The Fed+Fit Podcast | Nurturing a Healthy Mindset for a Healthy Lifestyle
We’re back with our 34th episode of the Fed+Fit Podcast! Remember to check back every Monday for a new episode and be sure to subscribe on iTunes!
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Episode 34 Topics:
- Cassy’s News Real [3:32]
- Hydration and water [10:12]
- Alcohol [25:21]
- Caffeine [31:06]
- Berkey Water Filter
- Swell Water Bottles
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Ep. 34: The Fed+Fit College Student: Part 2
This is the Fed and Fit podcast starting your week off with motivational thoughts on real food and fun fitness activities with Cassy Joy Garcia and co-host, Charissa Talbot. Remember our disclaimer; the information and opinions shared in this podcast are solely those of any given individual, and not a substitute for medical advice. Here are the ladies.
Today we’re going to talk about the Fed and Fit college student hydration plan, tips to navigating the alcohol scene, and how to have a healthy relationship with caffeine.
Cassy Joy: And we’re back! Today I’m joined once again by my lovely sister, Samantha Garcia. Hey Sam!
Samantha Garcia: Hello!
Cassy Joy: {laughs} I think today we might have a little bit better audio quality. Sam and I are working out some kinks, but we’re getting there.
Samantha Garcia: Ye-haw!
Cassy Joy: Ye-haw! So we’re excited about today’s episode. If you caught last weeks’ episode, which was number 33 of the Fed and Fit podcast, we launched a series called the Fed and Fit college student. And this is going to be a mini-series, 5-6 episodes that we’re doing that, while it’s directed at providing the information that will empower somebody that is either entering college or somebody that is going through any kind of a big transition in their life. Providing them with the information that they might need to make it as seamless and healthy as possible.
So we’ve broke all of that out; we’ve got some fun facts and fun information for you guys, and I hope, even if you may not be going to college, or you don’t have someone near and dear to you that is in that part of their life, you are able to get something out of today’s episode. Sam and I, while we’ve been writing the content out, we’ve been going through memories and having some self discovery, so I think we’ve got a good show ahead.
So today we’re going to talk about, leading into part 2 of this mini-series, we’re going to talk about all the liquids. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: {laughs}
Cassy Joy: We’re going to talk about, while part 1 we decided was priority number 1 in terms of the pillars of health is sleep, and that’s something that we talk about a lot in the Fed and Fit project. But priority number 1 being sleep, and we talked all about the reasons why, how to get better sleep, and what it can really do for you in your college career, in your professional career, in your life in general and your health overall.
Today we’re turning our attention to water. We’re going to talk about hydration and what that really means. And because they’re so closely associated, we’re going to expand the water conversation and talk about a couple of other liquids to include caffeine and alcohol. And this is an especially interesting topic when you’re talking to college students, because caffeine and alcohol tend to be the focus more so than regular water.
So we’re going to address those, and we’re going to talk briefly about them and just realistically sort of just lay out the facts for you, what caffeine really does to your body, what alcohol really does to your body, how to best prepare your body if you are going to enjoy some of those things, and then some more reasonable practices, so just some things to keep in mind.
1. Cassy’s News Real [3:32]
But, before we get there, because this is kind of a special mini-series episode, and I’m borrowing Sam and her wonderful expertise; and if you missed the introduction in the first episode, Sam actually works in higher education. She is definitely a professional. She leads, I guess you design student transitioning programs for a university here in San Antonio, but she’s also teaching classes, and she’s really good at what she does, and I think she’s got a lot of fun tidbits, so thanks again for coming on Sam.
Samantha Garcia: Yeah, of course. Thank you for having me.
Cassy Joy: Of course! Well before we get to the meat of today, I would just like to side rail a little bit. When Charissa and I record our normal episodes, we have our little News Real where we just talk about life a little bit, so I figured we’d fold some of that in today. And I’m surprising Sam with this, we didn’t talk about this yet.
Samantha Garcia: {laughs}
Cassy Joy: {laughs} Brace yourself.
Samantha Garcia: Yay!
Cassy Joy: Oh yay! Sam loves surprises. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: I do. I actually do.
Cassy Joy: You do? I thought you were saying that through gritted teeth.
Samantha Garcia: No.
Cassy Joy: So Sam, this is kind of a fun perspective because she is my sister. We’re 2 of 3 represented right now of the Garcia Girls, and my two sisters, Kimberly and Samantha, are actually throwing me a bridal shower. So, many of you know, I’m getting married in October to, I just think, the best guy in the whole wide world, and my sisters are throwing a bridal shower in San Antonio, and I’m not supposed to know anything about it. But.
Samantha Garcia: {laughing}
Cassy Joy: {laughs} I have a feeling.
