Archive for the ‘onHealth’ Category

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STAY FIT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

My favorite part of the holiday season is most definitely the food. As a poor person living in New York City without access to an adequate kitchen, spice rack, or more than one pan, most of my meals consist of Ramen noodles and peanut butter. (Don’t worry; not necessarily together!) So I’m always pleased when Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around. Not only am I able to meet with family and friends, I am able to sit down to a great meal without much taken out of my paycheck. This Thanksgiving, my mother and I stuffed ourselves with stuffing and more. We had all the traditional *stuff* (sorry, I’ll stop with the stuffing repetition): turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, veggie casserole, and pumpkin pie for desert.

I hadn’t eaten all day to leave my stomach empty for this meal, and needless to say my stomach was more than full afterwards. Of course, right on the heels of this enormous meal comes the Christmas meal, and all that holiday gorging in between. (I remember in our house, my mom used to bake a new batch of cookies every week until Xmas.)

It’s a common fact that people gain more weight over the holidays. Conveniently, the next holiday is New Year’s Eve, when they resolve to shed pounds for the coming year.  But is there a way to avoid the holiday weight gain in the first place, while also enjoying your favorite traditional foods? Of course! The answer is simple (you just have to motivate yourself): exercise.  New York City offers a myriad of ways to get your daily dose of Vitamin Ex. You can take a jog in Central Park. You can go rowing on the Hudson River. You can take a yoga class!

Head down to Bikram Yoga Manhattan at any of their locations in Chelsea, Soho, or Greenwich Village. Unlike many other forms of exercise, yoga benefits both the body and the mind.

 

If yoga doesn’t interest you (or if you consider yourself too masculine to don those tight yoga pants), then consider joining a fitness club. Fitness clubs offer a social setting where you can also shed pounds. Considering becoming part of Synergy Fitness Club, who’s motto is: “One Life. Live Well.” They offer classes in boxing, martial arts, aerobics, and so much more.

 

As you can see, there are so many ways to get fit this holiday season (while also scoring a great deal with these coupons!) Now you can sit down to that big meal guilt-free. Go on, take another piece of mom’s home-made apple pie. You won’t get another slice until next season!

 

Written by Megan Soyars, Campus Clipper blogger

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Posted in Eating Healthy, onHealth | 2 Comments »

How To Get Through Projects (and other stuff) Relatively Stress-Free

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

Right now, most of you are probably going through midterms.  This is the first indication in the semester that things have gotten serious.  Whether it’s an exam, a project, or a giant paper, your midterm will most likely make up a huge chunk of your grade.

Now, you probably have that project or paper on your mind right now.  Believe me, it can seem like there’s some huge monster behind you, looking down and getting ready to eat you.  But it doesn’t have to be like that.  All you gotta do is these few things:

1. Start Early

I know, I kind of sound like a broken record at this point, but it really is a good idea.  I’m not saying you should try to finish your

project the first week it’s given.  That would be impossible (or at least

inadvisable).  Just start a few things, like what you’re project or paper is going to be about, or how it’s all gonna be organized.  By starting early, you sort of motivate yourself to get things done sooner.  I guess you can say you’re putting your foot through the door.

Figuratively, or course! Please don't actually try to kick through a door!

2. Don’t cut corners

If time is of the essence, you might be tempted to make a few mistakes and not fix them.  You might think, “Eh, I can let that slide.  The teacher won’t notice!”  You wanna know what happens when you do cut corners?  THIS!

"Maybe the boss won't notice."

It’s NEVER a good idea to let mistakes just sit there.  This is gonna be a huge part of your grade, so you don’t want to risk failing the whole thing just because of one stupid mistake.  Plus, remember this; when applying for jobs or grad schools, your professors might serve as good reference.  Do you really think he or she will give you a good recommendation if you are seen doing the bare minimum?

3. Don’t stress it

This may sound like a contradiction to the earlier “don’t cut corners” lecture, but this last bit is really important.  Some of you will just put your project off until the last minute and not even think about it until you think you really need to, but there’s also some of you who will stress about it day in and day out.  Let me just tell you, relax.

