Food for Finals

The dreaded finals are upon us. Late night studying has commenced and that can lead to some poor eating habits. However, maintaining healthy eating will actually be more beneficial to your finals because your body and mind will be at their peak performance.

Here are some simple snack ideas for when you are studying late at night.

     Frozen Greek Yogurt Blueberries – Blueberries are great for brain health and you need        your brain at its prime in order to remember everything for the test. Greek Yogurt is just      great for your body overall and provides you with much needed protein.

     Dark Chocolate – that is right, chocolate can help you with studying. Dark chocolate          helps stimulate blood flow to the brain which helps you concentrate on your work. But        of course, use it in moderation.

     Green Tea – unlike coffee, which can get you jittery if you have to much, green tea has        the amino acid L-theanine which will give you energy without putting you in overdrive.

     Water – It is important to stay hydrated throughout your study sessions. Doing so will          help blood flow to the brain and keep you from overheating, which can lead to                   headaches and lack of focus.

     Cheese Cucumber Sandwiches – You don’t have to worry about crumbs covering your      lap or your computer after you eat these, and it will help curb your carb cravings. The        crunchiness of the cucumber will balance out the richness of the fat and salt from the        cheese.

Though these snacks won’t be able to guarantee straight A’s on your finals, they will help you get one step closer.

As for working out, the RAC will have the same hours it has had all semester, so no worries about not being able to make it in.

The Group Fitness Classes will be changed slightly however, classes will still be offered but the times will be different.

Just remember, you are almost done!

Stay Fit during the Summer

School is almost over and summer is just around the corner. But just because school is out for the summer, and all the knowledge that you learned over the year slowly disappears with the summer sun, that doesn’t mean that all of the progress that you have made should also disappear.

Whether you are staying in Statesboro or are going out into the world there are multiple ways to maintain your progress.

Staying in Statesboro:

CRI is up and running during the summer months and so the RAC is always an option. You can utilize the weight room, the basketball, the racquetball courts, and the indoor and outdoor pools.

      Group Fitness Classes – Available during the summer as well. There will be a Group           Fitness Schedule for both A and B term.

      Personal Trainers – Available during the summer months if you want someone to help         you get started or keep you motivated.

      Summer Break Boot Camp – Just like Spring Break Boot Camp and Fall Fit Camp, this       will be offered Monday and Wednesday from 6-7pm in the Group Fitness Studio.

      Southern Adventures – Campus Cycle will be offered during the summer as well,                helping you stay fit by riding bikes around campus. Or utilize the Southern                          Adventures resources and equipment to go on outdoor adventure trips with your                friends.

      Wellness – Student Health 101 and the Wellness Center will be up and running during        the summer to help students with all aspects of health.

      Intramural Sports – Sand Volleyball, Summer Softball, and Summer Basketball will be         offered during the summer months.

      Tri-Eagle Challenge – A different type of triathlon for those who want to push their               boundaries. There will be a Tri-Eagle Challenge for both A and B term. Students have         the whole term to bike 100 miles using any of the three styles of stationary bikes in the       fitness center, or gain the miles through our Group Fitness Spin Classes. Students also       need to walk/run 26.2 miles using the treadmills or the indoor track. And finally,                   participants need to swim 5,000 yards in the indoor pool, either during open swim or         with a Group Fitness water aerobics class.

Not staying in Statesboro:

Unfortunately leaving Statesboro means you lose access to the RAC, but never fear because there are still other ways of staying in shape.

      Get a local gym membership for the summer months, most gyms will offer a discount         during the summer months.

      Begin a Couch to 5K or Couch to Marathon if you are ambitious, because you can run       anywhere.

No matter what you end up doing this summer, remember you can always be apart of CRI by following us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Assess Your Fitness Level with Fitness Assessments

As the semester’s end is in sight, what better time to find out how much you have improved in your fitness goals than by getting a fitness assessment?

Fitness Assessments test a person’s baseline values such as resting heart rate, blood pressure, height and weight. Body composition by using tests such as the 3-site skinfold, bioelectrical impedance analysis, waist-to-hip ratio. Cardiovascular fitness which is tested by a three-minute step test, muscular fitness is tested by a push-up test and a half sit-up test. Flexibility is also tested by the reach over the shoulder test and a modified sit and reach test.