Samantha Garcia: See how well that’s worked out. {laughs}
Cassy Joy: {laughs} Sam may like surprises, but I do not. I actually really enjoy surprises, more so because I think they’re a challenge to sniff them out ahead of time. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: {laughs}
Cassy Joy: So anyway, she’s planning a bridal shower.
Samantha Garcia: Or am I? {laughs}
Cassy Joy: Oh, man that would teach me a lesson. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: I’m kidding! {laughs} I’m just trying to throw you off the scent, but yes.
Cassy Joy: Oh, and I have a feeling that there’s going to be games involved.
Samantha Garcia: Possibly. You may have suggested some of them. {laughing}
Cassy Joy: {laughing} Oh.
Samantha Garcia: Cassy’s not type A at all.
Cassy Joy: No, god bless the people who put up with me. Let’s just put it that way. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: {laughs} It’s a pleasure, always.
Cassy Joy: Oh that’s so sweet. Yeah, I may have suggested Bunko. {laughs} I don’t know if the planners bit at that, but I’m so excited. That’s going to be fun. And then next up on today’s News Real, things I like to gab about with my sister. So I put this on social media; Gus, our big white Great Pyrenees, he’s 3 years old, he is going to be our ring bearer at our outdoor ceremony.
Samantha Garcia: {laughs}
Cassy Joy: {laughs} And Sam loves Gus. Gus really loves Sam, you guys. When he sees her, he jumps his giant body off the floor and tries to get as close as he can to her face so he can kiss her. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: He’s a big goober.
Cassy Joy: he is a big goober. He loves his Sam. Anyways, we’re trying to figure out if Gus should be fluffy or sleek for the wedding. He’s pretty high maintenance when it comes to his hair do.
Samantha Garcia: {laughs} Among other things.
Cassy Joy: Among other things; he’s high maintenance period. You know how they say that animals mimic their owners?
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm.
Cassy Joy: Do you think that Gus is a reflection of me? {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: {laughing} I think maybe regarding his table manners when we’re all done eating, and then he starts to cry because he still see’s food.
Cassy Joy: {laughing}
Samantha Garcia: I think he has developed some of the hangry characteristics. But he’s a really great dog, and I love him, so that must mean that you’re pretty good, too.
Cassy Joy: Aww, that’s nice. So you’re saying you love me.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm. I guess. {laughs}
Cassy Joy: That’s nice.
Samantha Garcia: Yes, of course.
Cassy Joy: That’s so nice. Yeah, Gus loves food. Anyway, we’re trying to figure out if he’s supposed to be fluffy or shaved for the wedding. Sam, what’s your vote?
Samantha Garcia: I’m in between. I want him to be a little bit fluffy, but not total full on fluffy glory, because then it just gets everywhere.
Cassy Joy: It does get everywhere. He looks like a lion.
Samantha Garcia: And it might get on the; yeah, and the flower girl dresses are so cute that he might get fluff all over them. Which would kind of be fun, you know.
Cassy Joy: {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: That’d be good wedding stories for the next day or years to come.
Cassy Joy: Yeah.
Samantha Garcia: But I don’t know, I think that’s totally up to you. I think he’s gorgeous either way.
Cassy Joy: He is gorgeous. He’s trying to convince me that he doesn’t need to go back to the groomers, ever.
Samantha Garcia: {laughs}
Cassy Joy: But whenever he does go; you guys, I have to tell you this story. When Gus goes to the groomers, and he only does it to me. He will not have this reaction when my parents drop him off or if Austin takes him, it’s just me because he knows. He’s got my number, let’s just put it that way.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm.
Cassy Joy: We get in the car, and as soon as we start driving in that direction, the dog knows exactly where we’re going. And he sits next to me, and he starts shaking so bad.
Samantha Garcia: Oh my gosh!
Cassy Joy: That his teeth rattle.
Samantha Garcia: {gasp} {laughs}
Cassy Joy: And he sits there {laughs} He’s sitting next to me, and he looks over with his rattling teeth and his ears pasted back and those big cow eyes {laughs} and he’s like, please don’t take me, please, please don’t take me there! {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: Oh my gosh.
Cassy Joy: And we get there, and now he respects me enough to where he’ll actually walk in the door, despite knowing that he doesn’t want to.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm.
Cassy Joy: And he stands in the waiting room and shivers and shakes and his teeth rattle so loud that the other people in the waiting room with their dogs all stop and turn around to look at him {laughs}.
Samantha Garcia: Awww! It’s like, who brought in the maraca.
Cassy Joy: yes, exactly! Oh, he’s such a big baby. Anyways, he hates it, but whenever he’s done, he prances around like a little pony.
