Letter to the editor...

Tips on losing those (or never putting on the first place) extra pounds

RE: Did you pack on the pounds?, Monday, January 14, 2008 issue of Interrobang.

A few weeks ago an article called, “Did you pack on the pounds?” by Ashley Schleihauf was published in the Interrobang with some good tips on covering up those extra pounds gained in the first year of college or university.

Yes, we all want to know how we can make ourselves look and feel better, especially when there is that possibility that we are a few pounds heavier than we used to be. However, don't we also want to know how to prevent and get rid of that extra weight so we can look and feel even better about ourselves?

Ashley stated a good point, “We all know we're supposed to eat a healthy diet and exercise, but despite our best efforts weight loss may seem impossible.” It's true that we all know we are “supposed” to eat healthy and we are “supposed” to exercise regularly, and for some of us we never feel like we are trying hard enough. Maybe the issue is that although we know what we are “supposed” to do, we just don't know “how” we are supposed to do it. So, here are a few guidelines that I find should help you make some easy choices when choosing your meals, along with some quick exercising tips.

Eating breakfast every day can help reduce hunger throughout the day and maintain a healthy body weight. When choosing breakfast look for whole grain breads, cereal with milk, fruit and yogurt. Instead of eating a large high calorie meal all at once, keep energized throughout the day by having smaller meals and snacks every three-four hours. Spreading your calories out will give you more energy throughout the day and you might even find you have more energy to burn off at the gym.

Remember that portion sizes are important to take into count because you don't want to over eat. One serving of cooked meat is three ounces, which is about the size of a deck of playing cards and one serving of pasta is only half-a-cup. Refer to the Canada's Food Guide for the number of servings you need a day according to your age group. (It can be found on the Dietitians of Canada website, www.dietitians.ca, along with some other great tips on Healthy eating).

When first starting to exercise don't over do it! You can start with low to moderate level activities and slowly increase the duration and intensity of your activity as you become more fit. Set realistic goals, choose activities that are fun and that add variety to your routine so you don't get bored.

Finally, make changes gradually because changing too many things too fast can prevent you from success. Remember, foods are not good or bad, just take them into consideration with your total daily food consumption. Moderation and balance are the two keys to improving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Stephanie Conroy

Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.