The End is Near

This is it: my last blog entry for JOU 4930 Health and Fitness Writing. It’s bittersweet, and I'll miss cruising the Internet for health/fitness news that I can relate to my life (or just make fun of). All in all, I'd say for the two or three of you (including Professor Spiker) who take the time to read though the wonder that is Health and Fitness Across the Board, it's been fun. Thanks mom.

Since I have limited experience in magazine and feature writing, I was cursing myself for signing up for this class in August, but it has been surprisingly painless. From Core Performance to Stiff, last minute news stories to the dreaded final project, we've shared some laughs, partied like rock stars and showed a trainer at IMG our fantastic lack of fitness knowledge. Oh, and I've learned a lot too.

I can say that I've never spent so much time reading health and fitness news, and I had no idea that these areas covered so much ground. The blogging itself has improved my writing, and, though there were a few times I've cursed writing two entries a week, now that I look back, I'm pretty proud of the work I've done. I hope my insights into the health and fitness world have been a worthwhile read; it's been fun.

Weight Watchers Meets Bible Study

I know people try all different, at times strange, things to lose weight-diet pills, fad diets, etc-but I was completely flabbergasted when I came across First Place, a program that uses a Christ-centered approach to weight loss. Praying yourself thin? What won't people try.

The program works by using "a weekly Bible study which—combined with prayer and Scripture reading—helps to impart God's strength, empowering members to overcome temptation and make long-lasting lifestyle changes." The program draws on the idea that your body is a temple, and, keeping the temple healthy (and svelte) is integral to being a good Christian.

Small groups of men and women meet at churches across the country to participate in the program. The program runs 11-13 weeks per session and costs $79.99 for the Member's Kit, $19.99 for a Bible Study Kit and an extra $10-$20 for additional start-up costs. Hmm, guess those pounds can't be shed by faith alone. In addition, members are asked to make nine commitments during the program (from the First Place website):

1. ATTEND a meeting each week.
2. ENCOURAGE one other person in your class weekly.
3. PRAY daily.
4. READ two chapters in the Bible daily.
5. MEMORIZE one Bible verse weekly.
6. Complete a weekly BIBLE STUDY, which takes about 15 minutes a day.
7. Follow the First Place LIVE-IT FOOD PLAN.
8. Keep a First Place COMMITMENT RECORD or food diary.
9. EXERCISE a minimum of three times a week.

Sounds like a pretty standard weight-loss program to me-eat right and exercise, but I guess a little divine intervention never hurt anyone. The website is worth checking out--especially the testimonials. Satan lives in your chocolate cake.

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate?

My best friend keeps pushing me to get a flu shot, and I'm not opposed to the idea--it's not like I want to be miserably sick for a week or more. The problem is I'm lazy, because, even though I walk near the infirmary, I never stop for the shot. There's also that little fear of needles thing, but, according to an article on health.com, my hesitation may not be such a bad thing.

Apparently, "the vaccine may not be as good—or as safe—as you think." OK, now I'm confused. Flu complications kill nearly 40,000 Americans a year, and the CDC recommends flu shots, but it might be dangerous and unnecessary? This is because the vaccine only contains strains of the virus that a group of experts hypothesize might be a problem during this flu season. So, if they miss a particular strain, you could still get sick. Also, the vaccine itself can make you sick. How counterintuitive is that?

The article says that at-risk groups, children, pregnant women and people over 50, should be vaccinated, and if you're in busy, public places (like a college campus maybe?) or work around high-risk groups, you should probably consider getting vaccinated too. I think I may make a pit-stop at the infirmary.

I'd Rather Be Burried Alive

I finished Mary Roach's Stiff a few weeks ago, but, whenever I think of the book, there's still one part that flashes vividly in my mind, sends shivers down my spine and makes me go 'eshhh, yuck." In this charming section, Roach describes, in detail, the methods doctors devised to ensure their patients weren't buried alive. Trust me, if you're into being grossed out in a highly informative way, Stiff is right up your alley (this cliché will have a whole new frame of refernce in about two paragraphs).

Apparently, the fear of live burial was common, and eighteenth- and nineteenth-century doctors came up with all sorts of disgusting, painful and, at time perverse, ways to assure the patient was "undeniably and verifiably dead," to quote the Munchkin Undertaker in the Wizard of Oz.

Among my favorites were: needles jammed under toenails; a red-hot poker up the rear end; nipple pincers; tobacco enemas; warm urine poured into the mouth; and rhythmic tongue pulling. If the fear of dying wasn't already great enough, I'd be petrified to know what my doctor was doing to my corpse. esshhh, yuck.

I Wish I Didn't Know Now What I Didn't Know Then

My favorite food? Outback's Aussie Cheese Fries. Since high school, whenever my friends and I had a girls' night out, we'd pile into a booth at Outback and inhale two orders of the crispy fries dripping in bacon, cheese, chives and ranch dressing. It's not like I eat them five times a week, or even more than once every couple of months, but after reading Men's Health Online's The 20 Worst Foods in America, I may never eat them again. Ever. Or at least for a few months.