Samantha Garcia: {laughs} Probably because he’s like, I escaped again!
Cassy Joy: {laughs} Yes, right. I escaped, and I feel so clean!
Samantha Garcia: {laughs} Oh my goodness.
Cassy Joy: Oh my goodness. So anyways, that’s the whole Gus story. Sam, thank you, that was fun.
Samantha Garcia: Yeah, of course. I always love talking about him.
Cassy Joy: It’s pretty much the only thing we ever talk about, so. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: it’s true.
2. Hydration and water [10:12]
Cassy Joy: Ok. Well let’s go ahead and jump into today’s show. So, to start off, I’m going to get a little bit, just cover the bases about water. Because sometimes it can be confusing when we’re trying to figure out how much water to drink. And we’ve covered this in a bunch of episodes, if you’re a regular listener, but this is a good, we’re just going to briefly touch on it and why it’s important, especially for you college students.
So, and when you’re going through a transition, it’s easy to not drink water, just like we talked about with the sleep episode. It’s easy to forsake sleep when you’re in an uncomfortable situation or you’re wanting to get to know new people, or you’re wanting to get settled. It’s easy also to skip water, but these are the practices that will make you feel at home faster, right? Your body will feel healthier. You’ll just thrive that much more quickly.
Samantha Garcia: Right.
Cassy Joy: So, how to calculate how much water is right for you? And we’ve said this before, but that 8 glasses of water a day, even if we’re talking about 8 ounces of water, which I guess is a glass, or is that 16 ounces? Anyways, whatever the number is. The 8 glasses of water a day, it’s an arbitrary number, and it’s not going to fit the same for Samantha, who is a young, mid 20s vibrant young woman who loves to yoga and do headstands on skateboards.
Samantha Garcia: {laughs}
Cassy Joy: {laughs} She really does that. She really does that.
Samantha Garcia: Maybe.
Cassy Joy: She’s really talented, and terrifying. That water is not the same amount for Sam as it would be for a 250-pound person who’s joining the fighting Texas Aggie football team. So, what we want to talk about is giving you an equation that you can then personalize your water intake. So what we like to recommend is you take your body weight, and I use myself as an example. I weigh about 100- gosh, 140 pounds, 150 pounds, it depends. And I take that body weight, and you divide it by 2 and that gives you the ounces of water to drink in a day. That’s the bare minimum, ok. So my 140 pounds equals 70 ounces of water a day. That’s the bare minimum.
So that is what I put into my little container of water, my water bottle that I carry around with me all day. I’ve calculated how many times I need to refill it in order to get my 70 ounces of water. And then whatever I drink at meal times or whatever I drink right after a workout, I don’t count towards that total. So all that is bonus water. And then in the summertime, we talked about dehydration recently on an episode, in the summertime you’re losing a lot more water than you may realize, so make sure you’re getting in extra.
So; why do we need to drink water, and that much water? When you first start doing this, and people on the Project tell me this all the time, they’re like, I feel like I’m drowning in water. {laughs} There’s no way that this much water is what I’m supposed to be doing. And you might feel that way after a couple of days because it’s so new, but when those first few days are behind you, you start to really feel great, and you start to realize the benefits. You’ll have more mental focus, more overall energy. If you’ve been trying to lose weight and you have been plateaued, and you still have weight to lose, because there’s a difference, if you don’t have it to lose or you do. But if you still have it to lose, and you’re dehydrated, start drinking more water and I promise you’ll start to fell better. You’ll start to do better in your workouts, you’ll sleep better, your skin will look better and feel better. So it’s good for you all around.
So what to carry water in, especially if you’re walking across campus. Stainless steel bottles are great. Glass bottles are also great. Nalgenes are fine in a pinch, as well, that really hard plastic. I say use what you can, and use what’s convenient for you. Actually scratch that; use what you will use.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm.
Cassy Joy: Ok? So whatever, you know you can really start to split hairs and jump down a rabbit hole of materials and what’s healthier and what isn’t healthier; glass versus plastic, and so on and so forth. I say grab a water bottle that you will use, because drinking that much water is more important than what you’re storing it in.
So, consider that part of your back to school mission. Or your back to fall mission, you know, for all of those working professionals who are listening, or working moms. Moms who are staying home with the kids. Go ahead and go out and treat yourself to a brand new water bottle so you’ve got something to make you excited about drinking water all day long.
And what I recommend you doing, if the bottle that you’re carrying doesn’t have, it’s not calibrated, you can’t tell how much water it holds, then go into your kitchen and take one of your measuring cups; or if you’re on college campus, ask a friend with a kitchen to do this for you. Take a measuring cup, fill it up with water, and then keep pouring that water into the water bottle until you realize how many cups it holds. Do some mental math, figure out the fluid ounces, and then if you find out that your big bottle holds 32 ounces of water, and you know you need to drink 3 of those, then know you’ve got to drink 3 of those big jugs of water a day in order to get your minimum water intake.