Being like this is never helpful

There’s an old story about Napoleon.  He was running late for an opera, and he told his wife, “Dress me slowly, for I am in a hurry”.  Do you know why he said that?  Because he knew that when you rush things in a panic, you will eventually make mistakes.  The moral is to take time to do things right, but it can also apply to stress in midterm projects.

You will feel overwhelmed, there’s no way around it.  You’re going to have a lot of work to do in what looks like very little time.  At this point  you’ll want to panic; you’ll scream and cry and want to kill someone.  But before you do any of that, take a step back, breathe in, breathe out, and relax.

Don’t misunderstand; I’m not saying that you shouldn’t work.  I’m just saying that you need to take time to relax.  Stress is never helpful, and if you’re stressed doing this project, you’re not going to have a good outcome.  What’s worse, stress can have several adverse effects on your health.  You don’t want to suffer a heart attack over one big project, do you?  I thought not.

Approach one problem at a time.  Don’t overwhelm yourself with everything at once.  Make sure you don’t rush into things, otherwise your grade (and your health) will suffer.  But most importantly; relax once in a while.  Lie down for a bit.  Drink a nice cup of coffee.  Listen to some smooth jazz.  If you can think of anything else that helps you relax, do it!

You probably won't win a Nobel Prize, but at least you'll get a good grade!

Let me make this clear; I am NOT a teacher.  I am not a guidance counselor, or an academic adviser, or any school official.  I am a student just like you.  I’ve been through all the stuff you’re going through, and I now know what to do when faced with a project like a midterm.  Will these three steps get you an A?  Maybe, maybe not.  I can’t be 100% certain.  However, I can be sure that if you follow these three steps, you’ll do a lot better than if you never read this post!

And hey, once you finish your project, maybe you can go and enjoy a Goodburger!

Sergio Lopez, Polytechnic Institute of NYU, Graduate Student ’12

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Posted in onCollege, onFood, onHealth, onValues, Studying | 1 Comment »

So You Think You Can (Learn To) Dance?

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011

Ok, sorry about the cheesy title but I just couldn’t resist. I wanted to highlight the fabulous deal Piel Canela Dance Studio has for Campus Clipper followers – it’s really too good to pass up if you’re interested in learning any of the Latin dances. They’re offering an Unlimited Dance Card for 30 days for only $300! What makes this deal great is that the regular price is literally 5 times the sale price. That’s right: regular price is $150 for an Unlimited Dance Card. So if you think you can learn to dance then you shouldn’t pass this up!
What makes Piel Canela a great place to learn or polish your moves is the diversity they offer. Not only can you learn beginner or advanced levels of Salsa, Bachata or Cha Cha, (just to name a few of their offerings), but you can also take Spanish language classes, audition for their dance company, attend social dances or even take music lessons. They truly offer a full immersion into the Latin Culture. The inspiring music is sure to have you moving, and you may find it hard to resist signing up for other events Piel Canela participates in: vacation plans to exotic places like the Dominican Republic or Machu Picchu, Salsa Cruises or expos during the half time of Knicks Games. This wonderful deal is too good to pass on if you have ever considered tripping the light fantastic!

 

 

Kristen, Salem College ’11

You can check out my blog here

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Posted in Appreciation, onEntertainment, onFun, onHealth, onMusic, onSavings, onValues, Out On The Town | No Comments »

Choosing the Right Vegan Vitamins

Sunday, June 26th, 2011

Use this guide to make sure your vitamins are as cruelty-free as you are.

Since not everyone is perfect and eats balanced meals containing every single necessary nutrient required by the body for peak performance, once-daily multi-vitamins help fill in the nutritional gaps left by a diet of regular food. Unfortunately, most vitamin brands bind their pills together with animal ingredients like gelatin, and they also market certain nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids in the form of animal products like fish oil. However, there are plant-based sources for all necessary vitamins and minerals, and they are becoming more readily available in stores as they have already been on the Internet. Here is a guide to finding the right vitamins for your lifestyle.

