Eating
healthy in college can be a challenge. The last few weeks of the
semester can be stressful. However, do not give up your good eating
habits because of stress and a busy schedule. Keep reading to learn ten
tips to help you keep eating healthy the last few weeks of the
semester. Check out more tips at
Clarke.
- Eat a good breakfast - Studies show that skipping
breakfast detracts from scholastic achievement. When there isn’t time to
sit down and enjoy your morning meal, grab a bagel, piece of fruit, and
some juice. Most of these items can be easily stored in your residence
hall room.
- If you must eat fast foods, choose wisely - Choose
pizza with half the cheese, a regular size roast beef sandwich, baked
potato, or green salad with reduced calorie dressing. Limit high fat
offerings like French fries, fried chicken, or fish sandwiches and watch
out for salad dressing!
- Keep healthy snacks on hand - This way, if hunger
strikes during a late night study session, you won’t be tempted by
vending machine candy, chips, or ice cream. Possibilities include fresh
or dried fruit, pretzels, unbuttered popcorn, rice cakes, or whole wheat
crackers. If you have a refrigerator, consider raw vegetables with
low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese dip.
- Eat plenty of foods rich in calcium - People in
their early twenties need to be building up stores of calcium in their
bodies to prevent osteoporosis later in life. If you don’t like milk,
try to include ample amounts of low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese, and
green leafy vegetables in your diet.
- If you need to lose weight, do it sensibly -
Starvation and/or diets that offer a quick fix usually backfire and are
harmful. There is no truth to the theories that suggest eating foods in
any particular combination will promote weight loss. The only safe way
to lose weight, feel good while doing it, and keep it off, is to eat a
balanced diet and exercise.
- Limit your sugar intake - Sugar provides calories
in your diet but few other nutrients, and it contributes significantly
to tooth decay. Use it sparingly and consider sweetening coffee, tea,
cereal, and fruit with diet sweeteners instead.
- Visit the dining hall salad bar - The dining hall
salad bar can be either an asset or a detriment to your diet depending
on how you choose from it. Of course, leafy greens, raw vegetables, and
fresh fruits are beneficial. But, if you choose a lot of creamy
dressings, bacon bits, and mayonnaise-based salads, the calories and fat
may equal or even exceed those of a burger and fries—so choose wisely!
- Limit your alcohol intake - If you drink alcohol,
keep in mind that it supplies calories but no nutritional value. A light
beer, a glass of wine, or an ounce of liquor each has about 100
calories. There may also be health problems associated with drinking
alcohol.
- Drink lots of water - Your body needs at least
eight glasses a day, and, if you exercise vigorously, you may need more.
To remind yourself, carry a water bottle along to class and keep it
handy during late night study sessions.
- Enjoy your food - Food is a lot more than nourishment for our bodies, so take the time to enjoy and savor it!