So that’s what I recommend. Sam, do you have any suggestions there on walking around with water on campus?
Samantha Garcia: One of the things that I’ve really gotten into the habit of, is where ever I go, my water bottle is with me. It’s kind of in my backpack, or especially when I was still a student in school, it was like the essentials I needed to have while I was in class, one of those essentials is my water bottle. And like you said, Cassy, whatever you’re going to use. So if you have a really fun bottle that is covered in stickers, like I do, and that’s your thing, it’s kind of part of your identity. I always like to have something that’s part of me. Then bring that around with you.
Also if you’re just going to, for the stay at home moms or whomever else is listening, get into the habit of taking your water bottle with you everywhere you go. That’s what I do. I have my keys, my wallet, and my water bottle. Just in case I’m thirsty along the way, I don’t have to stop and buy a bottle of water or I plan on going, meeting some friends, I know I’m going to want water with me or to hydrate after, whatever the case is. Just really get into the habit of bringing that around with you.
Cassy Joy: That’s a really, really great point. And Sam really is great about that. She shows up at my house and she walks in with her water bottle. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: {laughs}
Cassy Joy: And sometimes I’m like, what, I feel like an Italian mother. I’m like, what, you don’t think we have water for you here? {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: {laughs}
Cassy Joy: Don’t think I can give you something to drink? {laughs} Oh, no, but that’s a really great practice to get in. I think that’s a good suggestion. And you know, if you’re looking for what to keep your water in, Swell is a good line. I think that’s what Sam carries.
Samantha Garcia: It is. I really like it. It was kind of one of those friend purchases, I wasn’t going to buy it but my best friend from grad school, up in Seattle, she wanted to get matching ones, so we got bubblegum pink matching Swell bottles. But they keep your water cold for 24 hours, and they keep liquids hot for 12 hours, so it’s really worth if you like taking water around but you don’t want to drink room temperature water, that’s not your thing, you want it to be chilled, then get one of these Swell bottles. It’s worth the investment if that’s what you’re looking for.
Cassy Joy: Yeah. And we will link to all of these things we’re about to talk about in the show notes, so you can just find them right there.
Samantha Garcia: yes.
Cassy Joy: That is a great recommendation. Nalgene is a good classic. Again, they’re bigger, they’re prettier, they’re plastic so you can argue the benefits/dangers of keeping your water in plastic, but again, like I said.
Samantha Garcia: Yeah.
Cassy Joy: If that bright blue Nalgene speaks to you, and you’re like, yes. I want to drink 3 of those a day, then you go get that bright blue Nalgene.
Samantha Garcia: Right. And most of the Nalgenes, and also Camelback bottles, they’re all BPA free, so that’s something to look for. If you are buying a plastic bottle, then make sure they’re BPA free and overall you should be good to go, as far as I understand.
Cassy Joy: Yeah.
Samantha Garcia: But yeah, those hold a lot more water, so you don’t even have to think about refilling that often, or whatever the case is.
Cassy Joy: Yeah. Cool, awesome. Ok. That sounds dandy. Now, if you’re looking for water source for your apartment, or your dorm room, or even your house, folks. Ding, ding. Listen in if you’re a homeowner because we’ve got a recommendation for you on water filters.
One of the best water filters out there is one that we came across, it’s called the Berkey filter. And we’re going to link to it in the show notes, but essentially, you fill it up and you drink water and it sits on your countertop. This is great for homes to have. It’s also great for a dorm room. You know, let’s say you’re living in a dorm room and all you’ve got water-source wise is your sink. This is a really great option, you can just fill it up from your sink and have it sit there in your dorm room and it’s going to filter the water. You’re going to have delicious, really, really pure water.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm.
Cassy Joy: So that’s a good one. They also have, I think Samantha found a travel option.
Samantha Garcia: Yeah, did you just mention the sport bottle? I’m sorry {laughs}.
Cassy Joy: That’s ok. No, I did not mention the sports bottle.
Samantha Garcia: Ok, yeah. The sport bottle one, that’s your travel option and one that you might use the most. There’s other kinds of bottles that have filters up in the top, but for something that’s really going to get, like Cassy said, all of the really bad things out of the water that you don’t necessarily need to be drinking that’s been put in there by the city, then the sport bottle will probably be best as far as taking it around school and not even have to think about it too much.
