the body’s energy needs, input vs. output, boils down to a simple math equation which includes balance and moderation of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.”
Schiffert also stresses the importance of portion size. While peanut butter is an excellent source of protein, an entire jar of it can lead to an excellent-sized belly. “A portion is an amount you choose to eat at a meal or for a snack.” On the other hand, “A serving is a standard amount found on Nutrition Fact Labels, recipes, cookbooks, diet plans or the Food Guide Pyramid. The serving sizes on the Food Guide Pyramid are recommendations that promote good health and a healthy weight by balancing a person’s energy and nutrient needs.”
Although quick and convenient, grabbing food on the go from vending machines and Dietrick Express (DX) isn’t always the healthiest choice, but carrying food on campus can solve this problem. DX does indeed offer some nutritious food choices, but they are limited.
There are many ways to burn calories without actually working out. Schiffert offers useful nutrition information on their website and in the Health Education Office.
|
|
|
