New Year’s Resolutions for the Whole Year

It’s that time of year again!  With the holiday season (and the gallons of eggnog, with cookies and pie) past us, it’s that time of year when millions of people vow to get healthier with their New Year’s resolutions.  With drinking less alcohol, eating healthier, getting fit, and losing weight all on the top ten list of resolutions, why is it that so many people fail to reach their goals?  Here are some tips to help you be successful in reaching your goals, no matter what they are.

Step 1: Find your Motivation

Have you ever been really excited to make a drastic change in your life, but before you know it you’ve completely lost your drive to succeed?  You were most likely inspired rather than motivated.  True motivation, from a behavioural change perspective, must be internal, whereas inspiration is the short-term external drive that often leads to plans fizzling out part way through. 

So what makes us lose motivation?  All humans are subject to socio-biological factors that affect behaviour, such as the pleasure principle, which leads us to seek things that please us now, instead of waiting for long-term gains.  To overcome these factors and build motivation, look for positive reinforcements instead of negative ones.  For instance, if you just booked your ticket to Cancun for reading break and the idea of donning a bathing suit along with your extra holiday weight makes your stomach twist with nervousness, think about how great you will feel once you’ve lost the weight, and focus on that positive image instead of the discomfort you would feel putting on the suit now.

Step 2: Determine your Readiness for Change

Many people who fail to succeed in their goals do so because they are not ready to make the change.  In order to determine your readiness for change, ask yourself the following four questions:

1. Is the behaviour (or lack of it) a problem for you?
2. Does the behaviour (or lack of it) cause you any distress?
3. Are you interested in changing your behaviour?
4. Are you ready to do something to change your behaviour now?

If you honestly answer yes to all of these questions, then you are likely ready to make the change.  If you still have some ambivalence however, think about why you wanted to make the change in the first place.  Do some soul-searching and see if you can find an internal motivation that will boost your desire to succeed.

Step 3: Make the Change

Once you’re ready to make the change, start small!  As tempting as it might be to jump in with two feet, it is likely not realistic.  Instead, create smaller goals that will provide you with short-term wins, allowing you to build your self-efficacy.  The more of these small goals that you accomplish, the more confidence you will have in yourself that you can reach your end goal.  For example, instead of concentrating on losing your holiday weight, try starting by reducing the amount of convenience food you eat, and exercising a couple of times per week. Once you’ve accomplished those goals, you can move onto bigger goals, such as increasing the frequency of your workouts and eating more healthy home-cooked meals.  Only build on goals once you are comfortable with your current ones, and keep the number of tasks at hand to a maximum of three. If you get stuck, don’t give up!  Instead assess the situation and work on ways to overcome your barriers.

Lastly, involve your friends and family in your change.  Because eating is such a social activity, those around you can have a huge influence on how you fuel your body.  Surround yourself with people and places that will reduce temptations and you’ll be on your way to a healthier you—even after everyone else has given up on their resolutions!

For more information on healthy eating, and weight management check out the Your Health tab on the website www.dietitians.ca

Amanda Coulter

Year 3 Dietetics, UBC

Revitalize your Resolutions!

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “New Year’s resolution”? Do you think of people saying they want to quit smoking, improve their diet, or exercise more? Do you think of people giving up their resolution before February 1st? Last year, Time.com posted a list of 10 of the most commonly broken New Year’s resolutions. Two of them were “lose weight and get fit” and “eat healthier and diet”. Why do New Year’s resolutions to get healthy often fail? Maybe it’s because they’re not SMART.

A SMART goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. It should be something you are highly motivated to do and think will be easy to achieve. Success with one SMART goal can boost your confidence and lead you to tackle another, slightly more challenging SMART goal. “I will stop eating junk food” is not a SMART goal. “This week, I will snack on vegetable sticks instead of chips while I study” is a SMART goal. Here are more examples of SMART goals for healthy eating.

• I will drink water instead of buying pop or juice when I am thirsty this month. Tip: carry a reusable bottle with you and fill it at water fountains or sinks.
• I will choose the vegetarian option at dinner once a week. Tip: the vegetarian option will often be higher in fibre and lower in saturated fat than the meat option.
• I will eat vegetables or fruit at every meal this week. Tip: choose a variety of colourful vegetables and fruit, especially dark green and orange ones.
• I will choose whole wheat or whole grain bread products at least once a day. Tip: “multi-grain” does not equal whole grain.
• I will not buy food from a vending machine this week. Tip: purchase and carry around some healthy non-perishable snacks such as nuts, dried fruit, or low-sodium pretzels.