1. Do more than read the label.

Labels are required to list ingredients but not their sources. Though gelatin is usually made from animal bones, it can also be made from plants, and some companies don’t bother specifying which kind is used on the bottle. Vegan brands usually indicate that they are vegan somewhere on the label, with or without the rabbit/V logo, but when in doubt, do some research on the Internet. Even if the company’s website doesn’t mention whether they are cruelty-free, chances are a fellow vegan has written a formal letter asking for information and posted the response on a forum.

2. Take (for starters) a multi-vitamin, and tailor the rest to your needs.

Downing a handful of vitamins every day can make anyone feel like a grandparent with a seven-day pill organizer. To start with, every person should take a once-daily multi-vitamin that includes a high percentage of the daily-recommended intake of major vitamins and minerals. Decide whether your normal diet contains a sufficient amount of iron before choosing between vitamins with or without iron added.

Other pills can be taken at your discretion. It’s advisable for women to take calcium supplements, and many people don’t get enough omega-3 fatty acids through their food. Analyze your diet and decide where you can supplement and where you can change your eating habits to avoid another pill.

3. Shop smart.

Vitamins have to be taken every day, so it’s a good idea not to spend a small fortune on them. This can be done while still avoiding dubiously labeled, cheap, bulk bottles. Vegetarianvitamins.com is a great source for affordable certified-vegan supplements by mail order. If you prefer to shop locally, you’ll have to utilize your online research on vitamin brands, but chances are you won’t even have to go to a specialty store to find what you need. Chain drug stores have extensive vitamin selections, or you can take advantage of coupons for independent drug stores like Whitney Chemists. Scroll down to find a Campus Clipper coupon for %10 off.

Even if you feel like you’re in great shape, taking a dietary supplement every day can increase your body and brain’s potential. Make the extra effort to ensure you’re performing the best you can, and take your vitamins!

-Avia Dell’Oste.

Check out my blog RP Your Life!

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Endorphins

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

When I started college, I had the same fears as everybody else: will I be able to handle my class work? Will my roommate and I get along? And most importantly, will I make friends?! But after settling into my routine d finding a group of people I love to hang out with, one college horror still haunted me: the Freshmen Fifteen.

Although my high school years had been filled with volleyball and other recreational sports, in college I suddenly stopped exercising. I didn’t even have the long walks to school like I had in high school, and having an unlimited meal plan definitely didn’t help. In October I finally got my act together and headed to the gym.

I had all the regular reasons for going—stay fit, lead a healthy lifestyle, stress reduction, etc. But after my first day I discovered an entirely new reason for going to the gym: endorphins. Cardio activity gave such a boost to my mood it was incredible. Leaving the gym I couldn’t help but smile at how great everything was—the sky, the people around me, the feeling of doing something great for my body. Although I had started going to the gym just because it was healthy, it turned into something much more personal, a form of medication in a sense. It’d lift my spirits when the long winter days seemed to drag on, or put a smile back on my face when classes or social drama tried to wipe it off.

Endorphins are a neurotransmitter released during exercise (as well as during times of excitement, pain, danger, the consumption of spicy food, love, and more) and create a feeling of happiness. I called it ‘self-medication’ before because it’s like taking an instant anti-depressant, yet naturally—and legally.

I know you’ve heard all the reasons for why you should exercise more before: it reduces health risks, improves brain functions, etc. But try exercising for endorphins instead; it might be more motivating than attempting to avoid that heart attack when you’re 60. Your school is a great place to start, colleges often have free gyms available, and free or cheap classes that you can take if you want something more than a treadmill. Public gyms around New York also have great deals for the summer and/or for students, so don’t be afraid to try those out. Synergy Fitness Clubs have a student promotion of $39 monthly; Crunch has a summer student special for $199 for the entire summer; New York Sports Club has an all-year student discount for $20 a month. Other gyms in the New York area include Equinox, David Barton, Bally Total Fitness, Lucille Roberts, and more. Campus Clipper also offers more discounts to a wide variety of fitness locations, so check them out.

