HELLLLOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who watched the superbowl last night??? I did! What about the halftime show? Did you like it? I thought it was good..but critics said differently. They said it was the worst one yet! It was boring nothing too new. What are your thoughts? Who would you want to be preforming at halftime. As always we all look forward to what kind of commericials compaines come up with. What were your favorite? Mine were:

Lately, it seems like everyone is obsessed with being in shape. While being in shape is important, it’s more important that you’re taking the right steps to being healthy. 

Whether you’re a resident or a commuter, it can be difficult to find the time, energy, and means to stay healthy! Everyone knows how difficult it can be to fit in time at the gym or balanced meals while living on or always being campus.

So I’ve found some of the best tips the internet could offer and combined them for easy access!!

Tips to Eating Right on Campus: 

•   Start your day with a good breakfast! This could mean grabbing some eggs or fruit at the dining hall or making your self some oatmeal in your room or at home. Either way, have a balanced breakfast so your mind and body is ready to tackle the rest of the day! 

• Here are some healthy breakfast choices:
•  Scrambled egg whites with veggies! 
• Whole-grain toast with fresh fruits! 
• Oatmeal with your favorite berries! 
• Healthy, sugar-free cereal with skim milk! 

• Not ready to completely change your diet?
• Start slowly by making substitutions!
• Skim milk for whole milk.
•  Special K/Total/Kashi/Oatmeal for Lucky Charms/Fruit Loops/etc. 
• Fresh fruits for packaged fruits (full of preservatives & sugars!) 
• Sugar for Splenda/Truvia/Sweet N Low in your coffee. 
• Tea (especially if its Green Tea!!) for coffee.

• Drink plenty of water!
• Your body needs a TON of H2O to feel great and stay in shape!! Drink at least 8 glasses a day! I know, this sounds like you’d pee your pants…but honestly, it’s easier than you think. There are even apps you can download onto your phone to keep track of your water intake!

• Stock your room with healthy options!
  • Grab your friends and head to a local grocery store to fill your room with delicious AND healthy snacks! Some options:
  • Animal Crackers
  • Pretzels (obviously not smothered in chocolate)
  • Individual Popcorn bags
  • Trail Mix
  • Oatmeal
  • Soups
  • Fruit
  • Veggies
  • Whole-Wheat Crackers
  • Hummus
  • Low-fat String Cheese
  • Low-fat Yogurt
  • Water!
  • 100% Juices
  • Nuts/seeds
  • Seltzer
  • Rice Cakes
    * items in orange are currently stocked up in and on my mini-fridge! 

   

• Dining Hall tips:
• Fill up a salad bowl first! This is fill you up before you can even reach the burgers and fries.
• Fix your salad with a ton of leafy greens, fresh veggies, chick peas, nuts, seeds, and fresh fruits (apples, grapes, oranges, and berries are all great salad add-ins)!
• Skip the croutons, creamy dressings, and shredded cheeses. These just add things that completely ruin your healthy salad-first strategy!
  

• Try this, not that!
  • Grilled or baked foods instead of fried foods!
  • Whole-grains instead of refined or enriched white grains.
  • Skim or soy milk instead of whole fat milk.
  • Baked potato or sweet potato instead of french fries! ( Great substitute for french fry lovers like myself.)
  • Try water or seltzer before sweetened drinks.
  • Grab some fresh fruits before you dive into a sugary dessert.

  
  

  Now for some fitness tips!
  There are so many different work out plans out there. Which one is right for you? Remember, every one is different and at different levels of fitness.
  For beginners, start of by heading to the Campus Recreation Center and see what they have to offer! They have state-of-the-art equipment for you to learn how to use! The staff are polite and will help you out as best they can! You can shoot pool or shoot hoops! There are also a number of different fitness classes ranging in levels from beginner to advanced. Grab some friends and head on over! If you’re looking for something more individualized, you can pay for personal training sessions at the CRC as well! 
  If you’re already familiar with the CRC and have your own work out plan, make sure your always prepared for your routine!
  – Bring a water bottle!
  – Pack your iPod with your favorite high energy tunes!
  – Be ready to sweat! If you’re used to taking it easy, push yourself! You deserve to feel great, but you gotta work for it!
  If you’re feeling bored with your normal routine and aren’t pushing yourself, it may be time to switch things up. There are a ton of different DVD work outs that can really pack a punch!

  Some of the most popular include:

  P90X – This is for people ready to commit to working out almost every day for 90 days for about an hour or two a day!! This workout is extremely intense, but doable if you’re up for a challenge!! I suggest grabbing a few work out buddies and to start slow! Research P90X if you’re interested and make sure your safe!! As Tony says, do your best and forget the rest!

