2008 Woodie Awards
Become a Healthier Person...It's Easier than You Think! (Yes, even at Colgate)
Andrea Kozak
Issue date: 1/28/05 Section: Commentary
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You are young. You are energetic. You are in the habit of drinking three or four times a week. Face it ... there is no better time in your life to start getting into shape. Each year the rate of obese children, teenagers, and adults rises. Being overweight is not only an issue of physical appearance, but also a threat to your internal health, including your heart, blood, lungs, muscles, bones, and just about every part of the human body. Young, smart college students like you can change this epidemic by obtaining healthy habits of diet and exercise when you are young, and passing those good habits on to the next generation.
Now, I'm not a goddess who is perfectly in shape and in control. There is a lot I need to consider when thinking about my health. My father and his father both have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. They also both gain most of their fat around their middle areas of the body (otherwise known as a gut, love handles, and beer belly), which, as I was told by Discovery Health Channel, is the unhealthiest place to gain weight because the fat is so close to the liver.
After a satisfying Thanksgiving dinner a few months ago, I decided that I needed to change my eating habits to be healthier. At the dinner table, I was told how much I resemble my dad, which makes me both proud and disappointed. I love that I inherited his cute nose, and understanding, sympathetic attitude, but I'm really annoyed that I inherited his slow metabolism and tendency to gain weight easily. My mother, on the other hand, is a petite woman, who wears a smaller size than I do, despite the age difference.
Even though I've always felt a lot of stress and insecurity about my physical appearance, I am not changing my lifestyle solely for the purpose of looking hotter. What is most important to me is that I change my habits now, so that I don't end up with eventually serious problems like my father and grandfather have.
Okay, now that I've briefed you on a short history of my life and my issues, I want to explain a few things to you. I read all the time about health, and different ways to make yourself feel and look healthier. I am genuinely interested in how the body works, and why certain strategies work better than others for different people. Because of this, I want to share with you the information that I've read up on, so you can start to make healthier changes to your life, and share with me and others what works for you. I don't want to be a preacher, so please think about it as "us in this process together," helping to motivate each other with tips and reminders.
Now, I'm not a goddess who is perfectly in shape and in control. There is a lot I need to consider when thinking about my health. My father and his father both have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. They also both gain most of their fat around their middle areas of the body (otherwise known as a gut, love handles, and beer belly), which, as I was told by Discovery Health Channel, is the unhealthiest place to gain weight because the fat is so close to the liver.
After a satisfying Thanksgiving dinner a few months ago, I decided that I needed to change my eating habits to be healthier. At the dinner table, I was told how much I resemble my dad, which makes me both proud and disappointed. I love that I inherited his cute nose, and understanding, sympathetic attitude, but I'm really annoyed that I inherited his slow metabolism and tendency to gain weight easily. My mother, on the other hand, is a petite woman, who wears a smaller size than I do, despite the age difference.
Even though I've always felt a lot of stress and insecurity about my physical appearance, I am not changing my lifestyle solely for the purpose of looking hotter. What is most important to me is that I change my habits now, so that I don't end up with eventually serious problems like my father and grandfather have.
Okay, now that I've briefed you on a short history of my life and my issues, I want to explain a few things to you. I read all the time about health, and different ways to make yourself feel and look healthier. I am genuinely interested in how the body works, and why certain strategies work better than others for different people. Because of this, I want to share with you the information that I've read up on, so you can start to make healthier changes to your life, and share with me and others what works for you. I don't want to be a preacher, so please think about it as "us in this process together," helping to motivate each other with tips and reminders.