BYU-Hawaii presents the Lifetime Weight Management Program challenge starting in March where faculty members are urged to participate in staying healthy by regular exercise and a healthy diet, says Human Resources staff members. Students are welcome to join and gain a better understanding of a proper health and wellness routine. Dr. Werner Hoeger, who has published 54 editions of Fitness & Wellness college textbooks, said, “When people set their own body weight, they should be realistic… There is no such thing as ‘the ideal body weight.’ Everyone is different. Stick with a program for the rest of your life…a lifetime of exercise and dietary changes.”The media has the great influence on people’s perception of an ideal body weight. People use fashion, fitness, and beauty magazine to determine what they should look like. But they may not have the genes to achieve the body weight they see in the media. So when people set their own body weight goals, they should be realistic. According to Hoeger, “Food deprivation has been shown to decrease your metabolic rate by 12 to 30 percent…The body doesn't know you are trying to lose weight…So the body is trying to survive and it slows everything down…You affect your metabolic rate and it changes the amount of energy you burn. If you are on a crash diet and you exercise, your body will try not to lose as many calories because it’s trying to keep you alive… versus when you eat regular meals, your body will burn more calories as you exercise.” Make sure you count calories. There is no other way said Hoeger, “measure your servings…keep track of nutrients and calories consumed. Make the effort. If you are not willing to make this sacrifice, then don't even bother to lose weight“For most people who are fasting, all they lose is mostly just lean body mass and barely any fat. Rather moderate diet and exercise will help you lose fat …when you gain weight you gain lean body mass to carry and hold on the extra pounds… if you are not willing to do physical activity then don't even bother trying to lose weight.. Don’t be afraid to exercise …physical activity, bring it on!” he said excitedly. Decreasing total fat intake for good, using primarily healthy fats, and learning to make wise food choices are what “our target is for the program’s audience. We welcome whomever wants to come and listen…We try to get different guest speakers and have a workshop every quarter,” said Jeannie Lawrence, from Human Resources. The human mind wants instant gratification, and people don't think about the long-term effects of what they eat and do. Tonga Lauaki, a freshman from Seattle, Wash., majoring in International Cultural Studies, said, “I learned a lot about the statistics when it comes to calories…What you eat is what you are, except that you have to learn how to balance. I liked his logo of ‘junior size’ instead of ‘super sized,’ and I work at McDonald’s so it’s really hit me…We can eat whatever we want. It’s the amount we eat that determines the weight we put on and being consistent with our physical activities.”
Writer: Jennifer Herrera~Multimedia Journalist
