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F EATU RE S
Witness to fitness: healthy lifestyles help everyone
BY JOSH BALLARD
Staff Writer
I weighed 317 pounds at the start of the summer.
I'm not going to dance around that fact. I'm an awful
dancer. Of course, I thought I would be awful at losing weight
too.
However, over the summer I lost 30 pounds. Since I've been
back at Guilford College I've lost 10 more.
"Not a single state in the union has an obesity rate of less
than 20 percent," reported Time Magazine. "An Aug. 13 report
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention foimd
that more than a third of U.S. adults were obese in 2011."
I credit my initial weight gain in college not only to the
typical "Freshman Fifteen" but also to a lack of self-control
on my part. The gain continued for the next three semesters.
W^th summer on the horizon at the end of junior year, I
decided 1 wanted to try losing weight. Walking to class from
the North Apartments was starting to cramp my legs and
wear me out. I had to force myself to walk up to the third floor
of Duke Memorial Hall instead of riding the elevator. I knew
then that I had to change.
It was not a fun transition.
However, a combination of determination, diet and a
consistent workout schedule allowed me to lose the weight
over the summer.
"Stay consistent and motivated, and always switch up
your lifting schedule," said weightlifter and senior Lateef
Mitchell. "Never compare yourself to people. Start at your
own pace and move and work with your own regimen. When
in the gym, don't get down on yourself because a guy's lifting
275 (pounds) and you may ^ lifting 135 — just use it as
motivation." places like the Cafeteria and the Grill, but both facilities offer
The next challenge was keeping it off when I got back to plenty of healthy alternatives,
school. Luckily, Guilford has a lot to offer in the way of fitness- Create a healthy sandwich filled with meat, cheese and
friendly areas. veggies instead of picking up a greasy grilled cheese. Grab
"A good place that helps keep you fit besides the gym is fruit instead of a bag of chips as a side,
probably the campus itself, said Mitchell. "Our campus is a You can even support the Guilford Farm by eating whatever
good size to run or walk around, especially in the mornings, vegetables they've made available to the Cafeteria. Make it a
Intramural sports are also a good way to stay active and fit." salad or put it on a sandwich, your choice.
"Never compare yourself to people. Start at your own pace and move and work with
your own regimen. When in the gym, don't get down on yourself because a guy's
lifting 275 (pounds) and you may be lifting 135 - just use it as motivation."
Lateef Mitchell, weightlifter and senior
The Guilford College Woods have an exercise trail perfect At an on-campus seminar on weight loss on Sept. 13, Dr.
for walking or running, and the shade of the area keeps it Steve Willen spoke on dieting.
cooler than if you were to walk on main campus grounds. "All diets should help you lose weight," Willen said. "The
"I run in the woods two to three times per week, depending challenge is to keep it off."
on the season and the weather," said senior Eamon Deeley- Here's hoping that I can keep it off, and if you're willing to
Wood. "As long as you are willing to stay active here, you can tiy your hand at weight loss, good luck to you. You can do it.
remain reasonably healthy." . "Remember: being fit can be fun," said Mitchell. "(It's) a
You may be tempted to get quick and easy fried food at hobby for some, and for others, a lifestyle."
Down with the stigma: Active Minds fights hack
ACTIVE MINDS WORKS TO
ERASE STIGMA, MENTAL
ILLNESS STEREOTYPES
BY KATE GIBSON
Staff Writer
Suicide is the second leading cause of
death among college students, reported
the American Psychological Association.
Depression affects one in 10 adults
every year, according to the American
Psychiatric Association.
Mental health challenges are "more
common than people realize," said junior
Chassidy Crump. "It's easy to feel like
you're 'weird' or totally alone,' and I like
that Active Minds tries to tell people that
this just isn't the case."
Crump is co-president of Active Minds
at Guilford College, a club that promotes
discussion of issues like eating disorders,
stress, anxiety and depression. The club
serves as an on-campus chapter of the
national Active Minds organization.
"Active Minds is about erasing stigma,
specifically stigma about mental health
disorders," said Crump. "It's about letting
people know that they aren't alone. It's
also a way to spread awareness that
someone you know and love could be
going through this without you knowing."
"This club is important because it
educates people," said sophomore Eli
Cloonan, club treasurer. "It educates
people that they can be biased and
insensitive without realizing it."
Founded in 2010, this relatively young
club is better known around campus
for their "Pet Therapy" events, where
local dog owners bring their pooches on
campus to interact with the community.
The activity is a great way for students to
relieve stress and spend time outside.
Last year, the dub hosted a Midterm
Stress Relief Fair in collaboration with the
Counseling Center, complete with bouncy
castles, back massages, crafts and yoga.
Active Minds also launched an
on-campus PostSecret campaign last
year, where students inscribed secrets on
decorated index cards that were on display
in Boren Lounge at the end of last semester.
"This dub is a still getting established
on our campus, but already they have
started to bring attention to mental health
issues," said Director of Counseling and
faculty advisor Gaither Terrell. "In time,
I hope they'll be able to sponsor relevant
speakers and host other events."
The club has big hopes for the future,
like hosting a safeTALK workshop, which
is a seminar that trains individuals to
recognize the signs of suidde in their peers
and connect troubled friends with life
saving resources.
"Of course. Active Minds seeks to do so
many other things, but suidde prevention
is definitely an important part of the
greater organization's motivation, and it's
a relevant issue for a college community
like Guilford," said Crump.
Crump also looks forward to the new
discussion format of the club's meetings.
Every other week, the group will hold an
open dialogue about a designated mental
health issue where members can educate
themselves and share personal anecdotes.
Cloonan feels that such discussion is
crucial in the understanding of people
who suffer from mental illnesses and
eliminating the stigma.
After all, "People don't choose the
chemical makeup of their brains," Cloonan
said.