Living on campus means limited food choices. Your first option is the cafeteria, which doesn’t have the best choices but it’s a part of the meal plan that you have already paid for. Your second option is off-campus dining which can get extremely pricey and let’s face it, college kids are a different type of broke.
Trust me, I know how hard it is to eat healthy while living on campus. In fact, I rarely ate healthy food during my first year of college because I had no other options. Before coming to college, I was a vegetarian, but my campus didn’t have any vegetarian options for me besides cheese pizza and some a random mixture of vegetables that was everything but appetizing. My point is, maintaining a healthy lifestyle while being surrounded by unhealthy options is absolutely possible! Here’s how I did it
1. List it!
First things first, create an organized grocery list. Your grocery list should have meat, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Vegetables like spinach and kale are great options because are high in fiber and vitamins and you can eat them raw or cooked; who doesn’t love a versatile vegetable? Fruits like strawberries are high in vitamin A and can cure a sweet tooth with ease. Again, who doesn’t love versatility? The most affordable meat option is always going to be chicken, which is packed with protein. With these tasty items in your kitchen, you have no reason not to eat healthy. Did you notice that I didn’t use the “D” word? Well, here’s the scoop, dairy products don’t have any proven benefits. You have probably heard that “drinking milk helps you grow big and strong”. Truth is, that is a myth, there is no evidence that milk makes your bones strong. I’m not telling you to throw out all your cheese, milk, and ice cream, I’m just saying you won’t morph into a superhuman.
2. Make that body sweat.
The second step is to get active, remember: exercising releases endorphin’s, and endorphin’s keep you happy. I know that a lot of people are intimidated by the gym, especially the one on your college campus, but there’s nothing to be afraid of. For the times you can’t make it to the gym, a quick dorm workout will suffice. In my opinion, the best home workout is a “HIIT” or High Intensity Interval Training workout. This kind of workout requires a lot of sweating and only 30 seconds of rest between each set. 30 minutes of HIIT actually burns more calories than you would by running on a treadmill, because it keeps your heart rate up. You will also be burning calories hours after you finished your workout; you can’t beat that!
3. Never Skip Breakfast. Period.
The third step is to make sure that you are eating breakfast! They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but they never explained to you why it was so important. You are quite literally breaking a fast between the time of your last and first meal of each day. Get it “break” and “fast”, break-fast Because your breaking– anyway, my point is, eating breakfast sets the tone for your day. With that being said, you must make sure you are eating the right things. Oatmeal is my personal favorite, because it’s delicious, it fills you up and is full of fiber.
4. Treat yo self!
Lastly, take that personal day, get that manicure, and get those new shoes. Your mental health just as important as your physical health. If you are stressed out, you need a rest. Do not overwork and overextend yourself; saying “no” does not alter work ethic. Turn off your phone, relax, watch some shows on Netflix, and unwind with your favorite treat (in moderation of course).
Being healthy in college isn’t as hard as it seems, you just have to want it for yourself. These tips will surely put you on the path to a healthier lifestyle.