While the realization that you’ll be standing for 46 hours — or supporting people who will be standing for 46 hours — may make you want to inhale a large pizza, order of French fries, and slushie the size of your head, it’s best to prepare for THON with those healthy foods that everyone generally ignores. Here, find 10 things that will help get you in top shape for PSU’s favorite February event (and no, unfortunately Valentine’s Day does not mean that eating three pounds of chocolate is excusable as “prepping for THON,” no matter how many times you say it).
1. Yogurt
Yogurt is protein-heavy, good for you and has strong digestive and probiotic properties. Plus, you can get it with fruit, or for those who are less health-inclined but still want to enjoy yogurt’s benefits, crunchy and amusing mix-ins — like lime bits or M&Ms. You can also add Greek yogurt into other things, like pasta or smoothies, to get a health boost.
2. Water
I’ll be honest here and admit that you probably won’t want to drink water. It is boring and gives you no added caffeine. But as with yogurt, you can mix it up a little with flavoring or fruit slices, and you’ll still be able to stay way more hydrated than if you were drinking coffee or soda. Sadly, most vitamin waters don’t count, no matter how delicious they are.
3. Nuts and seeds
Going along with the “protein” theme, nuts and seeds provide a lot of long-lasting fuel that pretzels, chips and mozzarella sticks don’t. They’re easily portable, taste good and versatile — plus they provide a boost for when you’re in class and starving.
4. Vegetables
Since you’re hopefully already eating fruit, vegetables have minerals, fiber and can be a good pairing with the Greek yogurt mentioned earlier. While it can be a pain to cut and choose which vegetables to eat, you can buy them prepackaged, and you can pretend to be a 5-year-old again and make “ants on a log” for lunch. Then, for the first time this semester, you can tell your parents that you ate green things without lying.
5. Milk
Not just in your coffee creamer. While it’s been proven that milk can help you recover from a workout, there’s no way that drinking milk before a huge, 46 hour-long workout can do anything but help you in the long run. Plus, you probably need the calcium anyway.
6. Pasta
Also included in helpful exercise-foods, carbs such as pasta are proven to help runners before a marathon so they have something to fall back on, energy-wise. Whole-wheat pasta will be filling and can be paired with other healthy foods to gain extra benefits.
7. Chocolate (See? It made it on the list somehow).
After eating healthily for a few days straight — something almost no college student does, ever — you’ll want to eat something a little more indulgent. A small amount of very dark chocolate has antioxidants, and when you pair it with a spoonful of peanut butter, it also has more protein. Or you could just melt the two together and eat it with a spoon, like I do.
8. Cheese
Honestly, who doesn’t love cheese? Cheese is wonderful, and as long as you don’t eat half a block of cheddar, it can be healthy. It has the same benefits as milk, nuts or yogurt, just in a different and more delicious form. From parmesan on your pasta to a gouda-and-ham panini, eating a decent amount of cheese will help you ensure your calcium and protein levels stay up.
9. Soups and stews
Making soups and stews can provide many meals in one, and they also have a lot of health benefits rolled into one. Plus, it can be nice on a cold day, especially when paired with pasta, chicken and more vegetables.
10. Grains
If you’re already overloaded on pasta, then grains can be a refreshing and more natural healthy addition to your pre-THON diet. Quinoa can go in salads, farro and barley can go in soups and there are even more grains and health benefits to explore.
Eat up and stay healthy this week, FTK!
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