Even if losing weight or getting in shape is not your New Year’s resolution, the REC Center and the Wellness Education Department have a lot to offer students.
The LSU Student Recreational Sports Complex hosted its second annual “Keep Your Resolution” Fair Tuesday.
“Getting fit is not just about walking or running on a treadmill,” said Jacqueline Tabor, assistant director of instructional programs for the REC Center. “There are so many other ways to help students get fit at the REC throughout the year if that is their New Year’s resolution.”
By participating in free group exercise classes, students were able to get a preview of what the REC Center offers.
Body fat and blood pressure tests were also available to students for free.
The REC Center staff also gave two 15-minute instructional demos of “Shape for Break Boot Camp” and the new Tai Chi class.
“Shape for Break Boot Camp” is an intense cardiovascular workout that encourages females to get fit for spring break.
Students who participated in the event received a free water bottle.
Autumn Douglas, a Wellness Education Department dietician, gave a presentation about the latest trends in dieting.
The main reason for dieting is because people are concerned with their outer appearance.
“We’re a society of instant gratification,” Douglas said.
Many diets rarely work because they promise rapid weight loss, lack a variety of meals, and provide a sense of control.
The three most popular diets include The Zone, Atkins and South Beach.
The Zone allows for a small intake of carbohydrates, which is rich in protein and uses fat in moderation, she said.
The Atkins diet consists of an extremely low amount of carbohydrates, which is also protein-rich, but allows for highly-fattening foods.
“My sister and I started doing Atkins, but we heard how dangerous it was from a friend’s dad who is a doctor, so we stopped,” said Adrienne Robinson, a French junior.
“After we quit Atkins, we gained back all of our weight.”
The South Beach diet teaches the difference between “good carbs” and “bad carbs,” and between healthy and unhealthy fats, Douglas said.
“Now we’re on the South Beach diet because it incorporates the ‘good carbs,’ low fats, and vegetables,” Robinson said.
Douglas said she prefers the South Beach diet over Atkins and The Zone because it allows for complex carbohydrates, which are the “good carbs.”
According to Douglas, about 95 percent of all dieters regain their lost weight and more within one to five years.
Douglas offered a weight-loss truth. She said that all fad diets result in weight and fat loss. However, it is hard to stay on a diet for a long time, which often causes dieters to regain the weight.
Depending on the diet, dehydration can occur due to eating foods high in sodium, Douglas said. After discontinuing a diet, people regain water weight quickly.
She said if people cut out carbohydrates from their diet, their body is forced to use protein tissue for fuel.
When dieting, muscle is lost due to forcing the body into starvation mode, which causes the body’s metabolism to slow down, she said.
Douglas stressed that 50 percent of a healthy diet should come from complex carbohydrates, which means limiting intake of refined sugars. Try to choose lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, fish, pork tenderloin and round beef. She recommends consuming dark, leafy green vegetables that are low in starch. Dieters should avoid skipping meals.
The best way to lose weight is to engage in two to three days of resistance training, do 30 to 45 minutes of cardiovascular work five to seven days a week and consume all foods in moderation.
For more information about nutrition or individual counseling, students can contact the Wellness Education Department at 578-5718 or Douglas at 578-1400.