Photo by: Eve Donegan
Spring break is around the corner but, with snow covering the ground and freezing temperatures, most people aren’t thinking about peeling off their layers and walking around in swimsuits. During the winter it gets harder to leave the comfort of home and make the trek to the gym.With the knowledge and help of Tiffany Ulatowski, the assistant director of aquatics and fitness at the Coors Fitness Center, here are five steps to start you on the path to fitness and health.Step 1: Evaluating the damageEvaluate the work ahead with a free fitness assessment and session with a qualified trainer at Coors Fitness Center.If you have already done a fitness assessment or met with a trainer, it will cost $35 for the fitness assessment. The assessment measures your starting height, weight, blood pressure, flexibility, and cardiovascular system. This provides a starting point for your new fitness and diet routine.Step 2: Exercise optionsThere are three options available other than simply going to the gym and doing an individual workout.Specialty classes These classes provide a good, hard workout in a fun environment. Classes include cycling, pilates, abs, yoga and cardio blasts. They are scheduled at various times throughout the day to accommodate all schedules and are free for students. Class descriptions and times can be found on the DU recreation Web site at www.recreation.du.edu. Other group classes such as the popular Bikini Boot Camp or Ms. Fit cost $49 for eight weeks of intensive training and target overall fitness.Personal trainersThe Coors Fitness Center staffs several personal trainers who all have degrees in exercise science and are nationally certified. Each trainer works with you to target certain areas and work with your individual body type and fitness history. These sessions can be given individually, with a partner, or in a group. Sessions can be bought a single session at a time up to 12 sessions. Profiles of the trainers can also be found on the DU recreation Web site.From the comfort of homeFor those of you living farther away or just aren’t willing to make the trek to the gym, there are other options. Ulatowski says there are a number of ways to workout from home. One easy (and free) method is to walk or run up and down the stairs of your house or apartment building for 20 minutes or more. Lunges, push ups and sit-ups can all easily be done in your own room. Ulatowski also recommends buying an exercise band, which she says can provide a “full body workout.” Exercise bands can be purchased at a low price from all sporting good stores, or even Target.Step 3: Eating betterWhat to cut outThe best way to shed your winter weight is to combine exercise with dieting. Cutting back on certain un-healthy, high calorie foods is another smart option.To start, Ulatowski recommends cutting out soda, sweets and foods made with white enriched flour. Switch to eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, fiber, and complex carbohydrates, like oatmeal and wheat bread. A sample day of healthy eatingUlatowski says there are several foods that fill you up while also being healthy. An example of a healthy day of eating would include a breakfast of oatmeal with dried fruit or peanuts in it, half a turkey sandwich with fresh fruit for lunch, and lean protein with whole grain rice and vegetables for dinner. Healthy snacks may include a glass of skim chocolate milk, apples with peanut butter or granola. It is important to eat something that fills you in order to prevent overeating later.”Make sure your snacks have some fat, some protein, and some carbs,” said Ulatowski.Step 4: SupportWhile friends and family can be supportive of your new fitness routine, they aren’t always around. There are several Web sites that can help watch what you are eating, and find the healthy way to go about weight loss and fitness.www.healthfinder.gov is a search engine that gets its information from the National Institute of Health.www.mypyramid.gov is a food guide that tracks calories, nutrients and fats, and shows the balance of calories in-take versus calories lost from exercise.Step 5: ResultsDepending on the intensity of your workouts and diet, small results should appear in a month and within three months you should be able to see a lot of results. It is healthy to lose about two to three pounds a week. If you are losing more, then you are probably not eating enough or over exercising yourself. Ulatowski says if you are losing more than two or three pounds a week, chances are you will gain the weight right back.