/elizabeth Kaleko

Picture from: www.vinylpulse.com

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Veganism and Family

Monday, June 20th, 2011

You wish they'd support you in everything, but that doesn't always happen.

When I first told my parents I had turned vegan, they were surprisingly supportive. I was expecting them to yell, to tell me how bad it was for my health, and pretty much refuse to accommodate my new dietary restrictions whenever I visited. What I didn’t expect was how quickly their surprise faded as they acquiesced to my silly choices. They probably thought it was a fad, like the time I stopped eating seafood for a while because I thought it was wrong to take from our Mother Ocean. I was a weird kid.

I didn’t visit my parents often, but when I did, they seemed to be very considerate when preparing family dinners, always making sure that my share was separate. My mom would always dole out some sautéed vegetables on my plate before adding pork to the rest of the veggies. Then, one day when I was at home alone with my dad, he offered me some traditional soup made from seaweed, which isn’t as gross as it sounds for a Korean like me. As I ate, wholly innocently and suspecting nothing, I noticed it tasted kind of fishy.

“Dad,” I said, “is this a seafood broth or something?”

“What? Of course not,” he replied.

I still thought it tasted odd, but I believed him. That is, until I dipped my spoon in and pulled out the innards of a clam.

“DAD!”

“What? What?”

He said something ridiculous, like it must have fallen in by accident, but I knew he had simply taken some seafood soup they had made, picked all the clams out, and had just missed one. Of course, I couldn’t help but wonder if he had been doing sneaky things like that the whole time when my mom wasn’t looking.

When it came time for the New Year’s Day family gathering, we all went to my grandmother’s house for the traditional rice cake soup on the first day of the new year. When I sat at the table, I noticed that my bowl’s contents looked pretty milky, like everyone else’s did, like it had been cooked with bone marrow. I asked my mom about it, and my dad frustratedly interjected.

“Oh my god, just eat it!”

I felt my family’s patience waning. What they thought was a phase had become a new lifestyle, and they were finally coming to terms with accommodating me for the rest of their lives. They were not happy about it.

Despite the requisite compassion for living creatures, vegans have to develop a bit of a thick skin. Even if we never try to convince others to walk our path, people will take it upon themselves to attack beliefs that are different from theirs. It’s especially hurtful when such criticism comes from family, who we expect to support us. But like every other choice I made that my family initially thought was irrational, they eventually came around and accepted that I make my own decisions. My parents may never believe that veganism is sane or healthy like I want them to, but they still love me for who I am.

Even though… I still check the labels on anything my dad gives me.

Try dispelling some of their skepticism with Vegan Treats. It’s guaranteed to work better than a lecture. Scroll down for a dual coupon to Atlas Café, where all the desserts are deceptively vegan, and save the 20% Teany Café coupon for a cute and healthy teatime with your friends.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

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Body and Health

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

Image credit: tree.com

Oddly enough, it was my piano teacher that got me to start taking care of my body more.  I had never really been a particularly athletic kid.  I liked hiking and biking just fine, but otherwise I was perfectly happy on the sofa with a good book.  As a result, I hardly ever hurt myself, and I’ve still never broken a bone.  And since my mother generally kept healthy foods in the house, I had never had to really pay attention too much attention to what I was eating.  I didn’t think of it at the time, but in this way I’d been taking my health for granted.

When I got to college, I now needed to manage these things on my own.  There are a lot of stories about Freshman Fifteen, the weight freshmen supposedly gain when left to their own devices over meals and snacks.  Although I didn’t end up gaining that much, it’s certainly true that I was eating in an unhealthier manner than I had been eating at home.  The dining hall at my school always has fries available, which was temptingly problematic at times. Since I wasn’t much of an athlete, I also never bothered to check out the gym.