Cassy Joy: Totally. While the bigger Berkey filter; and they’re kind of an investment, so talk to your parents starting out college students about this, about investing in it. But that would be a great one you can use to, when you go back to your dorm room, let’s say between classes to do some homework, then you can sit there and fill up your water bottle with that. So that’s a good option.
Ok, really quickly, we’re almost done with the water section and then we’ll move on to the other beverages. I want to talk quickly about how to know if you need more water, and we’re going to recap this in case you missed our dehydration episode, because I really, really believe it’s important, and it’s something that’s going to come up a lot. Let’s say you are in school, and you are going to those college football games. Man.
Samantha Garcia: Mmm.
Cassy Joy: Sam and I are both Fighting Texas Aggies; I’m the class of 2008, she’s the class of 2013.
Samantha Garcia: Whoop!
Cassy Joy: And we have sweated it out in Kyle Field before.
Samantha Garcia: Seriously.
Cassy Joy: It gets really hot, especially in September when the school year is starting and the temperatures are still high. So, whether you are baking standing up in the stands because you are an Aggie freshman/current student, because they all stand up.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm.
Cassy Joy: Whether you are roasting in the sun there for 4-5 hours, or you’re just walking around in between classes, know that you are losing more water than you may realize. So, how to know when you’re dehydrated and you need to drink more? And this is, let’s say even if you’re getting your minimum water intake, these are signs that you might need to bump that up, especially during the hotter months.
Let’s say if you’re experiencing mental fog, so you can’t think clearly; that’s one of them. Another one is if you’re feeling lazy. Like you’re just kind of lethargic, and you’re like, ugh, I just don’t want to go read that chapter. Or I just don’t want to go to class. Or I don’t want to go workout. Whatever it is. If you’re just feeling lazy and it’s just not like you, it could be because you’re dehydrated.
Another one is if you’re sleepy; you’re constantly tired. Maybe you can’t stay awake in class, or, working professionals, if you can’t stay awake in your office or in meetings. Maybe you’re dehydrated; drink more water. If you’re experiencing muscle cramps, you know, Charlie horses in the middle of the night, that could be a sign of dehydration. It could also be a sign that you’re depleted in electrolytes. If you’re signed up for my Fed and Fit newsletter, the newsletter you just got this past week was all about dehydration, and I included a recipe for a rehydrate drink, a natural one, and we’ll talk a little bit about that in a few minutes. But that could be something that is associated with water, those muscle cramps.
Another one is dry mouth. That one is pretty obvious. Most people, when they start to experience cotton mouth, you know they go and grab a glass of water, but that’s a sign that you’re already dehydrated, so be drinking more. And then lastly, bad breath is a sign of dehydration. If you’re flossing, and doing all the things you need to do for dental hygiene and by golly, you still have bad breath, it could be because you’re dehydrated.
So those are the bases. To summarize; you will do better in class, you will be a happier person, and you will feel better if you drink enough water. Does that make you want to drink more water, Sam?
Samantha Garcia: It does. I’m looking at my bottle, it’s slowly emptying. I’m getting thirsty again.
Cassy Joy: {laughs} Sam and I were talking about this episode, and we got through most of it, and she was like, um, I’m going to go grab a glass of water, I’ll be right back. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: Yeah, my bottle was empty. It’s my Swell bottle. It’s so nice and cool. And then I had to pee, of course, because I drink so much water all the time.
Cassy Joy: That is a side effect. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm. That’s ok, though. Cleanse the system.
Cassy Joy: It is. It is totally ok. I was talking to a very sweet young lady recently, and she’s start going into her sophomore year of college. We were talking about drinking lots of water, and she was like, I just don’t know if I’m going to be able to find enough bathrooms between all of my classes to make this work!
Samantha Garcia: {laughs}
Cassy Joy: And the decision we arrived at, was her first week of class she’s going to scope out all of the bathrooms, and she’s going to figure out the best ones to stop at in between classes when she’s got a pinched schedule, and then she’s going to up her water intake after she feels like she’s got her bearings.
Samantha Garcia: There you go. That’s smart.
Cassy Joy: That’s the new plan.
Samantha Garcia: I did that at A&M. All my friends, we all knew where the good bathrooms were. Especially if you wanted to some extra alone time. {laughs}
Cassy Joy: {laughs} Oh, today’s episode, getting to know Sam really well.
Samantha Garcia: {laughing}
Cassy Joy: {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: I don’t mind.
Cassy Joy: I know you don’t. Oh goodness. That’s good tips. Ok, find bathrooms and drink more water. Next up.
Samantha Garcia: Ye-haw.