  Insanity – This is similar to P90X, but does not require any additional items (i.e. bands, weights, etc.). Insanity lasts 60 days and can be done anywhere you have space. Research Insanity if you’re interested and make sure your safe!!

  Well, I think that is enough healthy living tips for today!! Remember, stay HEALTHY and SAFE!!! If you are trying to lose weight, be smart and know that it takes time and commitment (AKA no CRASH diets or INSANE workouts!!) Staying healthy and fit is all about your overall well-being so take care of your mind, body, and soul!!!

  –Ashley

HEY Everyone?

How was everyone’s break???? Was it relaxing???? I know the last 2 days have been rough but hang in their…spring will be here before we know it…The ground hog didn’t see his shadow!!! means spring is near!!!

Unfortunately mother nature says differently…we are expected to get MOREEE snow!!!!!!!!!!! YIKES 

Stay warm and dry!!!

~Stef

It’s that time of year… FINALS! Some of you might not even be thinking about finals…or others can’t even believe where the semester went..or for the few who might not have been to class in a month might be saying hmm I think i should start going to class. ANYWAYS whatever the excuse is it’s coming whether you like it or not. I bet you are wondering how do I know when my final is. There are 2 ways

1. Check ISIS under enrollment there is a section where it says view my exam scheduale
2. Look under the Office of Registar it will show you a matrix of all exam scheduales. It goes by what time and day you normally have the class.

MY recommendation would be to check ISIS AND your professor!!!

LAST note MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A FINAL!!!!!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Stef

I’m a giant fan of food. And an even bigger fan of online recipes. With Thanksgiving swiftly approaching why not make something cool at home for your family and friends or with them? Here are some of my favorite recipes that I have found online!


“Chicken Pot Pie” (easily substituted with leftover turkey!)

Pumpkin Pie Bars!

Red Velvet Cheesecake (Personal favorite!)

Pizza Dough Garlic Rolls!!! 

Here are just a few different things for you to try either for Thanksgiving or life in general! Try it! 

-Shannon

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog all about eating massive amounts of turkey for Thanksgiving!

Now I have been noticing the past couple of thanksgivings that I see all of this wonderful and fantastic food and because I am Italian, I naturally try to stuff my plate with as much food as possible… And an hour later which seems like its own battle, I end up being full, but there is still food on my plate.  It is the worst feeling ever of being too full to finish my mom’s dynamite stuffing and my half eaten leg of turkey.  Obviously this is important enough to research on the internet, and so that is what I did.  Here are my findings:

1) Do not starve yourself before you eat your thanksgiving dinner
-Professional eaters will even tell you that if you don’t eat anything prior to a large meal, your stomach actually shrinks and you will not be able to eat as much as you usually would.  If you don’t want to eat before the meal, water will help you expand your stomach without giving you any nutrients and it has no calories so it wont really take up a lot of space… but it will send you to the bathroom frequently that day so proceed with caution.  I think you’re just better off with eating a decent sized breakfast that day.

-I know… Sounds kind of stupid right?  But it also makes a whole world of sense.  Take it this way:  Your stomach has a certain amount of space in which it can hold food.  If you fill all that space because you swallowed 4 biscuits whole, you obviously won’t have room for anything else for a while… and why do you have to wait?  Well that’s because it is harder for your body to digest larger chunks of food over smaller ones.  Makes sense right?  So if you chew your food well, it will take up the same amount of space, but of it like you’re getting more bang for your buck because everything will fit.  Also, it will be digested sooner and it will make new room for more food… KIND OF LIKE TETRIS!

– I actually found this tip hilarious and I will share it with you.  Apparently you should take your time eating your food any enjoy it.  This will re-enforce proper chewing and digestion…. but when you start to feel like you are getting full.. apparently you are suppose to start eating like it was the last meal you are ever going to have.  The thought behind this is that your brain sends you a signal to your body telling you: “Game over man… game over”  So the goal is to cram as much food down your throat as possible before you brain has a time to stop you.  Funny? Yes. Probably works too.. which makes it even funnier.

But now in all seriousness, don’t over do it.  There are going to be leftovers in your freezer for like… what… the next 10 years right?  And you’re going to be having turkey sandwiches for months correct?  So enjoy the food, and don’t go over your limit.  I hope that you all have a happy and turkey-filled Thanksgiving!

~James (Future Champion Of My Mom’s Mashed Potatoes.)  F.C.O.M3.P for short.

Did you know the upcoming movie the fighter staring:
Christian Bale
Mark Wahlberg
Amy Adams

was filmed HERE in LOWELL!!!!!

Top dount, the Tsongas