No Shave November!

It is every Rice man's favorite time of year, a time when every man can embrace and boast his masculinity. That's right, it's NO SHAVE NOVEMBER!

Did you know that the average male spends 140 days of his life shaving? Did you KNOW that on average, men's facial hair grows about 5.5 inches per year?! Do you want to fight the system and let your manly whiskers grow wild and free?

No Shave November is a nationwide movement, popular on most college campuses, in which men abstain from shaving facial hair for the entire month. The purpose of No Shave November is to flaunt one's beard-growing-abilities, but at Rice it is also a charity event. Starting on November 1st with a clean shave, guys can begin to collect donations from their peers for every day they don't shave. All proceeds will benefit the Fifth Ward Enrichment Program, which empowers young men to become responsible leaders in their community. There are three levels of sponsorship:

- Peach Fuzz ($8): can shave after one week (*Note: may face ridicule from fellow beard growers)
- Lumberjack ($15): trimming for Thanksgiving only
- Hobo ($20): no shaving at all

Check out the lovely beards on campus this month, and watch the manly competition unfold.


--Cristina, Wellness Intern

Oh yes. You could look like Gerard Butler.

The Post-Midterm Recess Stress Fest

This will probably be me in the next 48 hours...

Ahh...you've just returned from midterm break, and you're so relaxed because you finished all of your work, right? If you are anything like me, you spent your break hanging out with your friends or family and put off all homework until the end of the break. I can already tell this short week is going to be rough, and I can sense the stress hormones are about to flood across my body.

Psychological and emotional stress can take a physical toll on your body. When you are stressed out, your body releases cortisol, which signals us to replenish our body with energy and thus making us very hungry. What do our bodies crave the most, especially in times of stress? Fats, salt, and sugar of course, which go perfectly with those skinny jeans. These foods nourish our brains, which release tension-reducing "pleasure chemicals." Stress-eating can become a vicious cycle that is hard to escape, especially while we are constantly surrounded with junk food on campus.

Stress is unavoidable for a college student during midterms, so I've come up with a list tips to help you (and me!) get through these next couple of weeks alive and still relatively healthy.

1. Eat small, frequent meals to boost your metabolism and fight the munchies. This should help to prevent you from binging on carby snacks during your study sessions.

2. Avoid overdoing the caffeine, even if you think this is impossible. Caffeine actually raises your cortisol levels, which can contribute to stress-eating.

3. Avoid sugary foods. Yeah, this one is pretty much a given. These foods can leave you feeling jittery and can lead to a crash later on. Plus these foods are probably ridden with unwanted calories, so you want to eat these only in moderation.

4. Take an exercise break to get your mind off of things and pump some endorphins into your blood. You don’t have to go super hard at the gym, but take a 20-30 minute break to do some light cardio and stretches.

5. Get some sleep. Sleep deprivation is a major stressor and can make you hungrier throughout the day. Aim for a solid 7-9 hours per night when possible, and avoid those all-nighters!

6. Don’t skip breakfast, as it truly is the most important meal of the day! If you skip breakfast, this can leave you groggy and unable to concentrate in the morning, and you will more likely have a larger meal at lunch to make up for your calorie deficiency. While you are grabbing a quick bite from the servery on your way to class, try to incorporate whole grains, proteins, and nutrients (vitamin C, calcium, etc.) into your meal. Try a piece of whole grain toast with peanut butter, a banana, and a yogurt to keep your belly and your mind satisfied.

7. Study break with some friends! You deserve one. Socialization is good for the soul, I hear.

--Cristina, Wellness Intern

P.S. Have you noticed that a lot of these tips are similar to the ones from the last post? You now hold the key to healthier lifestyle. Godspeed. 

How About Those NOD Bods?

This week marks the first week of October, meaning there is approximately one month until the big day: NOD. The month leading up to his scandalous party is usually characterized by a crowded rec center and number of crash diets, as students dedicate hours and hours to perfecting their "NOD Bod." While diet and exercise are important components to trimming down and toning up, this pre-NOD cleanse is usually not a very healthy way to lose weight. Crash diets are diets that severely limit caloric and nutritional intake that are used for rapid weight loss, such as the grapefruit or cabbage soup diet (gross...). These diets are deprive the body of essential nutrients and slow your body's metabolism, which prevents any long term weight loss. What's worse is after your "cleanse" and you revert back to your original diet, you put back on all of the weight you lost...and then some.

There is a healthy way to lose weight with a proper nutrition regimen. To help you slim down to your NOD Bod, dietitian Maria Tsakalis has provided some great tips to make simple changes to your lifestyle that have a big impact on your overall health.

1. Timing. Your body will feel and perform at its best when you are properly fueled. Maria recommends eating every four hours, which may require snacking between meals. This helps to control hunger, improve digestion, maintain energy, and provide nutrients.

2. Balance. Your meals should include a variety of whole grains, proteins, (healthy) fats, and plenty of fruit and veggies.

3. Portions. Use the plate method! This includes fewer meat and grain servings and more fruits, vegetables, and dairy.

4. Moderation. Restricting a food, even if it is bad, only leaves you wanting it more, which could lead to a binge. Everything in moderation!

5. Hydrate. Drinking enough water will help you regulate your hunger, enhance concentration, and nourish your body.

6. Exercise. Exercise is good for your physical and mental health, and when combined with a nutritious diet, it can lead to weight loss. Don't overdo it at the gym though, as this can affect your body's ability to recover.


Of course, as the body image intern, I have to throw in a personal message about how the NOD-Bod diet/exercise mentality is potentially risky to your self-image. Think about it: are you willing to put your health at risk and tear yourself apart for a month to spend one evening, baring it all in as little clothing as possible? NOD is an awesome good time, and you should attend the party to have fun and let loose. If you think that the only way you can go out in public in your underwear is by eating next to nothing for weeks before and drinking a ton of alcohol the night of, that is not the right mindset to entering this party. If you want to make changes to your diet and exercise patterns, do so because you want to enter a healthier mindset, not to look a certain way in your underwear.

Don't sacrifice your satisfaction with your body for one night of decadence. Show up, strut your stuff, and remember to love your body for what it is.

--Cristina, Wellness Intern