So now it’s up to you. Pick one of the ideas I’ve listed above or come up with a SMART goal of your own. Follow through with it, and then, once it has become part of your normal routine, add another. Step by step, small SMART goals can help you reach your larger goal. Here’s to a healthy New Year!

Katrina Goertzen

Year 4 Dietetics, UBC

Cruz, G., Tharoor, I., Silver, A., & Webley, K. (2012, Jan. 1.) Top Ten Commonly Broken New        Year’s Resolutions. Retrieved from http://www.time.com

As I sit here, drinking my hot pomegranate and trying my best to focus on my studying, I can’t help be excited (and distracted) by the holiday season quickly approaching.  This reminds me of a show I used to watch as a kid: The Weekenders.  The Weekenders was a cartoon about 4 friends, Tino, Lor, Carver, and Tish, and their weekend adventures together.  There was this episode that showed each character celebrating the holiday season in their respective ways:  Tish celebrated Hanukkah, Carver celebrated Kwanzaa, Lor celebrated Christmas, and Tino celebrated Winter Solstice.  I remember learning a bit about all these different celebrations and realizing how much more there was involved in this time of the year than I knew.  Here’s a brief summary of each celebration…

Hanukkah: Also known as the festival of lights, this 8-day celebration consists of a candle being lit each evening on a Menorah.  This holiday commemorates re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem. 

Kwanzaa: A week-long celebration (Dec 26-Jan 1) that honors African heritage, through a feast and gift-giving.It consists of seven core principles called the Nguzo Saba: Unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

Christmas: Perhaps the most celebrated across the globe, this holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ for Christians.  It is also a holiday linked to Santa Clause, stockings, gift-giving, and candy canes.

Winter Solstice:  This is when the Sun is appearing at noon at its lowest altitude above the horizon.  Across the globe, there are many interpretations of the event, varying from culture to culture, but most Northern Hemisphere cultures hold a recognition of rebirth, involving festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time.

Whatever you are celebrating this season, whether it be one of these festivities described above or just being with loved ones, I wish you a happy, restful, and enjoyable holiday break. 

Happy Holiday,

Sef.

Sleep Time

By: Caitlin Funk, Senior Advisor in Fairview Crescent

Mental wellness starts with you – your decisions, your promises. A good place to start improving your mental wellness is to make sure you get a good night sleep. You might think that there just aren’t enough hours in the day for that to happen. Without a good night’s rest, you run the risk of performing poorly on exams, feeling anxious or sad or worried, and lowering your immune response which leaves you prone to illness. On the other hand, getting enough quality sleep will improve your ability to remember and retain new information. Sleeping the whole night improves your ability to learn; reason enough for students to prioritize quality sleep! Nearly 30% of UBC undergraduates have reported that sleep difficulties interfered with their academic performance in a previous year. Its time to change that statistic: getting enough sleep is good for your brain! If you are having trouble sleeping because you can’t fit everything in, try checking how you manage your time.

You might want to:

• track (and re-evaluate) how you are actually spending your time
• look carefully at your term and weekly schedules, to see where there are lulls and crunches
• start studying strategically. (For help, check out the online resources from UBC Learning Commons.)

If you’re having trouble getting to sleep, reflect, and see what you can do, such as:

•  avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoking
• do not exercise within two hours of bedtime
• stick to the same bedtime routine every night.

      Final exams are at our door steps, and the number one thing on many residents’ minds is “Where can I find a good location to study?” The libraries are packed with people. There’s constant chatter in the residential commons areas. Distractions are constantly by your side. In this article, I am going to present a few lesser known areas that I’ve found to be really great for focusing on studies during the exam period. They are close to the residence, but far enough so that you don’t run into too many distractions.

      My personal favorite is SWING. Located just up the hill from Marine Drive, it offers multiple levels of free, open classrooms where you can study individually or with a group of friends. There are lots of spaces. The area is well maintained, well lit, well equipped with study tools such as white boards and presentation screens. The best part is that it is open 24hours a day, and 7 days a week. You don’t want to miss out on this building.