3. Alcohol [25:21]
Cassy Joy: Ye-haw. Next up, let’s talk about alcohol. So, we’re going to be really brief here because we did a really detailed episode about alcohol. Look it up in the archives; alcohol 101, talked all about the science .we got really geeky on you guys with how it’s processed in the body, what that really means for a lot of things. So today we’re going to keep it pretty high level. So, there are all forms of alcohol out there, but to kick this off. If you chose to drink; and we’re not recommending that you do. We’re also not recommending that you don’t, we’re just going to say, here is our take on it. Period.
If you chose to drink, we recommend, if you’re trying to make healthier choices and choices that won’t stay with you longer, if you know what I mean, then I say stay away from mixed drinks, stay away from beer, and stay away from those canned god-awful drinks.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm.
Cassy Joy: Ok, those are the froloco. Did I say it right?
Samantha Garcia: {laughs} Four Loko.
Cassy Joy: Yeah. It’s not like froyo loco?
Samantha Garcia: {laughing} No, but that was good, I like that one better. And there’s also something called a twisted tea, apparently kids are into these days, but again it’s like a mixed canned drink that is usually has caffeine in it, and there’s alcohol, and it’s extra, extra bad.
Cassy Joy: Extra, extra bad. We put, in all caps, SO BAD. {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: So bad.
Cassy Joy: When you’re mixing alcohol with caffeine, it essentially will send your adrenals into a downward spiral. They don’t know which way is up. It’s like getting caught in a current in the ocean. So you start swimming in one direction and you find the sand, thinking you were swimming towards the surface. So just don’t do that to your body.
If you’re going to drink, we recommend that you stick with wine, liquors that are mixed with fresh juice; we’re talking like a really fresh margarita, or if margarita lime juice in abundance isn’t available to you, you can have tequila with grapefruit juice. That’s one of my go-tos. It’s kind of like a paloma. Cider is a good one, which is essentially a fizzy kind of gluten free beer made with apples. It’s really sweet, but sometimes it can really satisfy that beer craving. There are also gluten-free beers out there; those are a pretty decent option. And then champagne is another option.
And the reason why we say, chose those over the alternatives, is because if you’re going to dink, we really want you to be making choices that are going to, I guess, not inhibit your health as much, right? So beer made with gluten and wheat or wheat which has gluten in it; canned drinks, which has all that other horrible artificial ingredients and all the sugars, it essentially gives your body more to deal with than just the alcohol.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm.
Cassy Joy: Ok, so it becomes more to process. Your total load that you’re putting onto your body becomes heavier. So it becomes more difficult to recover.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm.
Cassy Joy: So, really quickly. Jumping through what alcohol does to your body, and how to best prepare. I’m just going to go ahead and roll through this. So, it dehydrates you, number one. Alcohol is going to dehydrate, so make sure you’re drinking lots and lots of water, both before and after. We recommend, if you’re going to go out, plan on going out, and plan on the number of drinks you’re going to have. Don’t just get caught up in a whim, and you decide last minute because you heard people are going that you’re going to go have margaritas and then accidentally you had 3. If you really want to stay on top of this, plan when you’re going to go out, plan it into your week, and make sure you’re drinking especially lots of water before and after.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm.
Cassy Joy: Know that alcohol disrupts your sleep, so make sure you don’t have an important day the next day. Remember we learned all about the importance of sleep on part 1. If you’re going to go out at night; and this again goes into the planning tip. Please make sure, as far as food, what foods to eat before you’re going to go out and have a couple of cocktails with your friends. Please make sure that you are not going out on an empty stomach, and at the very least, make sure, if you haven’t had a full meal, please make sure that you’ve had some protein and some fat in your stomach. And a really easy thing to have is some tuna salad with some olive oil or avocado or mayo. That’s really easy and quick. You can keep olive oil and you can keep canned tuna in your dorm room at all times.
So if you’re going to go and have a glass of wine with some people who are doing a study group, and again, we’re not saying to do this and we’re not saying not to do this. We’re just trying to give you all the information so you can make really great decisions if you get there. Make sure you’ve got some protein and fat in your stomach.
And then the next day after you’ve had a couple of cocktails, and especially if you’re dehydrated, in addition to drinking water, you can drink an electrolyte recovery beverage that will help to replenish even more. The way to do that, instead of just running to get your favorite PowerAde or Gatorade, you can make one really easily by using coconut water, just one of those cartons of coconut water. Make sure the back, the ingredients, says only coconut water, and then add some sea salt to it, shake it up, and you have all the electrolytes you need. It’s got more potassium than a banana, and the sea salt adds in that extra sodium that we need. So there you go on alcohol.
Samantha Garcia: Nice.
