Too Overweight to Graduate?

Evening!

I had such a hard time concentrating today. Seriously, it just felt like I had a fog lay stagnant in the middle of my brain!

I had a case of clumsiness, too. Before I left for work today, I was drinking a Kombucha, and randomly just dropped the whole (heavy) class bottle on the floor. Luckily, all that broke on the booch, was the cap:

 

 

and I salvaged what didn’t spill out onto the floor 😉

 

 

Drank it alongside of another stellar breakfast cookie!

 

I love putting a half scoop of chocolate protein powder and a half scoop of carob powder in them. Oh, and also PB2 – this gives it the perfect chocolate + pb combo. However, I’ve only been able to find the regular PB2, and I bet the chocolate PB2 would totally rock this breakfast cookie 🙂

Prior to all this, I woke up and got in a 40 minute interval workout on the elliptical. I had planned on running, but my knees had a slight ache to them after Wednesday night’s run, so I thought I’d go with a lesser impact exercise. Bonus: my commute to the elliptical was just up the stairs from the kitchen 😉

Pre-workout snack:

 

 

Smashed half banana + cinnamon + maca. I find this combination works perfectly if I’m not planning on doing any weights or a very long/intense workout. Otherwise, I’ll add in a tbsp of almond butter to supply some staying powder and protein to the mix.

 

It’s SUCH a nice day here in Central Illinois today. I just couldn’t stand being cooped up in my cubicle all day! I took advantage of the weather, and escaped the office over lunch. I’m talking mid forties and sunny! Spring is near 😀

Lunch was a veggie wrap and potatoes in the form of Kettle chips 😉

 

 

Spinach, cucumber, hummus, raw goat cheese in a Flat Out wrap. Mmmm so good. I wanted two. Instead I grabbed an almond butter cookie and headed back to work 😀

No meetings this afternoon, so I spent the afternoon at my desk, and broke for a snack of some unpictured Greek yogurt + granola and an orange.

All day I was oddly thirsty. No amount of water could quench my thirst! When I got home, I wanted nothing more than a big, refreshing green smoothie:

 

 

Hit. The. Spot. Frozen nanner, handful of spinach, almond milk, Amazing Grass SuperFood. Nom.

I had to meet just one client for a training appointment, so I kept dinner quick, yummy, and to the point with some black bean and veggie burritos from last night:

Just as good as the night before. And I think I do need to post the recipe for this blanket of deliciousness soon.

 

Too Overweight to Graduate?

I recently stumbled upon an article talking about Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, and a new program they’re requiring its students in order to graduate.

Well, some students, that is.

The university now requires students with a body mass index of 30 or above to take a three hour per week fitness course. Yep this means they cannot graduate from college if they don’t complete this course. They could have a 4.0 GPA, have a double major, three internships, and what have you, but if their BMI is too high and they don’t take the required fitness class, they cannot get their diploma. Cannot graduate. Do not collect the diploma, do not collect $200. Go straight to fitness class.

And since BMI isn’t the end all be all of determining overweight status, the students also need to have the circumference of their waist measured.

The course, “Fitness for Life” includes a variety of aerobic exercises like swimming/water aerobics, dance, and Tae Bo.

 

What are your feelings and thoughts on this issue? Do you think the university is just in enforcing this requirement? 

My opinion is that it’s great that the awareness of being at a healthy weight is increasing. Really, it is. Obviously, I’m all for enhancing people’s quality of life, and helping them to live it the healthiest they can be. But it’s also somewhat unfair, narrow-minded, and downright embarrassing to those required to take the course. If it’s going to be a course requirement in order to graduate, they should require it of all of their students. I mean, it’s well known that someone could be at a completely healthy BMI and have a waist circumference in the healthy range, while still being unhealthy and unfit. Additionally, the act of having one’s waist measured is somewhat of an invasive thing to do on its own, and there are many individuals who would find that not only uncomfortable, but also intrusive. I don’t even measure my clients’ bodies if they feel slightly uncomfortable with it. Secondly, it’s a one-semester 3 hour class. Most students would probably see this as something they have to get over with in order to graduate, not a life-changing opportunity to become healthy, but who knows. Again, I’m all for promoting wellness, but I don’t feel this is the best way to go about it.