FitSugar

Healthy Read: The Doctor's Complete College Girls' Health Guide

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:15:00 -0700

The worst part about college for me was the ~~classes~~ ~~dorm food~~ fact that whenever something went wrong with my health I didn't have my mom, who is a nurse, to tend to my every need. The slightest drip of my nose sent me in a crying frenzy.

Since there truly are so many things that can go on with a girl who's off to college for the first time (or seventh year), it never hurts to educate yourself (if you're that girl) or anyone else (if she's your daughter, sister, niece, etc.) on the health of a young woman. For this reason, I definitely wish I had The Doctor's Complete College Girls' Health Guide: From Sex to Drugs to the Freshman Fifteen ($11.25) when I was in school because it covers everything from dealing with the common cold, to navigating the college health center, to getting a tattoo.

While the book is definitely written for college girls, it would be a handy addition to the bookshelves of anyone from high-school girls to mothers- even fathers who want to know what the heck is going on with their daughters.

Weekend Reading: The Dorm Room Diet

FitSugar — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 02:30:00 -0700

If your dad was a famous cardiologist and had co-authored one of the most successful books on dieting to come out in recent years, chances are high you would have some insight on how to avoid the dreaded freshman fifteen. Daphne Oz, daughter of the famous Dr. Oz (You On a Diet), has written a really great and quite practical guide to surviving the first year of college.

The Dorm Room Diet is fun to read and helpful, even if you are as far from your freshman year as I am! It is equal parts diet advice and survival guide written specifically for her peers - college age gals who want to stay healthy without daily parental guidance. The book doesn't tell you exactly what to eat (with weekly meal plans) but really how to eat, and how to eat intelligently and fit in exercise. Oz has first hand experience with these issues since she has struggled with her weight and following her own advice has been able to slowly and surely drop pounds. Yep, this book will help fresh(wo)men learn to be healthy while living in a dorm and create habits that they will hopefully carry with them through life.

Order a copy for $11.53 from Amazon or better yet walk on down to your local bookstore (every college town has tons of them!) and pick up a copy there. I am sure that is an exercise strategy Oz would approve!

Fit for September: Must Haves

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Now that Labor Day has passed us by, it's time to kiss the dog days of Summer good-bye. Just because you're putting away your bathing suit does not mean that you should also put away your motivation to stay fit. Being healthy is much more than looking good on the beach. Use my September Must Haves to welcome the first day of Fall, and of the rest of your life.

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Fit Find Faves: Healthy Food

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Here are some recent Fit Finds of things that will nourish you, literally and figuratively. Check 'em out!!!!

I love this book that Bonne found. Written by the daughter of You On A Diet Dr. Oz, The Dorm Room Diet: Creating Lifestyle is a survival guide for dealing with food while living at college. Seems like it is more about lifestyle than diet. It looks great and Bonne says "It works!"
It looks like Genie loves green tea even more than I do. Here is one of her favorite varieties: Huang-Shan Mao Feng. Looks like it would be a nice cuppa' tea.
GlitterGlam likes a healthy recipe and she found this one to share with us Chicken Pot Pie recipe from Hungry Girl. It looks tasty, healthy and easy to make.

Check out what other Sugar users are bookmarking as Fit Finds. Chances are high you will find something to satisfy the happy, healthy you. If you want to lean more about bookmarking in the Sugar pages, read geeksugar's excellent tutorial.

If you find anything out there that helps you stay happy and healthy, do bookmark it and share it with us.

How To Avoid The ‘FRESHMAN 15’

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:45:00 -0700

It's that time of year again, it's back to school. Moms across the country are elated and kids across the country are sad to see the carefree days of summer coming to an end, but if you're heading to college then you need to be wary of the Freshman 15. Here are some great tips on keeping the Freshman 15 at bay, which anyone (even those of us not heading to college) can apply to his or her daily lives.

Make time for the gym. Often freshmen that were very active in high school sports, don’t participate in sports at the college level. Suddenly they lose the active lifestyle-and calorie-burning ability-they once had. Most colleges offer at least one, if not numerous, gyms around campus that are free to students. Make gym time a priority and pencil it into your planner. Students can also take advantage of intramural sports activities or enjoy areas for walking or running that are available on most campuses.
Keep track of what you eat. Keeping track of food intake and eating times is one of the most important steps in weight management. Using a log, such as the DayTimers Fitness Organizer, will help keep students aware of what they are putting in their body. This awareness tool is often the deterrent needed to say no to those extra calories.

There are more great ideas for beating the Freshman 15, so read more

Get all the facts. Dorm food can often be one of the biggest problems. There is sure to be an abundance of snacks and fried foods right at your fingertips. However, there are healthy options available, as well. When first moving in, speak to the chef at the dining hall and ask for nutritional information for the regular dishes. Discuss healthy food options, and take advantage of salad and cereal bars. It may even be possible to arrange for a special diet or additional meal options.
Take snack breaks. It’s easy to get in to the habit of mindless eating while studying. Chances are, if you sit down to read with a bag of chips, the bag will be empty by the time the study session is over. Instead, make a plan regarding snack breaks in the middle of studying. Instead of candy or chips, choose healthier snack options, such as light popcorn, fruit, or veggies.
Alcohol monitoring. Alcohol contains lots of hidden calories that are often stored as body fat. In fact, each alcoholic beverage has at least 150 calories and should be counted as one carb (15 grams of carb). Limiting alcohol consumption will help avoid unwanted pounds, and since less drinking means killing less brain cells, maybe it will even help increase test scores.
Utilize school programs. Students may not realize the wide variety of free programs offered by schools, such as meetings with nutritionists. Also, if there is room for elective courses, look into an aerobics course or healthy cooking class, and earn credits while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Have an accountability partner. To hold you accountable, befriend a person who has a similar goal of avoiding the ‘Freshman 15’. Having someone to go to the gym and study with may be just the support you need to not only skip the late-night pizza, but to maintain your weight and reach your long-term health goals.

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