On top of all this was the strain placed on the body from stress. Although the transition in workload from high school to college is manageable, it can definitely be stressful at times. Some of the books for certain classes can be enormous, and heavy to carry around campus.  There were definitely several late nights at the library where I found myself carting around my laptop and a backpack full of books, and that can add up to a lot of strain!

It was during a lesson mid-semester that my piano teacher mentioned how my arms and shoulders would sometimes tense up as I played.  Playing an instrument wouldn’t initially seem like much of a physically strenuous task, but the piano uses many different parts of your body, from your wrists and fingers all through your arms and shoulders, and of course your foot for the pedals.  Certain pieces have difficult fingerings, require repetitive motions or are simply long and need stamina to play.  These, combined with all the other factors, were affecting my playing. My piano teacher encouraged me to take care of my body more, so I could improve.

It got me to start thinking about how I treated my body on a daily basis, which was basically by not paying it much attention.  I took my health entirely for granted, and I began thinking that if I kept neglecting it, sooner or later things wouldn’t be looking so good. After all, *body is important yay.

I started going for walks more, and these walks were both a nice source of exercise as well as good study breaks.  They also helped me keep from sitting hunched over my laptop in the library for too long.  To reduce stress I tried to start papers early—I didn’t always succeed, far from it, but I found that even thinking about a paper in advance, or starting the overview research helped me to clarify my ideas before I actually sat down to write.  As for food, I continued to have salads with dinner, eased up on the fries, and aimed to drink iced tea rather than soda.

Having long been on the lazy side, I didn’t immediately change my lifestyle, and I don’t think it’s quite possible to.  Even now, I’m not as healthy as I’d like to be.  I still have an absurd weakness for sweets and spend too much time on the internet.  I did, however, realize how important it really is to take care of your body.  At the very least, I’ve been taking steps towards becoming healthier—and even small steps are progress.

Anais DiCroce

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Avoiding Conflict at a Group Meal

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

Nothing is more obnoxious at dinner than getting attacked for your food choices.

No matter how proud you are about your healthy eating choices, there are always a few people with whom, even if they claim to be understanding and open-minded, you would just rather not get into a heated debate. Usually, they are the type to easily start said heated debates without realizing they raised their voices, and before you know it, you wish you hadn’t even brought up the topic of climate change/political efficacy/favorite color at all.

Though you may not be able to avoid every potential “friendly intellectual discussion” they want to have, there are a few ways to at least circumvent frustrating situations while eating out with friends. First, when collectively deciding where to go for dinner, it’s best not to throw out suggestions that are obviously specialty restaurants. Even if the name gives no hint, once the group arrives there and sees that the menu has absolutely no meat on it, your friends could feel tricked. Since you would like others to accommodate your food choices, try to think of their preferences too. If you are trying to avoid gluten, suggest a restaurant that you know has gluten-free options. If you are a vegan, throw out names of places that you know will have food you can eat but also has meat and vegetarian dishes.

Of course, after going through all of the motions of democracy, you might end up at a restaurant you have never been to and didn’t have time to research their menu. If there’s one thing that might set off your opinionated friends into an unsolicited rant, it’s watching you take fifteen minutes to order because you’re asking your server for comprehensive lists of ingredients. But you’ve been to restaurants before, and the menus for certain ethnic cuisines are practically the same citywide. Once you’ve researched one restaurant and found which dishes are safe, you can assume to a degree for other places with similar styles. A little research into pasta types will let you know which kinds have eggs, and looking up traditional recipes for Japanese foods will let you know where soy can be hiding. This can cut down on the number of questions to ask the server and avoid placing a focus on you. Great places to try for big groups are Indian restaurants with their diverse meat and vegetarian options and choices of rice or bread. Use a Campus Clipper coupon to get 15% off on a weekend when you bring 4 people or more at Cuisine of India!

