It's January, and everyone knows what that means: swimsuit season. Or at least the looming prospect of swimsuit season that comes with spring break only a month and a half away, inspiring the desire to work off that holiday ham.
Such is the mindset of students across the country, and Boston College has seen no lack of the weight-loss efforts that follow. One of the most popular proclamations as the ball drops on New Year's Day is to get in shape by working out and dieting. When asked if she had made such a resolution, Sasha Kelemen, A&S '10, laughed ironically, saying, "Always." As a result, the Flynn Recreational Complex has seen a major increase in attendance during the day, and the despondent excuse of "I can't" can often be heard in front of the dessert cases in the dining halls.
What drives people to make this resolution is constantly up for debate. Many believe that the coming warm weather plays a large part in it. But John Pagliarulo, associate athletic director of recreation, and Tom St. Laurent, assistant director of fitness and wellness, say that is the easy answer. Their experience indicates that these floods of fitness-minded students occur at times of convenience, not extreme vanity.
"The busiest times of the year for us are right now, January through February, but also at the beginning of the fall, because both are fresh starts," St. Laurent says. "Staying in shape fits in with staying on top of schoolwork. New year, new you, clean slate."
Sharlene Hesse-Biber, professor in the sociology department and the director of women's studies, agrees, saying that although this time of year tends to see more advertisements for diets, supplements, and fitness regimes, January is only one hill on the rollercoaster for many individuals.
"Dieting is a kind of ritual most Americans take part in," Hesse-Biber says. "We are on and off all the time. New Year's resolutions are just a part of that cycle of ups and downs, along with birthdays, seasons, reunions - times when you think, 'This time I'm going to do it.'"
For those who frequent the gym all year, the influx of the newly determined can be frustrating. "You can't run on the track," says Connor Sumner, A&S '10. "Usually, you may be running with one or two other people, but now there are times when it's about 20. It slows you down, especially around the corners."
Plex directors recognize that there has been an increase in attendance, but they keep their programming consistent. "We don't run any programs based on New Year's resolutions, but we try to accommodate when there's a bigger rush and students want to get in and get out," St. Laurent says.
In some ways, both fortunate and unfortunate, the Plex will not have to accommodate so many people for long, as resolutions begin to peter out. Already, students have noticed a drastic difference since the first week of the semester. "You can see it's starting to calm down," Sumner says. "First week of school, basketball scrimmages had to be half-court, with a different group playing in each half. But now it's slowing down enough that you can find a full court open."
Pagliarulo and St Laurent are not surprised by the drop-off, citing the start of classes and a lack of free time as the main reason. St Laurent says, "I think everyone goes into these sorts of things - coming back to school, getting into shape - full force, and after a while realize they can't keep up that momentum, which is why at gyms in general, 50 percent of new members drop out within six months, and three months later another 50 percent goes."
The danger, Hesse-Biber says, lies in the fact that when people give up their resolutions, they tend to blame themselves, so that the next time they go after the goal, they put the responsibility in the hands of someone else. Although BC was named the third fittest college by Men's Fitness in 2006, there were critiques that this was due more out of a desire to fit a certain image rather than to be in the best health. One of Hesse-Biber's greatest concerns is this sacrifice of agency to the weight-loss culture because it is driven by a manipulated agenda of false hope.
"You may think of your diet as an individual thing, but it is capitalism-driven," Hesse-Biber says. "Sugar and dieting companies work together because it helps them both earn money as your scale goes up and down. Capitalism's got you coming and going towards an unattainable image. They have you on a yo-yo diet, and every time you yo-yo back, you end up where you started plus some extra weight. It gets harder and harder each time. The cruel joke is that it does work for some people, so they use the slogan, 'If I can do it, you can do it, too,' but that just isn't the case."
The obsession with weight loss coupled with obesity on the rise would appear to be counterintuitive, but many agree that the correlation occurs for three reasons: skewed perceptions of what "healthy" means, the resolution's true purpose, and unrealistic expectations.
Sheila Tucker, BC's administrative dietitian, sees most students for matters of eating disorders and sports nutrition, but others make appointments just for individual evaluation. One common misconception she finds is that people expect her to give advice on cutting back on foods rather than making different choices.
"When people make resolutions, it's usually with the best intentions, but it's just not always realistic," Tucker says. "Try to define for yourself what 'healthy' means. Do you mean you want a quick fix? Do you really need to lose weight? Ask yourself these questions before saying something as vague as 'I want to get healthy.'"
Tucker also finds that much of the time, what people see as strictly an issue of food usually stems from another problem. "Learn to name your hunger," she says. "Look at issues with eating too much or too little, and ask yourself: Are you hungry for food, or are you bored, lonely, stressed? If it's not for food, look into joining groups that can help alleviate that stress and take your mind off eating."
For those who determine that a lifestyle change is necessary, Hesse-Biber advises everyone to keep a sociological eye out on trends. "It's not that people shouldn't lose weight, but that they should be careful. Know that you're being manipulated and become media literate. Then put your money into something worthwhile and know exactly what that money is going towards."
Fortunately, BC does not ask for money from its students for fitness services. There are two Plex trainers, Sara Lang and Gregg Smith, with whom anyone can request a consultation, as brief or in-depth as needed, and develop an individual, adjustable fitness program. Pagliarulo also strongly encourages Plex classes for people to get in shape, try something new, and have a fun, supportive network.
"I think people should do what they like and enjoy doing it. We've been open for 36 years. People didn't start coming here for cardiovascular equipment but for sports that they love - basketball, soccer, swimming. Have a buddy so that you can motivate each other."
Although there will be a drop-off in attendance at the Plex as schoolwork picks up again, Pagliarulo believes that the BC student body is a balanced, well-rounded group capable of making the right decisions.
Across the board, the main hope is that they do not strive toward that unattainable image of "big, strong man" and "thin, little girl," but find a balance of what is both healthy and possible.
"When you make resolutions, have them be realistic," Tucker stresses. "Reaching for goals should be a positive experience. Don't set yourself up to feel defeated by not meeting them."
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