       Closer to home would be the Forestry Sciences Centre. While the computer labs are restricted, the commons area offers a quiet, elegant study space. There is a Tim Horton’s right in the building if you need a quick cup of coffee. In addition, there are also classroom spaces right on the first floor if the commons area is filled (it is a fairly busy place). Interesting, not many people use the classrooms. There are chalk boards in the rooms for drawing diagrams. As expected of an environmentally friendly faculty, the lights in the classrooms are automatic. Lights switch off after 15 minutes if no motions are detected. The only down side is that this building only opens during week days until about 7pm, not weekends.

      MacMillan Building sports a more down to earth feel. It is the Land and Foods Systems building, and it is located right across from Forestry. There are many classrooms available for use on the second floor, and the third floor has a large study centre space. There are tutors available for 1^st and 2^nd year science courses in the area on weekdays. MacMillan opens 24hours on week days. It is not very well known, but it certainly is a great space to get work done.

      These are just a few examples of alternative spaces which can be utilized for study purposes when classes are not in session. Next time you walk around buildings related to your faculty, take note of what resources are available and what spaces are free to use. You will find your very own top study spots.

Zhihao (James) Xu

It is that time of the year again: it is the time of spending 24 hours a day studying for your back-to-back exams. You’ve made it so far and it’s just the last little effort before you can be set free for the winter break. Focusing so much on studying, we tend to let good nutrition slide down our priority list. So here are some tips for nourishing your body and boosting your energy to make it through the exams.

Choose brain enhancing over brain blocking foods!

Protein-rich foods lead to longer energy and mental awareness. These foods will keep your energy up during your long exams! Some examples include eggs, fish and nuts.

Stay away from foods that are high in refined sugar or white flour, such as chocolate, candies, white bread and pasta, cookies, and muffins. Instead choose mostly whole grain-based carbohydrates, as the high fibre content in these carbohydrates help keep you full longer. Some whole grains include whole wheat, brown rice and quinoa.

Prepare these quick snacks/meals to pack with you:

• Fruits and vegetables: apples, bananas, oranges are easy to grab and go. They’re rich in vitamin C, potassium, fiber and B vitamins.
• Enjoy your vegetables with your favorite dip or, even better, have them with hummus for added protein. You can also have apples with peanut butter; it tastes great and gives you energy to carry on studying.
• Head to the grocery store in the bulk section and select your favorite nuts like almonds, walnuts, and cashews. Add some dried fruits like cranberries, raisins and apricots. They’re great to munch on while studying.
• Grab some granola and add them to your yogurt. They have lots of protein and are energy boosting.

Boost your brain with water and reduce caffeine consumption:

Drink enough water before and during your exam. Your body consists of 60% water, so by drinking water, you will replenish your body fluids, which will give you more energy. Add lime, lemon or cucumber wedges to your water for some enhanced flavor.

So what about coffee? After studying all day, it’s easy to over-consume caffeine to keep yourself awake! The effect of caffeine varies from person to person. Caffeine could have positive effects, such as increased concentration and alertness. However, in some individuals caffeine can cause disturbance of sleep, headaches, and nervousness. High caffeine intake has been shown to be associated with slight decline in calcium balance.

Finally, get enough sleep! It’s easy to get into the habit of studying late and cramming all night. Having a good sleep the night before the exam gives you enough energy to carry on with your exam. To be functional during exams, you need both healthy nutrition and adequate sleep!

Take those tips with you and start packing your day-long snacks and meals and start studying to ace those exams!

Ghazal Haghnegahdar

3^rd Year Dietetics

Are you passionate about Sustainability? Did you know that UBC has set the most aggressive greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of any of the top 40 universities in the world? Although UBC was Canada’s first university to achieve a Gold rating in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), our current goal is to increase the power of our sustainable commitment.
Be part of this movement by becoming a ‘Suite Sustainable Volunteer’ for you residence area. You will work with the Suite Style Sustainability Coordinator to put on events related to water, energy, food and waste. The group will meet twice a month to discuss that month’s theme and events. Then you will be in charge of executing the event in your Residence Area (Gage, Fairview, Thunderbird…etc.)
For the month of November we are hoping to look into waste by planning Stuff swaps, a trip to the in-vessel composter on campus as well as increasing compost and recycling use in residence.
To become your Residence Area’s ‘Suite Volunteer’ or for more information contact Anna Murynka (a.murynka@gmail.com) or Amy Stewart (amy.stewart@ubc.ca) by Wednesday 14 November. Also, come and meet us on Wednesday at Faculty in Rez: ‘100 mile diet, is it worth is?’ in Gage Izzy Mac at 6pm.