4. Caffeine [31:06]
Cassy Joy: Yeah. Ok. Lastly, we’re going to just bulldoze through this as well. We’re going to talk about caffeine. Caffeine is a really big topic for college students as well. We know that there’s caffeine in coffee, there’s caffeine in Red Bull, which is pretty popular with college students. There’s caffeine pills which is something that I will admit, I took when I was in college, and I developed actually fibroids in breast tissue from caffeine pills. So those are no bueno. Sam I don’t know if you knew that?
Samantha Garcia: I had no idea.
Cassy Joy: 5-hour energy is another source of caffeine, which, please know that even though they’re touted as just a B12 shot, it has just as much caffeine in a cup of coffee in one of those little 5-hour energy jars. So know that that’s a caffeine shot, it’s not just B12. And then tea also has caffeine.
So, when do you drink caffeine Sam? You know, what are the best times of day? Do you do it all day long? What if you’re cramming for a test? Doesn’t caffeine help you learn better? When would you have caffeine?
Samantha Garcia: I have caffeine only when I wake up in the morning. It’s kind of like my little taste of coffee, it’s like, oh, yes, it’s going to be a good day.
Cassy Joy: {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: And then I just roll with it. I really try not to have anything after lunch. I actually have half a cold brew sitting on my table right now that I’m not going to finish, because I’ve already eaten and everything. Because it’s just going to make me crazy, and I’m not going to go to sleep tonight if I drink it. And you really just don’t want to be drinking caffeine once you go into your study session, even if it’s late at night. It’s just going to, again, keep you up later and just keep you in a spiral of messing with your sleep, and messing with your schedule, even if you’re trying to develop a schedule and you’re still struggling with that.
Cassy Joy: Mm-hmm. That’s great. I think that’s really great advice. My recommendation is the same. Only drink caffeine in the morning. So whenever your morning starts, that’s the time to have caffeine. And how much depends on your body and how you tolerate it. And again, caffeine isn’t right for everybody. Coffee isn’t right for everybody, so know yourself.
I do recommend nothing after lunch. If your day starts at 8 a.m., and you have lunch at noon, then I would say nothing after noon. If your day starts at 10 a.m. and you have lunch at 2, then nothing after 2 o’clock. That will help to keep it from disrupting your sleep. Priority number one is sleep, right, so a lot of our decisions go to how can we have better sleep at night. It will keep you from disrupting sleep, it will also help you focus, funny enough.
A little caffeine; so let’s talk about caffeine thresholds real quick. And we talked about this in caffeine 101. But a little caffeine has actually been proven to be beneficial. It can help you focus, it can help your energy, it can help your absorption of information. So let’s say you’re sitting in a class and you’re learning; a little caffeine can do that. But you’re sitting on a knife’s edge, right there, because as soon as you go from a little to a lot, it has the opposite effect on your body. You won’t be able to focus, and you won’t be able to absorb information as well. So know yourself, and try not to overdo it.
Let’s see, what else do we have. If you’re staying up late; I really like this topic, especially for us college students. {laughs} I’ve lumped myself.
Samantha Garcia: {laughing}
Cassy Joy: Apparently, I miss college. If you college students {laughs} are staying up late, and you’re having a hard time. You’re trying to figure out, well what the heck can I drink to stay up late? There are two schools of thought, and we’re going to talk about our first choice in a second. But if you find yourself up late for some reason, we recommend that, instead of drinking coffee because you don’t want to disrupt your sleep, right? That you chew gum, chewing gum is a decent one to go.
We’re not going to get into the weeds of healthier gums and things like that. There are some out there, you can Google them. But chewing gum while you’re studying and then also during a test has been proven to be beneficial. I’m guessing it helps to distract you, and drowns out some of the things that your mind might wander and help you focus. Drink water while you’re studying, that’s a good one. You can drink mineral water, which is sparkling water, that’s kind of fizzy and fun. Herbal teas are a good one. Those can be soothing and it gives you something to kind of look forward to. Ginger tea is one of my favorites, especially at the end of the day. It will also help settle your stomach.
Working out at night time; I knew somebody in college who, if he knew he had to stay up late for something or other, a big project, he would get up after dinner and after a couple of hours of studying, and he would go for a 3 mile run. And that 3 mile run pumped his little body full of all kinds of endorphins, and he felt great, and he felt energized. He drank a lot of water afterwards, and then he’d dive right back into his work, and it helped to keep his mind really fresh. So those are all better options than drinking coffee until the wee hours.
Now, having said all of that, Samantha has a really good point as far as scheduling your study time. You want to take it away, Sam?
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm. Oh, yes!
Cassy Joy: {laughs}
Samantha Garcia: Take it away, Sam! What our parents told us all the time when we were going into college is that you need to treat school like it is your job. So you’re working 8 to 5 or 9 to 5 or whatever the case may be as far as your school schedule, but treat it like your job. Treat it like a full time job. So when you’re not in class, because from 9 to 5, or maybe you have some evening classes, you’re not in class all the time, right? And your professors are probably telling you that for every hour, credit hour that your class is worth you need to be spending 2 hours outside of class studying for it. So, what does that mean? That means your day is pretty full.
