Fuel your body correctly to get the perfect summer body

With warm weather approaching, hiding beneath long sleeves and long pants is no longer an option. Time to break out the tank tops and shorts. With more minimalistic clothing, it is harder for people to hide their not bikini-ready bodies. Gym memberships increase an average of 12 percent in January through March according to U.S. News as people try to get ready for warmer weather. College students are definitely included in the 12 percent as they try to get ready for spring break. But exercise alone is not going to get you the bikini body you want. Your diet is crucial to this process.

According to multiple health experts, abs are made in the kitchen. Abs are 80 percent diet and 20 percent exercise. How you fuel your body determines how effective your workout will be and how well your body will burn calories. This is a message that Kate Imthurn, SLU’s athletic nutritionist, has to stress to athletes frequently. “If you are in the gym and you’re working out, you aren’t going to get the same results if like you aren’t providing your body with the nutrients it needs. So if you are eating a high fat diet or if you are eating something very processed or anything, you are not going to get those amino acids. You are not going to get those good carbohydrates to fuel your body through this workout or the right amino acids to like build your muscles. So if you are overeating on calories or overeating on stuff you don’t need then it’s just going to be detrimental in the end,” Imthurn said. Your body needs to be fueled properly in order for it to be in a maximum calorie and fat burning state throughout the day.

The other 20 percent to abs is exercise. Many people correlate losing weight to running for long periods of time. Anna McGovern, a certified trainer at SLU, says for the best results you want to incorporate both cardio and weight lifting. “Cardio is really important. You should be doing 30 minutes of cardio five times a week. You should be weightlifting around two times a week. Moderate to high intensity,” McGovern said. Another point McGovern discussed was women fearing they would get to bulky if they lifted weights. “You will not get bulky from lifting weights. Your body is not genetically made up to get huge. The only way you will look like that is if you are taking some kind of supplement,” McGovern said. Lifting weights or using body weight is any easy way to tone your body, which will give you a more slim appearance.

Making time to exercise can be difficult when your schedule is filled with studying, class, work, etc. Many students find it difficult to live a fit lifestyle while being a college student. Sidney Buckner, a senior at SLU, says she has a hard time finding time to go exercise around her hectic schedule. A very easy and accessible way to get fast and easy workouts that don’t take an hour to complete is using sites such as Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram. McGovern said these sites have tons of workouts for all different aspects of your body that you can do without needing a gym. Buckner also mentioned portion sizes in college make it hard to maintain good eating habits, especially when you have a huge sweet tooth like Buckner and there are many unhealthy options on campus available almost all day. Imthurn advised students who are working out daily to eat at least three meals and two snacks so that when it is time to sit down for a meal you are not starving. You will be less likely to make poor dietary choices.

A full body transformation isn’t impossible. Small changes to your diet will help you get the results you desire. Begin your journey to your perfect bikini body today!

Missouri Botanical Garden shows off one of the nation’s largest orchid populations in show

Jeanne Gray and husband walk hand-in-hand as they take in the fragrances and colors of over 500 orchids on display at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

“The fragrance when you walk through the door immediately relaxes you. It’s just so beautiful and peaceful in here,” Gray said.

Gray and her husband visit the Botanical Gardens often and even became members this past weekend.

“We love to come here and bring our grandchildren to see all the different exhibits so becoming members just made sense. You get exercise and beauty. Who doesn’t want that?” Gray said.

The annual Orchid Show is just one of the exhibits that the Botanical Garden hosts throughout the year. This year’s theme was Orchids and Their Pollinators. Their mission is “to broaden visitor perspectives and deepen understanding of the natural connections between plants, people and places.”

Orchids rely on pollinators for their survival. They must lure in specific pollinators because only specific animals can pollinate certain species of orchids. If not pollinated by their specific animal, the orchid will die. Orchids produce “non-rewarding flowers” to attract pollinators to transfer their pollen, but these flowers do not actually help the orchid reproduce. With this distinct pollination system, it is hard for orchids to reproduce. Because the orchid and pollinator relationship is so specific, both must be protected for the orchid population to survive.

Orchids are one of the most sought after flowers in terms of houseplants. It has been discovered that they can be cloned using tissue cells. Propagators are now over-collecting orchids, which is causing more reproduction problems. This is another problem contributing to possible extinction problems.

