Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz. -- The station’s Nutrition 101 class started Aug. 28 at the Sonoran Pueblo.
Nutrition 101 is hosted five or six times per year, and the five-week course meets a total of eight times, said Kate Osborne, Semper Fit Health Promotions director and Nutrition 101 class instructor.
“I know you all are very busy and this may be a break from your shops, but I am not going to waste your time,” Osborne said to the students. “We try to make it as interesting and informative as possible.”
With the Marine Corps’ strict weight standards, it is important to diet and exercise. This class helps Marines decide what kind of exercise routine would be right for them.
“The course was designed for Body Composition Program Marines, but is open to anyone who wants to take it,” said Osborne. “We try to preach a healthy lifestyle that is good for everyone.”
Not only does the class give healthy eating tips, it dissipates common rumors about dieting and exercise.
One rumor that was discussed involved taking protein supplements before working out. Wayne Gunter, instructor for the Nutrition 101 class and Semper Fit personal trainer, dispelled this rumor, explaining largeamounts of proteins get stored as fat cells and can cause unhealthy weight gain.
While a healthy diet may be most students’ goal, it is has not seemed feasible to some.
One student asked if it was really expensive to eat healthy food.
“Eating healthy foods is not cheap, but we can teach you a way to eat healthy within your budget,” answered Gunter.
Another student brought up the question of weather you can eat healthy and still enjoy what you are eating.
“You have to find things that you like to eat,” Gunter explained. “You don’t want to go through life eating things you don’t want to.
Whether they want to get in shape, lose some weight or just eat healthier, everyone has their reasons for wanting to maintain physical fitness.
For Gunter, fitness has not been just an interest for physical wellness, but he does it for stress management and general well being, he said.
The Nutrition 101 class also gives some healthy eating tips that anyone could use. The class was instructed to create specific, measured, action oriented, realistic and time frame goals for themselves.
These SMART goals are all of the characteristics that the instructors want students to apply to their goals.
After the goals are set, each student will begin keeping a food and exercise journal, which is a written log of the food items they are eating and how much exercise they are getting each day.
“Each calorie counts,” said Osborne.
“I’m not here to tell you what you can and can’t eat,” said Gunter. “You have to learn what you need and learn your limitations.”
“We hope to give these students a lifestyle change,” said Osborne. “We don’t want them to have to constantly be saying ‘I’m on a diet.’”
The Nutrition 101 class is held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-2 p.m. until Sept. 27. For more information about the class or future classes, contact Kate Osborne at 269-5334.