Category: Health & Fitness

Running As a Pack

BY ZOE STAUDE // SEPT. 25, 2015 //

Running is one of the simplest ways to exercise, but it also has a very social aspect. On campus, there are always groups of two or three people running together. When there are so many others running together, it can be awkward running on your own.

That’s exactly why Matt Crone and Jack Conca started the running club.

The idea was sparked last year, before Crone and Conca left for the summer. Both are avid runners and realized that running is always much more fun with a buddy. The goal of the running club is to get all of those buddies up and running together – the perfect mix of fitness and friendship.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN S. CAMPBELL, CREATIVE COMMONS.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN S. CAMPBELL, CREATIVE COMMONS.

Chief Brian Greeley of Public Safety has taken on the job as the running club’s faculty advisor. Greeley leads a motivational run every Friday morning. If excited chanting on Friday mornings has ever woken you up, it’s probably Greeley and his runners. Greeley’s passion for running and aptitude for motivating students is exactly why Crone and Conca approached him to be their advisor.

With enough members on board and Greeley as their advisor, the club is just awaiting Student Government’s approval. Without everything finalized, there is still schedule flexibility.

“We plan on meeting once during the week and once on the weekend. Most likely on Saturday afternoons, but the exact time has not yet been finalized.” said Crone.

Once the club gains SGA’s approval, Crone plans on starting runs right away. The club will begin with runs on-campus, but there are many opportunities for off-campus runs and even running in charity races.

Crone is hoping to start running at 2 p.m. Most runs will be in the three to six mile range, however there is always room to expand the runs. Crone said there is a possibility of runs in the seven to nine mile range.

He thinks one of the most powerful experiences is when individuals work together as a team to achieve one goal. Crone explained, “The philosophy of this club is to promote the community that group running brings. We would stay together at all times.”

For an amateur runner, a three to six mile run may seem unachievable. However, Crone stressed that the club is for runners of all abilities and that everyone will be working as a team.

For Crone, it’s all about how running as a group will benefit each member. Crone and Conca want to build a family of runners.

If you’re interested in joining the running club, please contact Matt Crone at mcrone2014@curry.edu.

Own Your Own Health

BY TAYLOR EVANS // FEB. 13, 2014 //

Let’s be real. Eating healthy on a college campus is hard. There are so many temptations, from the ice cream to the snacks to the junk food to the burgers and fries.

On top of that, college students are busy. In addition to our classes and studies, most of us have jobs or take part in some sort of extracurricular activity. Sometimes, good eating takes a back seat to any eating.

PHOTO BY PIETER V MARION
PHOTO BY PIETER V MARION

Your health is important, though. Even if you don’t gain the “freshman 15,” you may start to pack on the pounds at one point or another. Sure, a huge part of eating healthy is looking good. But it’s more important to feel good. Eating well can boost your energy and prevent an array of future health problems.

When it comes to taking care of yourself on campus, there are a few things I have found that work.

1. Stay away from junk food. Yes, it may scream your name late at night, but your mind and self control have to be stronger than your stomach. Some ice cream while watching “The Notebook” won’t kill you—in fact, it will probably comfort you if you’re a girl—but don’t let sugary desserts become a habit.

If you can afford ice cream, you can also buy yogurt. Put down the Doritos and try Pita chips. Back away from the cookies; pick up a piece of fruit.

2. Stay active. As a college athlete, I’m always busy and I love it. Sure, it’s hard getting to the gym sometimes, but anything is better than nothing. Find a “workout buddy,” as it will increase your motivation and it’s always fun to exercise with a friend. You’ll also both look amazing when swimsuit season rolls around.

3. Eat! Avoiding food is simply not good for you. In fact, it’s horrible. When you deprive yourself of the nutrients you need, your body will react negatively, as will your brain. In fact, studies have shown that an inconsistent eating schedule often leads to binge eating, which often leads to consuming a boatload of unhealthy foods (remember point No. 1?).

Most every college has on-campus resources to help you stay on track. Whether it’s someone at the Fitness Center or someone that works in the cafeteria. First and foremost, though, taking care of yourself starts with you.

You’re a Colonel, Not Colonel Sanders!

BY BRENDAN CRONIN // SEPT. 13, 2012 //

Let me just say that I understand how hard it can be to eat healthy.

The Fruit Center Marketplace in Milton is an easy way to get healthy food. // EASYSTOCKPHOTOS.COM

We college students don’t have a lot of money and are forced at times to take what we’re given. But you can still get a decent meal—both on and off campus—that will leave you feeling healthy, not bloated.

