We have heard of the legendary freshman fifteen’, right? This is the common conception that all college freshman, during their first year of independence away from home and away from home cooking, will fall short of the recommended healthy dietary requirements end gaining an unfortunate fifteen pounds through lazy eating and lazy activity.
Though the risk of falling in to bad food habits when you are at college is very real, the infamous freshman fifteen does not have to be a reality for people who make a conscious effort to eat healthy alongside their studying and their partying. Here are few tips and words of advice for exactly how to eat healthy and delicious food in college.
1. Educate Yourself
While you are getting a college education, you could also getting a food education. Do a little research in to exactly what constitutes healthy meals, and as you become more clued up you will realise that having a healthy diet is super easy. For example, eating foods in their most natural state is always a plus, so you should be looking to stay away from products with too many additives. Fruits and vegetables are unavoidable in the maintaining of a healthy diet, so experiment with raw, steamed, sautéed, juiced etc. to see which form you enjoy the most. Also, whole grains of any kind are always a great choice.
2. Budget Accordingly
While it is true that eating healthily can be slightly more costly than stocking up on long lasting junk foods, there is no reason for you to struggle with the expense of fresh produce if you work your weekly budget in the right way. If it means having to skip a few days worth of Starbucks on your way in to class, it will definitely be more beneficial in the long run. If you really want to eat healthy and penny pinch, you can always partake in some batch cooking where a little few ingredients can go a long way and make days worth of dinners.
3. Make The Right Food Hall Choices
Eating at college can be a real challenge, especially when a lot of the student food served up in the canteens is high in sugar, saturated fat and other undesirable additives. It helps to pay attention to how exactly some foods are cooked, whether broiled or steamed or fried, as these different cooking methods can have a big differential in terms of how healthy they are. In the mornings, go for food that is going to sustain you like eggs or oatmeal rather than fatty bacon, and even though it is tempting to take advantage of everything, perhaps skip the dessert trays two or three times a week to limit your overall calorie intake.
4. Lots of Water
Drinking lots of liquids to stay hydrated between classes is important, so make the sensible decision and choose water as your number one go-to drink throughout the day. It’s healthy, it’s great for your body and it is much more beneficial than any caffeinated energy drink that you think you might need to get through the day.
5. Avoid Late Snacking
Student food habits can often involve a lot of late night snacking to accompany late night studying, but for the sake of staving off that dreaded freshman fifteen you should commit to not having anything to eat after dinner each day. Getting your body in to the routine of not expecting a late night snack is important, as not only will it keep your calorie intake low, but it was also help to keep your metabolism strong and fast. Pick up a book, not a candy bar!
