Greetings! I hope you all have had a strong, successful start to the semester. I on the other hand have had some complications, but I’m getting back on track. One thing that’s been slacking is my diet. It seems that in my world only two food groups exist, namely, carbohydrates, and caffeine. I need the carbs to fill me up, and the coffee to keep me going! Ok that was a joke. I can’t possibly justify poor eating habits while working at a Rec Center!
The Step it Out Challenge got me thinking. If I’m going to walk 10,000 steps a day, I may as well tweak my eating habits to match.
But with a track record of food choices as bad as mine, I knew I needed to seek professional help. That’s when I met SFA Human Sciences Intern, Timothy Coleman. Part of Coleman’s internship is to work for Campus Rec Wellness as a nutritionist.
I filled out a basic assessment form and waited anxiously as Coleman calculated the results. He informed me that in order to to maintain my current weight, I need around 2,400 calories a day. I told him I have no idea how many calories I typically intake, and he smiled and handed me a piece of paper. On one side it’s a form for me to write down what I eat throughout the day, and on the other it’s a food fact sheet. And just like that, with one double-sided sheet of paper in hand, I was out of excuses!
“I compare it to managing money,” Coleman said. “If there’s something you are having a hard time managing, writing it down will help.”
I hate to say it, but he’s right. If I make an imaginary to-do list, some stuff on it may get done. If I make a real life list, everything will get done. Simple as that. I guess we as human beings like to cross things out. It’s sort of a small sense of achievement.
Coleman then opened the floor for questions. I was born curious, so he was lucky I had somewhere to be shortly after our appointment. He explained to me that it’s worth spending time on the weekends planning meals, and that I should start by making small changes. For example, I hate fruit. It just doesn’t strike my fancy. And I don’t like smoothies because if I don’t want to eat fruit, do you really think I want to drink it? Coleman’s solution was to add some 100% fruit juice to my diet. I like juice.
Coleman is available Tuesday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for appointments. I haven’t even told you the best part yet. The first assessment is FREE! If you like his nutritional guidance as much as I did you can continue to see him for more personalized nutrition counseling sessions. He will even help you build a customized diet, and talk with you about finding solutions to specific nutritional problems.
To make an appointment, call the Rec Center at 936-468-3507 or stop by the Admin Office.
YOUR inside connection to Campus Rec- Steph
No comments:
Post a Comment