Welcome to, “Hot Seat” where we take topics in health and fitness and figuratively put them on the hot seat to distinguish fact from myth. I hope you all learn something from this series and continue to read up on all of them as they come out.

For those who spend a lot of time on social media there is a possibility that you have seen a celebrity or public figure promoting a detox tea. Typically they say, “it’s my favorite drink” and urge their followers to purchase said product with their special discount code.

• Read more about Hot Seat: Detox teas

A key aspect of what the SDFC does is to promote overall health and wellness. That includes forming good habits to promote and build health on the inside just as much as the outside. Lifting weights and running on the treadmill are both great exercise and a great place to start when building the physique you want. However, a balanced, nutritious diet is just as essential to reaching your goals and staying on top of your fitness.

• Read more about Inside the SDFC: Nico the Nutritionist

Eating right and sticking to a balanced diet is essential to Building Your Best You. But consulting with a registered dietitian can help students start down a path to proper nutrition and help those already on that path stay focused on reaching their goals. Luckily, the SDFC has its own dietitian to help both sets of students. 

• Read more about Try This: Get consulted by our dietitian

Ah, the holidays. It’s that special time of year centered on family, togetherness and food.

Lots of food.

Sooooo much food.

From Thanksgiving through Christmas, we tend to eat more than we can burn off in the gym. Staying active during the holidays can be a challenge — for example, I recently found myself lacking the motivation to get up and go for a run to offset the giant plate of carbs curry chicken I just ate.

• Read more about Enjoy these healthy holiday treats

Stop me if you’ve been here before:

It’s 1:20 p.m. You just got out of your 11:30 class. You’ve got a couple hours before your next class, and your stomach begins to growl because that slice of bread you had breakfast maybe wasn’t good enough. So what do you do? Do you hop in your car and make your way to the nearest Whataburger? Jump on light rail and take it to a Chipotle? (Confession: this is sometimes a solution to my hunger.) Or did you plan ahead and pack yourself a healthy snack for this exact situation?

• Read more about Six on-the-go snacking options

What are some reasons you think healthy eating is important? Most of us know that consuming a healthy diet including adequate fruits and vegetables is important for staying healthy, from keeping our immune systems healthy to reducing risk for chronic diseases later on.  More research is demonstrating that what we eat also plays an important role in our mental and emotional health, and that can affect you right now, not just decades in the future. 

• Read more about Nutrition and Emotional Health

Picture this. It’s the end of the week and it’s dinner time. You open the fridge and you find the following items: a lemon, two slices of stale pizza from last week and a half empty gallon of milk. At this point, you’ve probably realized it’s time to grocery shop. If you’re anything like me, you might find supermarkets a bit intimidating. Between the huge store, the long aisles, and the immense variety of products available, the simple process of deciding what to eat becomes much more complicated. 

• Read more about 5 ways to make grocery shopping easier