We all have those teachers that we just can’t stand to listen to and those classes we dread sitting in for hours… The ones that make us want to skip class, change our major, or even give up on school altogether. Well have no fear; there is an education revolution coming! My discovery this past week was a wonderful thing that I am sure will change the world: online teaching from some of the top schools and professors in the world. There are a couple of sites that I have discovered that are offering lectures and practice to students all around the world in a variety of subjects, and the best part… it’s completely FREE!

The first site, and my personal favourite, is Coursera. This site offers classes taught by professors from schools all over North America (including our very own UBC!) and has lectures in a wide variety of subjects, from computer science to sustainability.  You can sign up for a course which takes place over a few months. You will be able to learn at your own pace from some of the greatest professors in the world, test your knowledge, and reinforce what you have learned through interactive activities.  I highly recommend checking out this site if you are looking to expand your knowledge or improve your skills in a class you may currently be taking. The website for Coursea is: https://www.coursera.org/

The second site is Khan Academy. This site is not as interactive as Coursera, but still offers online lectures in a variety of subjects. I recommend this site if you are looking for help in a subject you are already taking as I found it more useful for explaining a topic I had already heard about rather than teaching me something completely new.  You listen to a professor and see drawings and diagrams on the screen as he/she is talking. The website for Khan Academy is: http://www.khanacademy.org/

I highly recommend browsing through these sites and trying them out! These sites are fantastic resources to enhance your learning, and remember… knowledge is power!

It’s that time of year when the leaves start turning, and that means autumn is right around the corner. Summer may be gone, but there’s no looking back. After all, Vancouver has enough fall activities to keep you busy between your schoolwork with fun-filled days of action-packed events, apple cider, Halloween frights — even chocolate festivals. Check out these must-see fall activities in Vancouver this year and renew your love for autumn.                

1. Take a Hike


The colours are changing and the best way to see them and really appreciate them is to get outside and immerse yourself in nature. Whether you’re huffing and puffing up Grouse Grind or leisurely strolling through Stanley Park, the crisp air and sweeping views will keep your body active and provide only-in-autumn photo ops. Check out www.outdoorvancouver.ca for hiking trails this fall.

 2. Soak up colour at VanDusen Botanical Garden or the UBC Rose Garden

Heathers, Autumn crocus, hydrangeas and more bloom during the fall at VanDusen Botanical Garden, giving visitors the simple pleasure of soaking up picture-perfect fall landscapes. Make sure to visit the Alma VanDusen Meadow Garden and stand before the fiery red Japanese Maples.

3. Get Cultured at the Vancouver Art Gallery

It will get colder in the fall, but that’s exactly what art museums are made for. VAG’s 10,000-piece permanent holdings include works from historical and contemporary Vancouver artists and other contemporary art leaders, making a trip here a welcome cultural change. Plus, the museum boasts one of the city’s top cafes, and chatting with friends over a cappuccino is one fall activity you just have to partake in. 

 4. Visit your favourite animals

The best time of the year to visit Maplewood Farm is definitely the fall. The leaves are turning, the cider is hot and pumpkins are sprouting like crazy. It’s the perfect season to visit Rosie and Roberto, the farm’s Sicilian miniature donkeys, and Fluffy, one of the farm’s giant New Zealand white rabbits.

5. Go international
Travel to more than 80 countries via the silver screen at the Vancouver International Film Festival. Screenings begin October 1 at various venues, which in the past have included Vancity Theatre, Pacific Cinematheque and Empire Granville 7 Cinemas. It’s one of the biggest film festivals in North America and one you don’t want to miss.

6. Become a Thunderbird fan


Did you know there are 27 Varsity teams at UBC! You can attend any and all home games of the season with a Blue Crew pass (for only $15). Go watch a football or rugby game with some friends while it’s still nice out!

8. Catch the start of theatre season

Many of Vancouver’s theatres start their seasons in the fall, making it a great time to catch a show. Arts Club Theatre Company, Firehall Arts Centre, and Touchstone Theatre are all great picks, or stay right here at home and attend a show put on by UBC Theatre.

(Source: Vancouver Tourism)