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The Tangerine

The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

Staying fit in the Dead of Winter

Jenessa+McCabe+has+her+own+unique+ways+of+staying+fit+during+the+winter.+Photo+by+Debra+Born
Jenessa McCabe has her own unique ways of staying fit during the winter. Photo by Debra Born

Staying fit and energized can be a challenge for some when it is cold and dark outside during the winter months.

With much of the little energy that students have being channeled into coursework, how do students at Utica College manage to maintain healthy eating habits and exercise regularly?

Students shared their tips for keeping their body healthy during the cold and busy winter season.

Jenessa McCabe is a senior in the Health Studies major.

McCabe is also on the cross country and track and field teams. She has been running since sixth grade because she enjoys the exercise.

“It is fun to run with friends and know that you’re running for something,” McCabe said.

“When you get that goal, it’s a great feeling.”

McCabe tries to run every day. She sometimes trains at the Athletic Center or the dome, especially during the offseason. Her cross country and track coach encourages students to train during the summer as well.

“If I’m not at school, I still like to train,” she said. “I still try to run once a day, at least six days a week. If I can’t do that, being outdoors more helps a lot, especially when the sun’s out.”

McCabe also eats healthy to help run her fastest.

“I definitely like to eat a balanced diet throughout the entire day,” she said. “I at least try to get my greens in at some point during the day. I have my carbs for every meal because we run off so much. I like to keep up with my protein, too.”

McCabe maintains these healthy habits regularly.

“I also try to eat an apple a day,” she said. “Apples are a happy fruit.”

McCabe said that the nutritious food and exercise make her feel energized.

“If I take care of my body better, I feel less sluggish,” she said.

Yusef Gordon is a freshman and a sports management major. He stays active during the winter by utilizing the dome.

“I usually like, two or three times a week, go to the dome to play basketball,”  Gordon said. “On the other days of the week, I go to the gym.”

Gordon lifts weights in the gym, and he also runs between one and three miles.

“I have to run because I’m in the Army Reserve,” he said. “I’ve got to keep my PT test up. I do that a couple times a week.”

Gordon eats healthy on and off during the year.

Tori Wadsworth is a freshman in the Psychology-Child Life major. She stays fit during the winter by taking her golden retriever on walks around the neighborhood.

“She’s getting kind of old, so it’s getting hard for her to want to walk,” Wadsworth said.

Despite this, Wadsworth still takes her dog on walks because it is good exercise for both of them.

“During the summer, it’s different because it’s warmer and you want to stay fit,” Wadsworth said. “During the winter’s, it’s cold and you don’t really care.”

Keven Caberera is a sophomore in the Computer Science major and had some tips on how to lose weight.

“One thing I noticed about losing weight is you just need to eat less sugar and less junk food,”  Caberera said. “Then you don’t need to exercise as much.”

Caberera said that it is ideal to run three days a week, but he does not always stick to that schedule. He runs most days when he is on campus.

“It mainly depends on how I feel that day,” he said. “If I can’t make it here to run, I use my elliptical at home. There’s a lot of resistance to it. That’s how it keeps the effectiveness of the exercise.”

Caberera is from the Dominican Republic, and the culture there is less focused on eating out.

“I don’t go out much to eat, like all those fast food places,” he said.

Instead, he chooses to eat healthy food cooked at home.

“Just toning back the eating makes a world of difference,” Caberera said. “If anyone’s hoping to lose weight, you just have to watch what you eat.”

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