There are 2,900 calories and 240 grams of carbs in an order of this deep fried deliciousness, but it gets worse: 182 grams of fat. This only goes to prove that I'm a woefully inadequate judge of caloric content. Men's Health's recommendation? Order a protein-based dish and skip the deep friend options-kind of obvious, but they also remind you that appetizers are meant to be shared. If you divide the 5,800 calories in two orders among five hungry girls, that's still over 1,100 calories each. What have I done?

My other favorites that made the top 20: the worst starter-Chili's Awesome Blossom (2,710 calories and 203 grams of fat); the worst entree-Chili's (sensing a pattern?) Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce (2,040 calories and 99 grams of fat); and the worst Chinese entree-P.F. Chang's Pork Lo Mein (1,820 calories and 127 grams of fat).

I know that when I get in a junk food mood, I'll probably revert back to these old favorites, but my stomach is still churning knowing that I put that much grease in my body. I think I'm officially quitting the cheese fries, but, like any good addict, I'm sure I'll give in eventually.

Time to Toss the Turkey

Over the past few days, I've noticed fellow students lugging coolers of leftovers into their apartments after their families' Thanksgiving feasts. I too, after 20 minutes of my mother shoving more and more food into my tiny portable cooler, have a fridge that is bursting at the seams with GladWare Containers full of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and green bean casserole; honestly, it's more than I could ever eat, but my mother is convinced that I'm "too skinny."

I know I should probably just toss stuff out in the next couple of days, but I feel horrible when I waste food. It doesn't smell bad yet, and those turkey sandwiches taste really good around 10 p.m. The problem is that eating the leftovers may make me feel worse than tossing them out does, according to an Independent Florida Alligator article on Thanksgiving leftovers and food poisoning.

Keith Schneider, a UF food science associate professor at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, says you shouldn't consume leftovers if they've been in the fridge more than four days, and, by my count, that'd be today. So, it looks like it's time to eat those three pounds of turkey or just toss ‘em—sounds better than dealing with food poisoning during the final weeks of school.

Boys and Girls

I have two younger brothers, and I've always thought of myself as the athletic, healthy sibiling (and the smarter one too, but that’s a different blog), but my perception has changed dramatically after my little brothers, seemingly overnight, are all grown up.

Russ, 16, was scrawny growing up--I mean skin and bones skinny, but, when he hit puberty (and started eating everything in sight) he put on few pounds. Now, he's a little over six feet tall and has biceps bigger than my head. How is he doing this? Well, since I've seen no evidence of steroid use, I'm going to assume he's bulking-up from the hours he spends in the pool. He recently took first place in the district for the 200-freestyle. He’s also shared his other fitness secret, “Umm, yeah, sometimes I do pushups and stuff at night.” Thanks for the exercise pearls of wisdom, buddy.

Justin, 18, just started school at Tallahassee Community College, and, instead of gaining the freshman 15, he's lost it thanks to his decision to cut meat from his diet. This is the kid who would eat fast food three meals a day. I'm blaming his new vegan girlfriend for taking the chunky brother I knew and loved and making him half the man he once was . . . Maybe I'm just bitter because I lack the conviction to give up the occasional cheeseburger.

I'll admit, I'm jealous--I've been roughly the same size since my freshman year of high school, and I've never been able to put much muscle on my frame no matter how long I spent in the weight room or pool. Which makes me wonder--what makes guys' bodies so much more receptive to lifestyle changes? Why can my brother drop 20 pounds with hardly any effort when I have to struggle to drop two or three?

It's mostly because I'm "hard-wired to reproduce," according to an article on Women to Women. Since women are supposed to pop out babies, we have insulating layers of fat which aid in the production and storage of reproductive hormones. So, basically, my body is working against me when I try to get those last couple of pounds off. Awesome.

Men, on the other hand, are engineered for speed and strength and have a different muscle-to-fat ratio than women--their metabolisms can speed up and burn fat faster than women's (which is especially noticeable now that I don't have the metabolism of a 16-year-old any more). Congratulations, Justin and Russ, your metabolisms can now out burn mine any day. Guess next Thanksgiving I should opt for Tofurkey.

I Knew It!

Almost year ago I watched disgusted as my uncle slathered mayonnaise on his bunless cheeseburger. No vegetables, no other toppings--just cheese, beef and mayonnaise. A shiver ran down my spine as I asked what he was doing. He answered that he had just started the Atkins diet.

A month later, my uncle dropped 25 pounds and looked great, but I knew it was too good to be true. How can a diet devoid of most vegetables, whole grains and fruit be good for you? It didn't add up. Six months after his incredible weight loss, my uncle went off the Atkins diet and gained back the 25 pounds, plus 10 more.

Though the diet has helped people lose weight, it also has an unwanted effect--permanently damaging blood vessels and raising LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) levels by about seven percent, according to an article on MSNBC.com.

Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center found that other diets (the Ornish and South Beach Diets) "lowered cholesterol and benefited artery function." The key? The diets with fewer calories from fat were better for you. Shocker? I don't think so. Red meat is bad; lean protein is good.

Dr. Michael Miller, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, said that the most effective diets stress vegetables, low-fat sources of protein such as beans and legumes and whole grains.
Not surprisingly, he doesn't recommend the Atkins diet.