THE DAILY COLLEGIAN
National exercise guidelines
The government is doubling its recommendation of amount
of exercise daily to 60 minutes to maintain a balanced weight
By Kristine Snodgrass
FOR THE COLLEGIAN
Students who have been neglecting
the gym this year might be surprised to
hear that the Department of Agriculture
and Human and Health Services now
advise at least an hour of daily exercise
to maintain good health.
The new recommendations detailed
in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
2005 report say adults should partici
pate in about 60 minutes of moderate to
vigorous intensity physical activity on
most days of the week, as opposed to
the previous recommendation of 30 min
utes, to maintain a balanced weight.
The Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and the Department of Human
and Health Services (HHS) publish the
Dietary Guidelines book every five
years.
Penn State kinesiology professor
George M. Graham said working in 60
minutes of exercise each day doesn't
Bailey's Irish
Cream and
Jameson Irish
Whiskey are two
alcoholic
beverages whose
popularity
increases around
the time of St.
Patrick's Day.
have to be an unpleasant chore.
"For some people, exercise is a bad
word. It can be really fun," Graham
said.
Graham said he recommends dance,
rock climbing and the popular video
game Dance Dance Revolution as
enjoyable ways for students to get their
daily exercise.
Penn State assistant professor of
kinesiology Guy Le Masurier said it is
important to create a distinction
between moderate physical activity and
exercise. Exercise, he said, is more vig
orous activity that results in sweat and
breathing hard.
"When we talk about physical activity,
we're talking about health benefits.
Exercise is for fitness," he said. "For
those who choose to exercise, they get
health and fitness benefits."
Le Masurier added that those who
are willing to exercise save time and
shape up. "Go hard then go home or go
long and slow," he said.
Patrick Sopko/Collegian Photo Illustration
LOCAL
Chris Olson (junior-recreation, park
and tourism management) said he
works five to six days a week for an hour
with free weights and thinks the new
recommendations are a good thing.
"I think it's a reasonable amount, but
students won't do it," Olson said.
Melissa Thorp (junior-criminal jus
tice) said she works out four days a
week for around 45 minutes to an hour
"[The recommendation] is a little
excessive," Thorp said.
Darren Pletcher, a trainer at East
Coast Health and Fitness, 250 W Hamil
ton Ave., said that with the obesity prob
lem in America, it is essential to follow a
healthy diet in addition to staying active.
"If you can exercise for 90 minutes,
your intensity level isn't high enough,"
Pletcher said.
"You can do all the activity in the
world. If you don't change your diet it
won't do anything," Pletcher added.
The departments' recommendations
emphasize that the exercise can be
spread over the day not all at once, for
example, in several bursts of 15 or 30
minutes at time.
Erin Augustyniak (senior-supply
Students forget favorite beverages
for a once-a-year Irish celebration
By Zack Bush
FOR THE COLLEGIAN
State College favorites Vladimir,
Jagermeister and Captain Morgan all
took a backseat to Jameson, Bailey's
and Guinness this week as Penn State
students celebrated St. Patrick's Day
"Irish-style."
Some students, such as Chris Jones
(junior-accounting), had special holiday
celebrations planned.
"Fbr St. Patrick's Day, I got a 20-year
old bottle of Jack [Daniel's] from my
parents," Jones said.
Harold Little, one of the managers at
the Wine and Spirits Shoppe, 230 W.
Hamilton Ave., said this week he noticed
a large increase in Irish whiskey and
Bailey's Irish Cream sales, among other
Irish liquors.
Jon Pugh (senior-supply chain and
information systems) said he bought a
bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey and a
bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream to drink
with friends before a late-night trip to
the bar on St. Patrick's Day.
Julia Stevens (junior-telecommunica
tions), who turned 21 on Wednesday,
increase
"You can do all the
activity in the world. If
you don't change your
diet it won't do anything."
Darren Pletcher
East Coast Health and Fitness trainer
chain and information systems) said
many students will reach the new
requirement walking around campus.
"I actually think people get 60 to 90
minutes around here going to class,"
Augustyniak said.
According to the departments, at
least 30 minutes of moderate intensity
physical activity each day is recom
mended for chronic disease prevention.
Graham said while it might be hard to
meet the new recommendations, physi
cal activity is very important to a
healthy lifestyle.
"The bottom line is, what's the alter
native?" Graham said.
"When you're lying in a hospital bed
with heart disease or diabetes, is it
worth it then?"
said her first alcohol purchase was a
bottle of Jagermeister at a liquor store.
She said she planned to make Jager
Bombs Jagermeister mixed with Red
Bull to celebrate her birthday.
One of Stevens' friends, Emily Fifer
(junior -psychology), accompanied her to
the liquor store.
Fifer said both she and Stevens like
beer, too.
"We're going to the [beerl distributor
next," she said.
While some local liquor shops saw an
increase in Irish product sales, Don Yin
gling, a manager at the Wme and Spirits
Shoppe, 2051 S. Atherton St., said he has
not seen a significant increase in sales
of Irish Whiskey or Bailey's Irish Cream
this week
"We're not a student store," Ymgling
said.
"It's in more of a residential area with
older customers. It's more of a wine
store, actually," he added.
Bob Scott, general manager of the
Wme and Spirits Shoppe, 230 W. Hamil
ton Ave., said his shop has a higher per
centage of student sales than the stores
on Atherton Street.
FRIDAY, March 18, 2005 I 5
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Will Catizone (sophomore-recreation,
park and tourism management) needed
two bags to carry his liquor store pur
chases to the car
"I bought a handle of Vladimir, a han
dle of Crown Russe, a handle of
Smirrioff, a fifth of Smirnoff Vanilla and a
fifth of Three Olives Raspberry," he
said.
"It's all for myself. I'm stocking up,"
Catizone added.
Scott said low-priced vodka, such as
Vladimir, is the most popular hard liquor
year-round.
Chris Vanaskie (junior-architectural
engineering) decided to skip his classes
and instead celebrate St. Patrick's Day
by heading to the Phyrst, 111 1/2 E.
Beaver Ave.
The Phyrst opened its doors at 7 a.m.
yesterday and featured live music until
closing.
Vanaskie, who arrived at the Phyrst in
the morning, said he would probably
head elsewhere to drink in the evening
because the Phyrst was so busy yester
day.
"Not having to wait for drinks is more
my speed," he said.
II- 2003
- 2001
i k ,s ,
Lindsey Zahuranec/Collegian