So work during the day, and use those hours that you’re not in class to go to the library, get a study group together, and actually study. That way you’re not stressed out and running low on fumes the night before a test and you’re cramming like crazy. Cramming really doesn’t work. I’ve been in college for 6 years now, and I’m teaching freshman all about this kind of stuff, and I can tell them for sure that cramming doesn’t work. And if it comes down to that, don’t stress about, because then you’re just going to be in another cycle of never getting anything done. But if you can make school your 9 to 5 job, or whatever your class schedule is, it’s going to help you out in the long run.
And then if you also have a full time job, or part time, then kind of negotiate where’s your leeway. Where’s your time that you can fit in some studying, and how does your schedule work out for you so that you have enough time to sleep, because you need your 7 to 9 hours, whatever it is that you determined is your sleep time. But where are you going to work out that time that you’re going to be studying, and you’re going to be going to class, and you’re going to be going to work. Because, let’s face it. College students you have a ton of responsibilities because you’re getting all this influence on and being told by everybody hat you need to get involved, you need to have good grades, you need to make the most out of these 4 maybe 5 years, because this is your time. College is supposed to be great, and that can be really, really stressful.
So, like we’re going over now is these basics of scheduling your sleep time, and scheduling your study time, and really just time management in general is the focus. That’s what college is about, is learning how to be disciplined and scheduling yourself.
Cassy Joy: That’s great. I think, bravo. Really, really great points. And to drive it home; what we’re trying to get at is we want you to avoid those cramming night. We want you to be able to avoid staying up all night to finish a project or a paper, because in those times is when you probably need to be on your best, right? You need to be working your best, your mind needs to be really sharp, and in those moments when you forsake sleep, you cut sleep out, you add in all these extra chemicals, whether it’s extra caffeine or the 5-hour energies, or you’re eating junk food while you’re sitting in the library at 2 a.m., all those experiences are going to be really hard on your body.
And when you want your body to perform for you, you need to take really good care of it. And what Sam is getting at is that your body is going to thrive best when you give it a schedule. It’s just like a puppy, it’s just like a baby; they do better when they’ve got a schedule. They know when they’re going to get food, they know when they’re going to get sleep. They know they’re going to get all the water they need in the day. They know when they’re going to study, when they’re’ going to relax. So schedule your time, and it will make life easier. You will make life easier on yourself.
Samantha Garcia: Mm-hmm. And one thing to also keep in mind; I think Cassy and I both struggled with. We’re very giving and open people, and we love to help others out.
Cassy Joy: I don’t love that at all. I’m just kidding {laughs}.
Samantha Garcia: What? Stop! We’re really giving, and we want to help each other out, and we want to help our friends and everybody. But this is, and you want to also not miss out on something that’s going on. But this is a time to really be selfish.
Cassy Joy: Mm-hmm.
Samantha Garcia: But selfish in a good way; taking care of yourself. Because you’re only going to be able to help someone so much at your own potential. I don’t think I said that right. As much as you can give yourself you’re going to be able to give to someone else at a later time. So really focus on getting your body where you need to be, and your mind where you need to be before you can start taking out your hands and reaching to other things to grab onto and bring into your busy schedule already.
Cassy Joy: Nailed it. That was beautiful.
Samantha Garcia: Well thank you.
Cassy Joy: {laughs} {Elvis} Thank you very much.
Samantha Garcia: Good night! Mike drop!
Cassy Joy: {laughing} Oh, that’s great. Ok, awesome. We hope you guys got some good takeaways. Just to quickly recap; drink lots and lots of water, make responsible choices when it comes to alcohol, and we’re talking about quality, quantity, and how to prepare your body, and then lastly, make sure that you do not overdo it on caffeine. You will do yourself a favor by not overdoing it on caffeine. And all of these things, they’re personal journeys. You will figure out what’s right for you, we just hope this helps give you a leg up.
And remember, if you want to recap any, or you want to reread any of this stuff, I have all of our podcasts transcribed now. So word for word, you can reread in written format what we talked about today on the blog, so FedandFit.com has all of our podcast episodes there, and you can also, of course, find this and share it via iTunes.
If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave us a review in iTunes. We really like knowing what works for you and what doesn’t work for you. Like I said, this is free content that we’re putting out there, and we really love knowing if you’re enjoying it. So thank you guys so much for listening. We will be back again next week with part 3 of the Fed and Fit college student. Talk to you soon.