Orchids are very easy to maintain, which is why they are good household plants. Blanche Wagner and 15 volunteers are in charge of caring for the orchid population at the Botanical Gardens. They are housed in three different greenhouses. Orchids require a certain amount of light each day so the greenhouses are equipped to maintain this lighting with artificial lights when there is not enough natural light. With too little light, their leaves turn yellow and wilt, but with too much light they get red spots like a sunburn. The garden has a specific shade system as well to ensure this does not happen. They thrive in humid and warm conditions. The greenhouses are usually kept between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Wagner and volunteers have a specific watering and fertilizing schedule for the orchids. A lot of time and effort is put into maintaining the orchids.

The Missouri Botanical Garden maintains and supports one of the largest orchid populations in the country. They have about 7,000 plants from 280 genera of orchids. The orchids are from six different continents. 37 of the species are found in Missouri. In the show, they display about 500 plants for seven weeks before rotating them out for new plants. The Orchid Show is one of the most visited events at the garden every year.

“Depending on the weather, we can have anywhere from 200-1,000 visitors a day, ” says Lizz Gerard, a welcome center volunteer.

Gerard sits at the front desk and administers admission tickets. Visitors must pay to enter in the garden, unless members of the Botanical Garden. Shows and special exhibits, like the Orchid Show, are an additional cost to the admission fee.

“Visiting the Botanical Garden is worth every penny. You get to see and experience so many different things. I just wish people took more time to come and explore,” Gerard said.

The Botanical Garden hosts events weekly tailored to accommodate a variety of ages. A calendar of all their events can be found online.

St. Louis-Cattleya Sugar Bowl orchids are known for their vibrant colors. Catteyla orchids are often referred to as the “Queen of Orchids.” There are approximately 113 species of this orchid. They originate in South America. (SLU/Taylor Paulson)

St. Louis- This is a Phalaenopis Housemann’s Chasity “Flicker.” There are approximately 60 species of Phalaenopis orchids. These are one of the most common orchids used in households. (SLU/Taylor Paulson)

Tips on avoiding liability problems when publishing online

The internet is a great way to connect with millions of people across the world, but with publishing online comes some risks. Liability problems are one of the risks of publishing on the internet.

Here are some tips on how to avoid liability problems.

1. Do not damage the reputation of a person, group or organization. This can be considered defamation or false light.

2. Do not publish any personal information without the consent of that person, even if the information isn’t factually true.

3. Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act covers your publishing/editing rights as a third party in some instances but not in all situations. So make sure you are covered before you do anything.

4. You may not publish any person’s, group’s or organization’s “intellectual property” without permission. A few examples would be trademarks and logos.

5. You must reveal any type of relationship you have with a product or company, in terms of endorsement deals.

The nice thing about the internet is that it can be fixed. If you have published something in the past that violates these tips, you can always go back and change it. This also makes you more reputable when you publish things online in the future.

Tips for effective broadcast news writing

Unlike other forms of writing that can be read, broadcast writing is heard by your audience. Your audience cannot go back and review your story. Broadcast writing must be short and concise.

Here are five tips on how to effectively write a broadcast:

1. Make your story conversational: You want people to be able to understand what you saying. Do not use huge words people might not comprehend. Include pauses and transitions when needed to help keep your audience on track.

2. Rate of speech: Talking to fast could result in your audience not being able to understand what you say or miss key information. Talk too slow and you will lose their interest. Find a good balance in between.

3. Recognize who gave you the quote first: It is typical to quote someone at the end of a sentence. For example,  “He stole the purse from her car” said Sally Taylor. In broadcast, you want to say their name at the beginning of the sentence so instead you would say, Sally Taylor said “He stole the purse from her car.”

4. Short and concise: In a broadcast you have a limited amount of time to relay your story. You want to have short sentences with one idea in each sentence. Use active voice and get the point across.

5. Draw your audience in: Use a good lead to draw your audience in. The lead should tell them give them an idea of what your story is about without telling them everything. Make them want to continue listening to your broadcast.