One of the best ways to eat healthy is to cook for yourself. Before you freak out about the possibilities of a kitchen disaster, know that it’s a lot easier than it might seem.

One of the best investments a college kid can make is to buy a George Foreman grill. This lean, mean, fat-grilling machine allows you to cook personal meals that are tasty and healthy at the same time. The grill comes in a variety of sizes depending on how many you need to feed. The fact that the smaller grills are fairly cheap, at about $20, is another credit to the greatness of this culinary wonder.

Unfortunately, students living on campus aren’t allowed to have Foreman grills in the residence halls, according to page 31 of the student handbook. If you’re off campus, though, this is a great way to create your own, healthy dinner.

Buy yourself some chicken breasts or an inexpensive steak and throw it on the Foreman. Season appropriately—salt and pepper are the bare minimum musts—and you will be blown away at what you’re able to cook up. From a health standpoint, it’s great because the Foreman knocks the fat right out of your meals…literally. There is a small dish that catches all the unwanted grease from your meats.

If money is an issue, head down to the Fruit Center Marketplace on 10 Bassett St. in Milton. If you can’t find good, healthy meals there, I will personally take you food shopping and the bill will be on me! South Shore Living Magazine recently voted the place the “Best Gourmet Food Shop” in the South Shore.

The fact that there are no Whole Foods in the area is not an excuse for purchasing unhealthy food. The Fruit Center Marketplace is a perfectly fine substitute that features local produce, fresh fish and pre-cooked tasty meals.

Heed this advice and I guarantee you’ll be feeling great in no time.

Train for Pain

BY BRENDAN CRONIN // APRIL 10, 2012 //  

The battle for a healthy lifestyle begins in the mind. In order to reach your fitness goals, you must eliminate the words “why” and “how” from your everyday vocabulary. Throwing away your inhibitions and becoming receptive to new ideas about fitness and health, can result in major lifestyle changes. One of the first things you should do is set a goal/goals. This is important because it gives you incentive to stay motivated and disciplined.

PHOTO BY AMBRO

That being said, the goals you set for yourself have to be realistic and reachable. After eating Domino’s pizza for a month straight, don’t be surprised that you can’t run a mile without sucking wind. Sometimes we have to set the bar really low, step over it, and pat ourselves on the back so that we can feel accomplished and build up our confidence.  When you are working to attain something, I feel that it’s important to have confidence and motivation to get the job done. You must make drastic changes in your psyche to remain consistent with your training and eating habits. You have to make up your mind to be special because no one’s okay with just being mediocre. Once you come to the realization that you are special, you’ll be able to achieve great things beyond your own comprehension.

This all may sound cliché and I might come across sounding like Tony Robbins, but if you work to improve mental toughness, the physical part becomes easy. Many say they want to live a healthy lifestyle but don’t think hard enough and dig deep enough to achieve great levels of health and fitness. I would go as far as to say that achieving a good level of health and fitness is 90% mental and 10% physical. You need to incorporate a little mental toughness on days when you want to eat Krispy Kreme doughnuts for breakfast and skip a run. These are the make or break moments that can mean the difference between losing ten pounds and gaining 20.

Run, Curry, Run!

BY BRENDAN CRONIN // MARCH 20, 2012 //

My first blog gave you a small taste of how to stay fit through diet. Now, I’m going to show you how to become a lean machine with helpful tips and tricks that I have used in the past to improve my own cardio.

A trainer once told me about an interesting technique to improve stamina, which might sound unorthodox, but is actually quite effective. During your run, try breathing through your mouth and out your nose.

Cardiovascular exercise is necessary to maintain a healthy heart.

I know this may sound crazy and the opposite of what you normally do, but go ahead and give it a shot. The reason for doing this is simple: It simulates what you do when you’re truly fatigued. Many of us have experienced the bad feeling of gasping for air after a strenuous run or other exercise. By breathing through your mouth and out your nose you are building up your lung capacity and are essentially adding time and distance to your run.

After about two weeks of trying this technique, I am certain you will be running longer, faster, and drop a whole lot of weight in the process.

This may seem like a platitude, but to really improve your cardio invest in a jump rope. It may take you awhile to get the hang of it, but once you are comfortable with the rope, the fitness rewards will truly amaze. The greatest benefit that you get from the rope is an increase in ankle strength. Strong ankles are key to running long distances and make pounding the pavement that much easier.

In addition to ankle strength, the rope is considered a full-body exercise that works out many of the muscle groups.