The Secrets to Staying Healthy While You’re Away at University
Healthy eating at school can be hard when you’re surrounded by tempting options, like late night snacks and cafeteria pizza. It’s certainly a lot easier to simply swipe your meal card instead of going out of your way to prepare something healthy. As a result, a lot of students end up falling victim to the Freshman 15.
University is a time when you’re finally away from home and you have the freedom to make your own schedule. This also means you’re responsible for feeding yourself, and sometimes we let ourselves go a little too far.
How to Stay Healthy at School When There Are Temptations Everywhere
Making healthy food choices isn’t just about avoiding the Freshman 15. It’s about giving your body the nutrients it needs to stay energized, stay on track with your assignments, and feel better overall. The worse you eat, the more likely you’re going to burn out faster than you know it.
Here are 4 ways you can avoid the dreaded Freshman 15, keep your mind and body fueled, and develop healthy eating habits during your time at university.
1. Always Eat Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You might have heard this countless times, but it’s absolutely true. Eating breakfast gives you the energy you need to get through your busy day. Studies have shown that people who don’t eat breakfast are more fatigued, have more trouble concentrating, and are less healthy overall.
Eat breakfast within an hour of waking up so that your body gets the fuel it needs to keep you going. When you eat breakfast, you also feel full for longer and avoid those mid-day sugar cravings that lead to nothing but regret later on.
2. Watch Your Portions
When your school has a cafeteria and someone else is frequently scooping your food, it can be hard to manage your portion sizes. However, many restaurants and food services nowadays serve portions that are much larger than the recommended serving sizes. If you’re mindful of this, you can control your appetite and help monitor your intake.
If you eat out, take home half of your meal and save it for later. This way, you get two meals for the price of one, and you’re not overeating. Most dorm rooms have a mini-fridge option, and this can come in handy when you want to keep leftovers.
3. Take Meal Breaks, No Matter How Busy You Are
It’s hard to take a break when you’re pulling an all-nighter and can’t afford to take any extra time out of studying. After all, there’s already barely enough time in a day to get everything done.
However, making sure you get proper meals is integral to your healthy eating plan because it establishes a routine for your body. The more you deprive yourself of a nutritious meal, the more you’re going to crave unhealthy late night snacks later on.
4. Bring Healthy Snacks Along With You
When you’ve got a busy routine and don’t have time to come home and get a good meal, it can be tempting just to stop by the vending machine and grab a bag of chips on the go. However, if you carry some healthy snacks with you in your bag, you can avoid this temptation and give your body the fuel it actually needs to keep going.
When you find yourself piled with homework, it’s hard to focus on making healthy food choices when it seems like your stack of work to do is never-ending. Instead of trying to worry about everything at once, let us help you. Our academic writers provide custom essay writing services to help take a little stress off your mind so you can worry about taking care of your body.
References:
University of Waterloo. (n.d). Student survival guide to healthy eating. Campus Wellness Blog.
https://uwaterloo.ca/campus-wellness/health-services/nutrition-services/nutrition-articles/student-survival-guide-healthy-eating