Kayla Colwell uses Girl Scout cookies to travel the world

Tagalongs, Thin Mints, and Samoas are just Girl Scout cookies to us, but to Kayla Colwell they are a lot more. To Colwell, they are reminders of her experiences traveling the world with fellow Girl Scouts.

 Girl Scout cookie sales are in full swing right now. Troops across the nation are trying to sell as many boxes as possible. With their revenue, they can fund trips like Colwell’s.

Colwell visited London, France, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Switzerland, and Italy because of her involvement in Girl Scouts. Colwell being a Girl Scout between the ages of 13-18 qualified for these trips. The application process consisted of an application, along with a resume of her involvement in Girl Scouts and two references had to answer questions of why they though Colwell should get to travel.

Her first trip was to Europe. They were in Europe from June 19- July 3, 2013. The second trip was to New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji. This trip was July 30- August 12, 2014.

Her favorite spot of all the places she got to travel to was the WAGGS Center in Switzerland. They hiked up a mountain, tried wood burning, try fondue and saw a yodeling show. This was one of the only spots that they got to truly experience the culture.

“Different countries all have something to experience that you can’t get through a textbook. There is always something new around the next corner. I find it humbling and exciting. You can learn so much from other people in new places. I love trying new things and trying new food from different cultures. I gained more understanding of myself while traveling too. Traveling gives you experience, knowledge and stories you can’t get anywhere else,” said Colwell.

Colwell was selected through a council to go to Europe. She traveled through Europe with 20 other girls, who she had gotten to meet before the trip. Colwell did not know any of the girls beforehand. For both trips, the girls’ ages ranged from 11-18.

For the Australia trip, Girl Scouts from across the country had to apply and 15 got chosen to go to Australia. Among the 15 Girl Scouts chosen was Mariah Bazile. Bazile, a 17-year-old Girl Scout from Wisconsin, traveled to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji with Colwell. “Almost immediately after we met each other, we became friends. Having very similar personalities and interests had helped strength our friendship. However, I believe traveling though the South Pacific had really made our friendship strong. Being able to experience new experiences such as feeding a kangaroo and witnessing new sights like the Blue Mountains with a friend had also enhanced our friendship,” Bazile said.

Colwell is no longer a Girl Scout since beginning college, but still hopes to travel. She hopes to study abroad a semester in Italy while at SLU.

How to sell yourself as a product

Creative Group has 36 offices across the country. They have an office in almost every major metropolitan city. Creative Group is just one of the major marketing companies. Freelancing has many opportunities because of the never-ending demand for design needs. A freelancer’s ability to sell themselves will determine what career they will have.

“I look at a resume for 5 seconds before I move on to the next one” said Elizabeth Ledbetter, a manager of freelance creative-types for Creative Group, to a group of PR and Advertising students.

This was not exactly what students like to hear when getting advice on how to get a job in freelance. Ledbetter had come on behalf of Creative Group to help students prepare to search for a job after college. She helps hire freelancers for Creative Group, as well as does freelance work herself.

“What makes you different and unique compared to the person sitting next to you,” is what senior, Communication major Rachel Moylan got from Ledbetter’s presentation. Moylan will be graduating in May and hopes to pursue freelancing in Marketing.

Ledbetter talked about the importance of having an online profile, as well as being involved in organizations, is to receiving freelancing jobs. Her advice for an online profile was, “Highlight your best work on your website and self-audit. Make sure you are different in style and mediums. Be able to stand behind your stuff. Don’t oversell yourself and then under deliver. Identify jobs and skills that are going to set you up for success.” LinkedIn was mentioned as a great resource to advertising your brand and portfolio. Some of the organizations that she mentioned getting involved in were PRSA, AMA, and IBAC. Joining these organizations would allow you to connect with people outside of who you already know.

Another piece of advice Ledbetter gave was to work for free in the beginning of a freelancing career. No one wants to work for free, but it puts your brand and work out there as a freelancer. Once you get more experience under your belt then charging is appropriate, but until then work for free whenever possible.

Coming Soon

A major in communication covers many different areas such as Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising. Elizabeth Ledbetter, a manager of freelance creative-types for The Creative group, will be at SLU on Wednesday talking to students about freelancing. I will post a summary of what was talked about so that others can see how  Journalism can be utilized in freelancing.