Even if your friends are aware of your dietary choices, they may forget in their attempts to be generous and offer you a bite of their order. Rather than going into the reasons why you can’t share their meal, a simple “No thanks. I’m good.” will suffice. To avoid further insistence, either immediately return to your previous conversation and/or return their action by offering them some of your food. Keep the dialogue going so that it doesn’t linger too long on the table and its trappings.

When all else fails and someone decides s/he really wants to talk about why you don’t eat dairy in an opinionated and gregarious manner, let him/her go through the spiel. Chances are s/he just wants to voice opinions about it, and whether or not you respond matters less than getting the rant out of his/her system. Even if you aren’t in the mood to debate, other people might want to jump into the discussion, which will take the pressure off of you to be the sole interlocutor. If you are in a group setting, the rest of your party most likely wants the same thing you do: to hang out with friends while eating good food and having lively conversation with more laughs than speeches. If you’ve picked the right friends, they won’t let one person gang up on you or bring everyone else down.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

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Eating Out and Vegan: Incompatible?

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

image credit: animalsuffering.com

New York City: a going out paradise with lots of student discounts on food, entertainment, books and clothing. If you wish, you can try different cuisine every day. There is such a great variety of cultures here: Italian, Thai, Cuban, Dominican, Moroccan and what not. However, where do you go if you are strictly vegan?

Always being a passionate carnivore, I have never faced this problem. However, I suddenly decided to take on a challenge: Christian Orthodox religious fasting that I was always supposed to do, but never cared to limit my diet to vegan only. Eating is just one part of the fasting, but it seemed overwhelming to cut back on milk products especially, as I love them so much.

But the time came, and I felt like doing it for the first time in March of 2009. I enjoyed it a lot, as fasting made me feel healthy and energetic, and my favorite part was that I had to cook for myself all the time because I didn’t trust food from outside (who knows if it’s really vegan).

There came the problem: I had a hard time going out with my friends and my boyfriend. I have experience working in restaurants, and I didn’t want to be a pain in the neck for the waiters asking, “Is there cheese in my spaghetti?” Once my boyfriend persuaded me to eat at a small Chinese-Latin (what a combination) restaurant, and I ordered a plate that was specified on the menu as “rice, lettuce, tomato and fried plantains.” When I actually got my food, there were pieces of pork and shrimps in it (I never eat either of them even when I’m not fasting), and I felt bad. When I complained, the waiter replied that the dish comes with it, took it back and brought it within 2-3 minutes, which made me come to the conclusion that the kitchen staff merely took out the meat and send the plate to me (did they use gloves, at least?). I didn’t eat anything there but plain white rice that came with my boyfriend’s dish, and I never went out while fasting again.

The whole experience was embarrassing. There are a lot of products that I refuse to eat because I don’t like them, for instance, seafood and yellow cheeses (sounds crazy, right?), but I’m not used to being extremely picky while ordering a meal at a restaurant. There always happen to be a steak with mashed potatoes on the menu for me. I rarely ask for more. But with the fasting in mind, this choice is automatically excluded. I was at a loss about where to go and I felt terrible for the people who have to (due to allergies or something else) or choose to eat vegan all the time.

The most difficult thing was to get around my sweet tooth, as most pastries contain eggs and dairy. I would wander around my college cafeteria studying the labels and always finding “eggs” there. The good thing was that I learned how to make pancakes from just flour, yeast, water and vegetable oil. They were delicious, even though people who tried them said they were “too healthy.” The bad thing was I didn’t have time to make them often.

But as the fasting continued, I started hearing about different vegan places in the city, and I talked to a couple of people who gave me useful advices on where to find those products I could eat. I realized that it was so difficult because it was my first time and I had no clue about vegan culture in the city. Now I feel more confident about going out and I learned to like salads a lot more than during my first fasting session, and I found out that a lot of vegan places also offer student savings menus or give discounts to those in college.

There I was yesterday, my Easter fasting 2011 day one, sitting at Whole Foods cafeteria drinking a fresh squeezed orange juice and munching on vegan cookies (no eggs and no dairy, hurray!), feeling happy and wholesome. Therefore, if you are a vegan like me (whether temporarily or permanently), life in the city is a little bit more difficult for you (if do your research, though, it will become easier), but not impossible.

