New Year’s Resolutions!
January is almost over! So it’s just about the time when we see which New Year’s resolutions were abandoned, clung to, or were touch-and-go from the beginning of the year. It may come as no surprise that amongst the top ten New Year’s resolutions in the US, most are related to health and wellness. These include managing weight, eating healthy, working out regularly, and quitting smoking… all great things, right? So why is it that it can be so hard to keep up with these aspiring year-long goals? For one, most of these resolutions are vague and give no hint to what actual behaviors will help attain these goals. Also, a year is a long-time to make or break a habit. It’s an overwhelming time frame that can lead to unwanted and unwarranted disappointment come mid-year.
So here are some tips to help make and maintain achievable wellness resolutions:
1. Start small and simple. No transformations happen overnight. For example, rather than jumping right into wanting to eat five serving of fruits and vegetables each day, start with the goal of one extra fruit or vegetable a day. Then graduate from there.
2. Make specific mini goals for each week or month. Tell yourself “I will go to the gym Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for a month,” rather than “I am going to the gym ‘til I get a six pack.”
3. Have a resolution buddy. While working on your goals, having someone around with similar goals. Friends can be great motivators when it comes to quitting a bad habit, or starting a good one.
4. Write it down. Writing down your wellness resolutions is a great way to keep a tangible reminder of what you’ve set out to do. It keeps your goals clear and focused.
5. Keep your head up! Don’t feel discouraged if you slip up. This doesn’t equate to failure. It’s just a time to reflect on your goals and maybe tweak them a bit. Try your best and expect hiccups.
6. Do it for yourself. Don’t worry about where everyone else is with their New Year’s resolutions and wellness goals. Only you know what’s best for your own personal wellness; that’s what will ultimately keep you motivated.
For information on wellness and health-related topics, stop by the Wellness Center, located in MSC 1504. For further information on healthy weight loss, workouts you could try, and body mass composition, stop by on Wednesday s from 12-3 PM and speak with a certified Athletic Trainer, Kim Jones. You can also visit the Wellness Education (usf.edu/wellness) website. You can ask online questions to our dietitian!
Good Luck, and Happy New Year!
Check out Student Health 101
Have you checked out Student Health 101 lately? If not, you’re missing out! Student Health 101 has information just for USF students, and will keep you current on health and wellness information. You will find great articles that will help you stay on the path to academic success and its FREE!
In health,
Wellness Education Staff
813-974-4936
Don’t be a DD… Choose not to be a Distracted Driver!
Have you ever driven behind someone and think to yourself ‘this person must be drunk!’ Only to
later drive past them to see them on the phone or texting? I know I sure have!
This is when I ask myself: “What could possibly be so important that this person needs to be on the phone or texting, putting not only theirs, but everyone on the road lives at risk?” Using a phone while driving impairs you as much as if your BAC were a .08, and this is when a person is using either a hand held or hands free cell phone. This would get you a DUI if you were drinking alcohol, so why is it that talking or texting while driving is still legal here in Florida?
Currently, 8 states have banned the use of handheld phones and 31 states prohibit texting while driving. Florida doesn’t fall under any of these categories. However, I have heard that many officers are now noting distracted driving in their police reports when there is an accident. Perhaps Florida is on the road to prohibiting cell phone use while driving as well (I hope so).
Using a cell phone isn’t the only form of distracted driving. A person can be distracted from food and drink, passengers in the vehicle, changing the radio station, navigating a GPS, watching a video or reading (this includes maps), and of course doing hair and makeup. There are three types of distraction: visual distraction, manual distraction, and cognitive distraction. One of the reasons texting is so dangerous is because it involves all 3 of these distractions.
Many people think that talking on the phone is not a big deal while they are driving, especially if they are using a hands free phone. However, I know personally, those times I have been talking on the phone while driving, I don’t remember half of my trip, but I do remember my conversation. This shows me that my mind really wasn’t on the road but rather focused on my conversation. As with most types of accidents or health issues, people don’t ever think about the dangers of distracted driving until something happens to them or someone they know.
One in 18 teens lose their life every day due to distracted driving, this is a very scary statistic. So I ask you this, do you think it’s worth it to send that text, make that call, put on that makeup, or read that book while you are driving? (Yes! People do actually read while driving, check out this video for proof) Make the community you live in a safer one for both yourself and other members – put down the phone, food, and make-up and stop distracted driving.
Statistics collected from Governors Highway Safety Association
Melissa Mesman
REACH Peer Educator – Wellness Education and Promotion
(813) 974-4936
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Dehydration
Dehydration
Have you ever felt like you were in the Sahara Desert without anything to drink? Or have you been so thirsty that your own saliva wasn’t doing the job? The recent cases of heat-related deaths started some conversations amongst me and my fellow peers so I decided to do a little research about dehydration. Since we live in Florida and face high temperatures and humidity especially now during the summer months, I felt it would be beneficial to share.
What is dehydration?
According to Pub Med Health, dehydration is when you are in need of water to replenish the body. In other words, you are not taking in enough water to keep up with how much water your body has lost.
How do our bodies lose water?
Actually there are many ways this can happen. The most common include:
- Humidifying and breathing air
- Sweating
- Bowel movements (especially diarrhea), urination, and vomiting
What are some of the symptoms of dehydration?
Mild to moderate symptoms include:
- Thirst
- Cotton mouth
- Decreased urination
- Headache
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
Although mild to moderate dehydration can usually be reversed by drinking more fluids, when in doubt, get medical help! Severe symptoms require immediate medical care and include extreme thirst, confusion, and lack of sweating, little or no urination, low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat and breathing. Don’t forget – 9-1-1 can be called using any phone while on campus.
Prevention
It’s probably obvious but the way to prevent dehydration is to drink enough fluids. The general rule of thumb is to take in 8 glasses a day. Granted, it’s easy to be caught up in going to and from work, classes, and meetings, and finding yourself not drinking anything until you sit down to eat. However, what I do is always try to grab a bottle of water when I leave home and carry it with me throughout the day. You can also carry an ecofriendly water bottle and fill up when you see a water fountain. Some water fountains on campus even have a meter that tells you how many water bottles you have kept out of a landfill.
One other note – the Mayo Clinic also mentions to eat foods high in water. One more reason to eat your fruits and veggies!
In most cases, thirst can be your guide but if you’re exercising, don’t wait for thirst to keep up with fluid intake. Also, under certain circumstances, you may need to take in more fluids than usual, for example when you are sick, in hot, humid or cold weather, and in high altitudes.
So prevent yourself from getting dehydrated – go grab a water bottle (reusable preferred), fill it up with some water, and keep sipping and refilling it throughout the day. See you in the restroom!
Resources
Mayo Clinic
In health,
Ruth Thomas
Reach Peer Educator
Wellness Education and Promotion
813-974-4936
