Month: December 2020

Creating Healthy Goals for 2021

| Michaela Martin

As you set your sights on a New Year and decade of life, you might be considering – or have already started to engage in – resolutions you’ve created for yourself to enhance your life. For many, those resolutions often entail taking care of one’s health, usually in the form of weight management strategies.

If you’re considering following a particular diet, check out the U.S. News and World Report’s 2020 ranking of best (and worst) diets. Their hallmark for a “best” diet includes balance, maintainability, palatability (tastes good), family-friendliness (social engagement), sustainability, and healthfulness.

To start your health goals on a positive trajectory, consider the following guidelines:

  • Are your goals healthy enough for others to follow?
  • Do your goals take into account your personal strengths or values?
  • Are they goals YOU want to achieve versus parents, friends, etc.?
  • Do your goals positively or negatively impact your health (mentally, emotionally, physically, socially, spiritually, financially, academically)?

Not sure how to get started with your health goals? Consider the following resources:

Check out additional resources below, and cheers to health and a happy New Year!

Articles

Top 10 recipes from 2019

  1. Black bean, quinoa and veggie bake
  2. Pumpkin zucchini bread
  3. Carrot cake baked oatmeal
  4. Slow-cooker green and white chicken chili
  5. Zucchini tacos
  6. Chocolate nut butter cups
  7. Mediterranean chickpea quinoa power bowl
  8. Kung pao pasta
  9. Blueberry baked oatmeal cups
  10. Greek lentil power bowl

 

– Janele Bayless, LPC, RDN

Stress: Getting a Handle on It

| Michaela Martin

With classes online and finals beginning, it can be difficult to manage your stress as a college student. Having a little bit of stress is always good for motivation, but there is definitely a balance for what is considered “good stress” and what can just burn you out. We interviewed a few Ohio State students to see what they do to relax and any advice they may have. From Derek, a Finance major, to Ally, a Biochemistry major, to Abbey, a French and Criminology major, we have students from across the board wanting to share their experiences and advice! 

Their Best Tips for Handling Stress  

The students’ number one tip was to take a break from work in some form—whether that be taking five-minute breaks frequently like Ally or taking a hot shower and pampering yourself like Abbey. Jacqueline, a Sports Industry major, made a great point by saying that being incredibly stressed while trying to push yourself to study will only take a toll on you. You must put your personal wellness first.  

While it would be great if we could take long breaks often, most of the time people can’t—whether it be due to a short break between classes or needing to get a lot done in a short amount of time. The best advice students gave was to find a way to center yourself and be in the moment. Alyssa, a Nutrition major, loves using guided breathing videos on YouTube while Derek uses an app on his phone for guided meditation. Taylor, a Business/Economics major, loves to do an interesting activity where she uses all her senses and thinks about what she hears, smells, tastes, and feels in the moment to ground herself.  

If you have an hour available to take a break, try getting active outside or creating a relaxing environment for yourself. For relaxation, Derek loves watching his favorite TV show and Abbey loves taking a quick nap to recharge. Alternatively, Abbey says that if a nap isn’t what she’s feeling then dancing in her room can also lift her mood. Alyssa, Taylor, and Ally also said something similar and love working out if they have the time and energy. 

No matter how busy you are it’s always important to spend a few hours a week away from school. For half–day stress reducing activities, one main thing students said they loved to do was meet with friends or go off campus. Derek, Ally, and Jacqueline love getting food with friends around campus and Alyssa said she loves going shopping with friends if they have the time. Along with this, Abbey loves going to farmer’s markets and antique shops on weekends and Taylor loves finding something on Pinterest to paint.  

Overall, these students have some great activities they love to do. Whether that means seeing friends or doing a hobby alone, they’ve each found what works for them and helps bring balance to their life. If there’s anything to be learned from this article, it’s that you don’t have to do what everyone else does or push yourself to the edge. It’s all about finding what works for you and bringing balance to your life.  

PS- While it’s always good to major in something you enjoy, no matter what you choose there will be hardships that come your way. Finding what makes you relax and enjoying the present moment will make those hardships much easier to bear! 

By Ava Dong, Stress Wellness Ambassador 

Resources: 

 

Staying Active While Being Cautious

| Michaela Martin

Although gyms have reopened since their closings this spring, many people (myself included) are tentative to return to a building where everyone can share sweat and germs. While the gyms on campus and in surrounding areas are taking extra measures to keep everyone safe and healthy, there so many alternative options to staying active this semester! Whether you’re looking to do cardio, stretching, or even strength training, finding an outdoor space or staying home to exercise are good alternatives to going to the gym. 

With almost all classes being virtual this semester—with the exception of small classes, labs, research labs, and clinical practices—many of us are at home in front of our screens for most of the day. With the nice weather we have been graciously granted as of late, it is a great idea to take advantage of the outdoor spaces on campus and around Columbus. Whether it is doing socially distanced yoga or Pilates with a friend outside the RPAC, running on the available fields on campus, taking a walk through the Oval, or a bike ride at a local Metro Park, there are a multitude of opportunities to get active outside this fall. Many of the courts and fields on campus are not being used for their usual activities this semester, so there are many free spaces to stretch, workout, or relax. 

When the weather turns colder, there are still many options to stay moving. As much time as we’re spending at our computers and desks, it’s important to get up and moving—even if it’s in your dorm room, apartment, or house! When I have a lot of energy and feel the need to move while I’m watching a lecture video (that doesn’t require me to take notes), I’ll do some standing stretches or lunges while I listen. It can also be helpful to stand instead of sitting while working (try to stand at least once an hour) and correct posture while sitting as this is better for our necks and backs. Some simple neck and back stretches can also be helpful to relieve tension from sitting all day. If you’re looking for an at-home workout, Ohio State Recreational Sports offers live and recorded fitness classes on their website. There are also a plethora of YouTube channels offering free, apartment-friendly workouts.  

Physical activity is vital to overall wellbeing, and the immune–boosting properties of staying active can help us stay healthy this fall and winter. With the resources and options we have on and surrounding campus, we are sure to stay active and well! 

 

Resources: 

 

Sarah Haskins, Nutrition Wellness Ambassador