Time Sensitive
by: Andrea J. Stewart
“The pull to multi-task and get a lot done is really strong,” said Christi Lehner-Collins, a certified holistic health counselor in Andover, Mass. Lehner-Collins said the hectic lifestyles of many 18- to 30- year- olds, especially the pull to constantly be “on,” makes good health a constant challenge.
“People 18 to 30 eat zero percent of meals sitting down with people,” Lehner-Collins said. “They eat in the car, on the run… the body doesn’t recognize it’s full. That’s why people are always hungry.”
Twenty-seven-year-old Liz Harriman said she doesn’t have time for breakfast, since her mornings are about getting her daughter off to daycare and getting herself ready for work. She usually gobbles down a fast- food lunch on her half-hour lunch break.
“If there are leftovers from dinner I’ll definitely eat those, but otherwise it’s easier just to drive to Wendy’s and eat on the ride back,” Harriman said.
Harriman said that dinner, however, is always healthy in her home. She and her husband cook dinner together every night, grilling lean meats and vegetables. There are no snacks lurking in the cupboards, and Harriman’s daughter Mya doesn’t seem to mind.
“Mya loves eating veggies,” Harriman said. “She’s not into greasy food or snacks.”
Like Harriman, busy 24-year-old Kimberly Broccoli also makes time each day to eat dinner with her family. Her family is partial to baked chicken and vegetables, and also moderate portions of macaroni. Broccoli eats oatmeal for breakfast every day and supplements a light lunch (either a bagel or salad) with fresh fruit. She considers herself a very healthy eater. 
“People who are healthy consciously choose the food that they eat,” said Boston health coach Lehner-Collins. Broccoli seems to fit this profile because she said she always makes thoughtful food selections.
However, neither she nor Harriman has daily exercise routines, and both women list that as their top health concern.
“After work I have to do the laundry, the ironing, the dishes… I’m just too tired to exercise after all that but I probably should,” Harriman said.
To burn off Harriman’s typical lunch, (a fast food meal containing a double cheeseburger, extra-large fries and a 24-oz. soda), a report by the Surgeon General said she would need to run two and a half hours at 10 min./mile pace (1500 calories). And with her busy schedule, it’s doubtful she will ever have the time (or the energy) for that.
Art by: Andrea J. Stewart