Running stairs.

Lifting weights.

Evening practices at least four times a week.

This isn’t the schedule of an Eastern athlete. It’s the schedule of a hopeful tugs champion.

All the hard work for Greek Week isn’t taken lightly – it’s crucial to some fraternities and sororities preparing for Greek Week.

Bob Dudolski, director of Greek Life, works closely with the Health Education Resource Center to prevent unhealthy dieting prior to competitions.

Before Greek Week, Tugs participants enrolled in the Little Man competition are required to weigh in three times: the beginning of preparation, March 5 and right before the Tugs competition.

The maximum weight for applicant’s in the Little Men’s competition is 175 pounds.

“There needs to be fairness in each side of the rope,” Dudolski said. “So there are weight limits set for each division.”

In previous years, some participants tried signing up for the Little Men’s competition that was clearly over the weight limit. These men were unable to sign up for the Little Men’s division in fear of losing weight in an unhealthy manner.

“They’re pretty strict about weigh-ins,” said Shane Davis, president of Sigma Chi. “If you’re even a pound overweight you become an alternative for the Big Man’s Tug.”

The members of Sigma Chi placed second last year and are working hard toward the championship.

“If we’re not prepared we are not only letting ourselves down, but the entire house,” Davis said. “A lot of the guys work out together. It’s more motivation to work out with someone than by yourself.”

But working out isn’t all that goes into prepping for the competition.

Megan McCallister, a nutrition education coordinator, works personally with chapter houses to help competitors to gain or lose weight in a healthy approach.

“It’s healthy to loose 1 to 2 pounds per week, so within 10 weeks of preparing, no one could lose more than 20 pounds healthily,” McCallister said.

Those hoping to lose weight are trying to lose fat while keeping muscle and those gaining are trying to keep muscle not fat.

It’s difficult to teach people trying to gain or lose weight what nutrition advice is factual or fiction, McCallister said.

“The biggest misconception of portion size to serving size,” she said. “Portion size is the amount you’re supposed to eat and serving size is the standard amount by USDA (United States Department of Agriculture).”

It is recommended to eat five portion-sized meals a day. When someone is trying to lose weight, it’s recommended that they decrease their caloric intake. When someone is trying to gain weight, it’s recommended to eat larger portions of lean meats, fruits, vegetables, whole wheat and dairy, McCallister said.

Another common problem among students when losing weight is staying hydrated.

“When a pound is dropped after working out it is because of a loss in water weight,” she said. “The more people work out the more water they need to consume.”

Mildred Pearson, the director of faculty development, talks about race and ethnicity in the Charleston-Mattoon Room in the Martin Luther King Jr University Union on Tuesday afternoon. (Kelly Marie Crement/The Daily Eastern News)

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