“Fitness assessments are great for people who would like to know their current fitness level,” David Purser, Fitness Program Graduate Assistant, said. “Also they are a good way to evaluate progress. For example, if someone had a new year’s resolution to lose a certain amount of weight during this semester, or drop a certain body fat percentage, they could come in as many times as they wanted to be tested.”

You can get a Fitness Assessment as many times as you want in order to keep track of your progress and to help keep you motivated. Some people have come in every single week over the course of a semester and others come at the beginning of a workout program and then again at the end to view any progress made.

It is not required to test everything during a Fitness Assessment though it is highly preferred, people with health conditions or injuries are able to do a ‘modified’ Fitness Assessment. Before participating in a Fitness Assessment everyone must fill out a health questionnaire first.

People under 18 are not allowed to receive Fitness Assessments unless they bring a written note from a parent or guardian and sign a release form.

Each time you get a Fitness Assessment your results are ranked against others based on your biological sex and age, and you are given a percentile ranking and categories such as ‘above average’ or ‘below average’ so that you are able to see what areas need more work.

Appointments can be made online. You must arrive 10 minutes prior to your appointment time to fill out the necessary paperwork and the Fitness Assessment takes roughly 30 minutes.

Before coming to your appointment. Remember:

      Do not drink alcohol or caffeine, use tobacco products, or eat food within hours of             your appointment.

      Be well rested and avoid significant exertion or exercise on the day of the Fitness               Assessment.

      Get an adequate amount of sleep the night before.

      Wear clothing that allows you to move freely and walking or running shoes.

Purser said, “Being educated about your health is important as you make diet and exercise choices throughout your life!”

Club Spotlight: Men’s Baseball

Men’s Club Baseball was the Club Spotlight this month!

Are you the Strongest Eagle?

See who is the strongest eagle of all at the Strongest Eagle competition.

The Strongest Eagle is designed after the World’s Strongest Man competition and is a non-traditional way of challenging participants in both strength and endurance events with competitions in the deadlift, tire flip, truck pull, atlas stones, heavy toss, and a team relay.

“Although this event is competitive in nature, there is also great community and support among participants,” Stefanie Rodgers, Fitness Program Director for Strength and Conditioning, said. “It is a great way to connect with others that are passionate about their physical fitness.  As with any challenge, mental strength is also tested and this provides an opportunity to exceed even your own expectations.”

The top three finishers of each weight division will receive medals for preliminary events and the overall winner will receive a framed poster award including the original poster design and respective placement information. In the team event, medals will be awarded to each member of the winning team.

The weight classes for men are:

      Heavy Weight is 205 pounds or more.

      Light Weight is 204.99 pounds or less.

The weight classes for women are:

      Heavy Weight is 165 pounds or more.

      Light Weight is 164.99 pounds or less.

Participation is free for all RAC Member and it is $10 for non-RAC Members. And only 50 participants are allowed.

The event is April 11 at 10 a.m. See you there!

 

Perfect Your Pose

Ever see people doing yoga poses that look so hard and complex that you don’t think you could ever do it? Well, you can!

On March 29, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. there will be an Upside Down Yoga Workshop focusing on the inversion poses, arm balances, and headstands and handstands.

“While these may seem like advanced poses, having the correct form and being aware of your body can make them much easier,” Emmy Richards, Fitness Program Director for Group Fitness, said. “This workshop will also show you steps to gain the strength, flexibility, and balance to complete poses like headstand or crow.”

Just last month there was another Yoga Workshop known as Broga. If you’ve been to a previous workout, don’t pass up on this one!

“This is different from Broga because it’s focusing on inversions and balance poses versus yoga for a specific group of people. This workshop will teach participants how to build up to more challenging poses or how to perfect their form in order to get the most out of their practice,” Richards said.

The best part is that it’s free and equipment is provided so there’s no reason not to come! There is a maximum of 25 people, though, so come early to get a spot!

The workshop will include a yoga practice as a warm-up, and then participants will be shown how to build up to the harder poses or how to perfect the pose can already do, Then the workshop will end with relaxation.

Richards said, “You don’t have to be great at yoga to do these poses, you just have to know how to get into them correctly and how to work up to the more challenging moves.”

Rest, Relax, and Eat

Spring Break is finally here! No classes, just fun in the sun and some much need R&R. But just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean you have to lose sight of all your fitness progress that you’ve made this year.

