Spring Break
No pain, no gain
Issue date: 9/19/08 Section: Editorial/Opinion
09/19/08 - With the summer months coming to an end, many students are stowing away their bathing suits and beach towels while shaking the sand from their hair.
But underneath the hooded sweatshirts and baggy sweatpants that will dress the students at the University of Rhode Island by the end of the month, a mortal enemy lurks: Fat. And the only healthy way to get in shape is to exercise and eat well. And it's easier than some may think.
Lucky for students a little thing called "recreational fees," in one's tuition enables them to enter the indoor track, basketball courts, Mackal Fitness Center, Tootell Gymnasiums and the Tootell Aquatic Center ... for free.
Yet many students don't take advantage of the opportunities presented to them to get healthy and stay fit this fall. Fifty-one dollars from tuition per semester goes toward this specific recreational fee.
In addition, the Athletics Center at URI offers classes such as aerobics, kickboxing or workshops specifically targeting problem parts of bodies, such as abs, glutes and legs.
According to the Web site for the Rhode Island Initiative for a Healthy Weight, 56 percent of adults are overweight or obese and 51 percent of adults do not exercise regularly. Seventy-two percent of adults don't eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site says more than 72 million people just a few years ago were in the obese category.
The dining halls at URI offer plenty of healthy choices, from salad bars to customized sandwiches. It's easy to be lured by greasy pizza and fried chicken nuggets, but a salad topped by mounds of vegetables and just a bit of grilled chicken is just as filling.
Students should be motivated to exercise not just to lose weight, but to be healthy. High obesity rates can lead to heart problems, diabetes, hypertension and stroke.
So instead of sitting around, catching up on the latest drama, it might serve you well to go take a stroll to a friend's house, or play some Frisbee on the Quadrangle. Walking up and down hills on the URI campus is not enough to be in tip-top shape.
If students want to take an extra step, Health Services offers individual counseling sessions on topic like weight management, eating disorders and sports nutrition. They're free, as long as your health fee is paid.
But underneath the hooded sweatshirts and baggy sweatpants that will dress the students at the University of Rhode Island by the end of the month, a mortal enemy lurks: Fat. And the only healthy way to get in shape is to exercise and eat well. And it's easier than some may think.
Lucky for students a little thing called "recreational fees," in one's tuition enables them to enter the indoor track, basketball courts, Mackal Fitness Center, Tootell Gymnasiums and the Tootell Aquatic Center ... for free.
Yet many students don't take advantage of the opportunities presented to them to get healthy and stay fit this fall. Fifty-one dollars from tuition per semester goes toward this specific recreational fee.
In addition, the Athletics Center at URI offers classes such as aerobics, kickboxing or workshops specifically targeting problem parts of bodies, such as abs, glutes and legs.
According to the Web site for the Rhode Island Initiative for a Healthy Weight, 56 percent of adults are overweight or obese and 51 percent of adults do not exercise regularly. Seventy-two percent of adults don't eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site says more than 72 million people just a few years ago were in the obese category.
The dining halls at URI offer plenty of healthy choices, from salad bars to customized sandwiches. It's easy to be lured by greasy pizza and fried chicken nuggets, but a salad topped by mounds of vegetables and just a bit of grilled chicken is just as filling.
Students should be motivated to exercise not just to lose weight, but to be healthy. High obesity rates can lead to heart problems, diabetes, hypertension and stroke.
So instead of sitting around, catching up on the latest drama, it might serve you well to go take a stroll to a friend's house, or play some Frisbee on the Quadrangle. Walking up and down hills on the URI campus is not enough to be in tip-top shape.
If students want to take an extra step, Health Services offers individual counseling sessions on topic like weight management, eating disorders and sports nutrition. They're free, as long as your health fee is paid.
