It’s that time of the year to enjoy turkeys, hams, pies and maybe the addition of a notch or two onto that belt. But then again, maybe this year can be different. Thanks to “Happy Healthi-Days,” a program set up by members of the Dixon Center and Cabrini students, applicants to the program can set goals for themselves to help with those second servings during the holidays.
This isn’t just a program to help individuals lose weight, however. Signing up for the program means that you can pick your goal, whether it is to lose weight, maintain your weight and, for some, even gain weight during the holidays.
Jessica Huda, fitness director for the Dixon Center, is heading this year’s program and feels it’s a good opportunity for people to plan for a healthy break.
“This year we’ve made the program so people can focus on making the holidays a healthy one, so that it’s not so much about their weight,” Huda said.
Kick-off day for “Happy Healthi-Days” was Nov. 16, and those who attended received a free Gatorade and nutritional information for the holidays. The students working the program’s kick-off day were part of Dr. Hallion’s health and wellness programming class. Junior exercise science major Rob Rabena assisted in signing individuals up for this year’s event.
“It was fun that I was able to take the material I learned in class and apply it to this year’s program,” Rabena said.
Ranging from members of the surrounding community to Cabrini’s own faculty and students, many have already signed up in hopes of fulfilling their personal goal for the holiday.
Shannon Mulhern, junior international business major, saw this as a chance to stay fit during the holidays.
“It’s the off-season for field hockey, which means now I have to try and bulk up,” Mulhern said.
Whether it’s working out in the gym, running outside, or picking the right foods during the holiday meals, setting a goal and sticking to it is the key to succeeding in “Happy Healthi-Days” program.
Even if it’s not the off-season, this can still be a time to participate in activities that will benefit healthy habits.
Training to be a lifeguard for the upcoming summer is Ciaran Wilkinson, junior business administration major. He’ll be using the program as an opportunity to help with his goal of swimming 20 laps.
“My goal is to eat more protein and exercise more,” Wilkinson said.
For those who have not yet signed up and would like to, the program is open for applicants until Nov. 20. Even for those who don’t have goals in mind, stop in and sign up. They can help find a goal suitable for everyone, and all are encouraged to join.
“This isn’t about losing weight. It’s about keeping a goal and working towards it. People are more than welcome to stop by and we’ll help them pick a goal suitable for them,” Huda said.
