Let’s be honest: eating healthy can be quite difficult in college, whether you have a meal plan or cook your own food. After you have a long day, sometimes you just want to order some pizza, while you watch an episode of Friends. And that is totally fine. Sometimes you need to indulge because college is hectic. However, while this is definitely taking care of ourselves, we tend to overdo it sometimes. You don’t want to take care of yourself too much when it comes to indulging. As a foodie, I believe that you should eat whatever your heart desires, but make sure it’s done in proportion. Here are a few tips on how to eat healthy on campus.
1. Drink plenty of water
I recently got a bottle that could hold a liter of water and I’ve started drinking two bottles per day. It’s easy to track and you feel so much better. Drink a little bit before each meal. This will help you eat your food in proportion. Drinking more water doesn’t only improve your healthy habits, but also improves your skin! Granted, you’ll have to visit the bathroom a few more times than usual, but I promise it’s a good habit to adopt.
3. Get in the habit of meal prepping
I have a lot of friends who do this. Prepping your meals saves you so much energy throughout the week. This way, after a long day on campus, you won’t have to worry about what you’ll be eating for breakfast. Make different dishes to mix it up, and you’ll have fun too! Organize your meals for the week and label them. Stay organized and keep with it, so you’ll be less stressed about your meals.
4. Keep healthy snacks in your room
It’s pretty easy to buy snacks that you crave, but you’d feel so much better buying snacks that are helping you eat healthy. Eat clean and stay clean. That way, you won’t be tempted to eat unhealthy snacks when you’re watching Netflix in your room… because everyone knows you need to snack while watching TV.
5. It’s perfectly alright to indulge here and there
I cannot stress this point enough. In my opinion, you should be able to have whatever you want. As long as you’re not overdoing it and it’s in proportion. Don’t be afraid to order a pizza or that last cupcake. If you want something, go for it. Don’t hold yourself back and don’t make yourself miserable because that’s just going to make it harder to stay healthy. As someone who has a huge sweet-tooth, I cannot imagine cutting sweet foods out of my life forever. Just yesterday I had a cupcake, and that is okay.