Ekaterina Lalo

For more about my experience with Christian Orthodox fasting, read http://hubpages.com/hub/Healthy-Body-Healthy-Mind

Visit my blog at http://nycvalues.blogspot.com.

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BE ANNOYINGLY HAPPY

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

Happiness, to me, was always a shiny yellow ball that, when I reached a certain point in my life, would descend upon me in an ethereal manner and consume all my fears. Well, that’s so untrue I don’t know where to begin. In matters of love and romance, happiness cannot be achieved between two people, no matter the compatibility of interests, unless each individual is independently happy.

How then, can you be happy if you don’t have everything you want, or even need? The answer is annoyingly simple: it’s not a matter of having what you want, but wanting what you have. This does not eliminate ambition, or instill placency, it simply stifles the all consuming self pity that can hinder one’s ability to achieve. Shiny, happy people do well in life, but how do you become one of those people?

Power of Food: If you pour sugar into the gas tank of a car, it doesn’t run, it clogs up the work and creates a mechanic’s nightmare. Now, imagine your body as a car, you put the wrong things in and you’ll get little in return. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have fats or sweets, but if you’re feeling lethargic and run down, the first instinct is to grab for the comfort foods. The fuzzy end of the lollipop is where you’ll find yourself in this situation, because that cheeseburger or candy bar will only dig you deeper into exhaustion. Find things that are healthy, but taste good. I always feel better after I eat a salad, but I don’t stick to low fat dressing with plain lettuce. I spice it up with crumbled goat cheese, craisins, chopped walnuts, and a variety of other cheeses, dried fruits, and nuts, and maybe some croutons or parmesan. Add flavor to your healthy foods, at least you’re eating a salad. I love to warm up pineapple and bananas in a frying pan and sprinkle them with cinnamon. You have to enjoy what you do and eat, because what’s the fun of being skinny and energetic if you constantly starve yourself?

Physical Fun: What ever happened to just running because it was fun? When was the last time your friend chased you through a park and it wasn’t because you slept with his girlfriend or stole his iPod? It’s a struggle to go out there and exercise if you’re not hard wired for it, but once you get on a roll, you might like it. The key is to find something that gets to excited, something that holds your attention. I like to box and to row. I can’t afford to row, so wherever I’m living I find a place that offers boxing. I recommend a private trainer for the first couple of times, and most places will offer some kind of deal. I’m often surprised that I pay someone to make me work until I feel like passing out, but I feel great after and my energy level goes through the roof. I have friends who play Frisbee, join soccer teams, jog, do pole dancing and strip tease classes, take dance lessons, and they all rave about how much more motivation they have when they exercise, they just had to find something to maintain their interest. Even if it’s watching TV while you work out, whatever does it.

Self-Hypnosis: Alright, I know this sounds crazy, but you can actually talk yourself into being happier. A lot of us are naturally inclined to find the negativity in a situation before they look to the positive. Here’s a little trick that’ll get you smiling more: when you walk into work in the morning, before you do anything, write down three things you’re grateful for. After fifteen days, you’ll start to see a significant improvement in your demeanor because you’re training your mind to naturally try to find positive things in your environment. This also works when you’re fighting with your hubby, sit down, breathe, and tell him or her three things about them that you’re grateful for. Verbalizing makes it more tangible. I like to list three things I’m grateful for before I go to sleep at night, out loud, and it helps calm me into a state where I can more easily fall asleep, and it prepares me for the morning. Mind over matter, just try it.

Healthy people are happy people, and happy people make great partners. Try a few of these tips, and maybe sit yourself down and ask what it is you want in life. Even if you know you want to be in better shape, have better skin, a better job, a new pair of sneakers, etc, verbalizing it will make it easier to visualize and eventually obtain. Trust yourself.

Written by Ashley Teal, Campus Clipper Blogger

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