The Body: Eating Right and Exercising in College
“It’s all fun and games till your jeans don’t fit.” -Unknown
Diet and exercise. They are the two most commonly discussed topics when it comes to being more healthy. Although talking about it is cliché, there is a major reason why they have become two critical words in the health world.
With endless amounts of greasy dining hall food, mixed with stress and a lack of time, it can be really easy to fall off the bandwagon when it comes to eating right and exercising regularly. We don’t have our high school soccer practices after school and home cooked meals to come home to anymore, and it really makes things quite difficult.
I met with Marquette dietitian Tracy Betz to see how a professional believes we college students should be effectively exercising and eating right.
Betz became interested in the idea of becoming a dietitian when she entered college and saw their was dietetics program offered. She grew up in a family of good cooks and has always been interested in nutrition, so she saw the major as good fit. Betz specializes in eating disorders, and enjoys helping students with a variety of eating habits.
“I enjoy teaching people what is healthy eating, and helping people realize they have to put time and energy into eating,” Betz stated. She swears by a non-diet approach to eating that involves whole foods. She advises college students to make sure they get three meals in per day, and to make sure they are putting effort into eating and creating time to do so. If students are still in the dorms, she urges them to make time to make it to the dining halls and to pack snacks in their bag for between classes. If in apartments, Betz advises that students make grocery lists and meal prep in advance to save time.
“College students are bombarded with so many messages of what they should or shouldn’t eat, and that can create a negative relationship with food,” Betz stated, “The messages from media and the diet mentality of our society can be really damaging.” With that, Betz said that she works with students from all parts of the eating spectrum to make healthier choices tailored to them and what their body needs. With her specialization in eating disorders, Betz really works to ensure all students are just “normal eaters”.
As for exercise, Betz advises people to listen to their body and get in at least a few days a week of exercise in order to keep active and destress.
Betz wants students to look at the big picture when trying to be healthy, and have a holistic approach when incorporating foods and exercise in their lives. She encourages students to make exercise and sleep priorities rather than options, and truly believes that these habits can impact overall happiness and well being for college students.
After talking with Mrs. Betz, I realized there really is no secret formula to eating right or exercising properly. It is truly all about listening to your body, and giving it the attention it needs and deserves.