When on vacation, people have the tendency to overindulge with food and drinks because they’re “on vacation.” Which is totally fine, you work hard you deserve to spoil yourself, but don’t let your spoils ruin your fitness progress.

An easy way to avoid overeating is to bring snacks to munch on while you soak up the sun in between meals. This way you won’t be so hungry afterwards that you turn to a fast food option, ruining all of your progress.

Here are some healthy snack options that you can pack to take with you.

      Baked Zucchini Chips

      Microwaved Apple Chips

      Edamame

      Frozen Yogurt Covered Blueberry Bites 

      Frozen Grapes 

      Trail Mix 

These are just a handful of ideas that you could take with you on your vacation that are fairly easy to make with minimal prep time.

So remember, wherever your Spring Break adventure might take you doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your progress or your health.

Enjoy and Relax!

February Club of the Month: Southern Bass Anglers

Congratulations to the Southern Bass Anglers for receiving February’s Club of the Month for CRI!

Regional Bouldering Competition, No Experience Required

Test your climbing abilities against other university students on Saturday, March 28, with the 7th annual Southern SendFest Bouldering Competition.

Southern SendFest is designed to be a top-score redpoint competition and climbers will have three consecutive hours to achieve their highest score. The score will be a total of the climber’s top five routes.

There will be three divisions to compete in: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.

“A beginner should not hesitate to participate because our climbing event caters to all levels,” Savannah Manning, Southern Adventures staff member, said. “We actually have a beginner category and boulder routes set specifically for them, so the competition is much less intimidating than it may seem.”

Registration ends March 26th and the fee is $35.

The fee includes on-site tent camping, restrooms and showers, lunch and snacks, SWAG Bag featuring samples and freebies from sponsors, and awards for the top male and female competitors in each division.

The SWAG bags typically consist of stickers, Chapstick, hand salve, and discount cards, though donations are still coming in from sponsors so the exact contents may vary, Manning said.

Already there are some big name sponsors who have sent donations including Moosejaw, Patagonia, Mountain Khaki, and Smithoptics. Last year $3,000 worth of prizes were donated and so the same is expected for this year, Manning said.

During registration, climbers will be able to choose their preferred heat:

      Heat 1 will be from 9 – 12 p.m.

      Heat 2 will be from 12 – 3 p.m.

      Heat 3 will be from 3 – 6 p.m.

“This is a regional event, so at least half of our participation comes from students outside of GSU,” Manning said. “This allows us to be recognized as a school that promotes climbing, while also providing networking opportunities for participating students.”

Other schools also have to compete for Georgia Southern to be recognized as part of CCS (Collegiate Climbing Series).

After the competition there will be a social at a climber’s house with a rock wall in their backyard.

Participants must be 18 years old or older and enrolled in a southeastern private or public university or college to register.

Climb to New Heights

Ever want to climb an actual mountainside? Well learn the ropes at the RAC’s Climbing Wall and build your skills before showing off outdoors.

The RAC has a 45-foot-high rock wall modeled off an actual rock face. It is manned by shift leads and climbing wall attendants who can give you tips on your form and technique while making sure you are staying safe.

“Climbing is an individual activity that challenges a person both mentally and physically,” Spenser Herkelman, Southern Adventures Program Director, said. “The benefits of climbing can range from improved self confidence to increased strength and body composition.”

In the RAC, equipment is provided for climbers from shoes, to harnesses, to chalk bags that can all be checked out. So there isn’t an excuse not to try it.

The only requirement is that participants wear close toed shoes, but climbing shoes are preferred.

Don’t want to climb up a 45-foot wall? Well try your hand at bouldering.

There is a Bouldering Cave right next to the rock wall that allows people to test their climbing skills in a different setting.

Bouldering is for people who wish to focus more on the difficulty and skill instead of how high they can climb.

Though climbing is an individual activity, the Southern Adventures staff has incorporated a social event for climbers, Bouldering Night Out (BNO).

“Everyone is invited to participate in Bouldering Night Out. It is a non-competitive event with various themes. Patrons do not need to have any prior experience,” Herkelman said.

In the past there has been Ninja, Ghosts and Ghouls, and Neon themed events.

The Climbing Wall is open:

      Mondays and Thursdays: 4-9pm

      Fridays: 4-6pm

      Saturdays: 12-3pm

     Sundays: 5-8pm

The Bouldering Cave has the same hours as the RAC.