Everywhere we look, we are hammered with advertisements for health plans, and diets, and waist-trainers, and exercise equipment. We watch TV shows and movies that feature actors and actresses with perfect bodies. Celebrities talk about their no-carb, no-fat, all-veggie diets, while young, broke college kids (like myself) curse their names and eat Cheetos in our dorm room because if we eat meatloaf from the dining hall one more time, we might die. How in the world can we be expected to be healthy without the money, resources, time, and let's be honest- the motivation? Well it's easy to use these as excuses if you're content with your level of health, but most of us aren't. Before I delve in, let me tell you a secret- I'm going into my sophomore year of college, and sophomore year in high school I was 31 pounds heavier. Yeah. Let that sink in. And no, I didn't get a gym membership, buy into a fad diet, or stop eating altogether. And I've kept it off. So I'm here to teach you how to get healthier like a normal person- not a Kardashian. Here's my 15 best tips to take steps towards a healthier you.
1. Read (and understand) the nutrition labels on packages.
This is so incredibly important. Before I started doing this, those things were just unnecessary text on my bag of Oreos. But did you know that a serving size for Oreo cookies is two cookies? And that just those two cookies have 11% of the fat you're supposed to have all day? Yeah, me either. (Oreos and I had a messy breakup after that.)
2. Find a few go-to healthy things that you love.
It's pretty easy to do this, to be honest. For me, its shrimp, grilled chicken, and lean meat sandwiches. (Even burrito bowls if you skip the cheese and sour cream and go heavy on the veggies!) This way you can have something in mind no matter where you go.
3. Make sure to listen to your body and understand what it needs.
This comes down to understanding if you are incredibly sore after a workout- you need an easy day or a rest day. If your stomach hurts after you eat a particular thing, be careful. If you get headaches, you may be dehydrated or low on iron or sugar. You get the idea; don't ignore what your body is screaming at you.
4. Instead of sitting in your dorm, stroll around campus.
This is one of my favorites. We've all been there; we finish class at 3 and sit in our dorms for three hours doing absolutely nothing. So why not take that time and wander around campus? Bring your earbuds or play Pokemon GO or something- it takes away from the fact that you're exercising and you can still play Candy Crush while you walk around.
5. Take advantage of that free gym- you won't have it forever.
Most colleges have some sort of workout facility. It might not be state-of-the-art but odds are it has bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, and/or some kind of weights. Doing something is better than doing nothing.
6. Squeeze in a tiny workout even if you're running low on time.
Everyone loves to use time as their reason not to workout, but odds are, everyone has ten minutes to jog around campus or their neighborhood. Or do a small circuit workout in your bedroom. Or do some planking and abs. The possibilities are endless, and the internet is a god-send for five/ten-minute workouts.
7. Know which comfort foods are healthy comfort foods.
I'm not going to lie to you- I think salad was created by satan himself. I enjoy a smoothie every once in a while, but that's not going to satisfy any sort of craving. Mac and cheese? That will. Fun fact: Those Easy Mac Kraft cups (the ones you microwave) are only like 225 calories and have 5% of your daily value of fat. And Spaghettios (without the meatballs- I know.) are 340 cal with only 4% of your daily values of fat. And for me- Spaghettios and Easy Mac are my happy foods. (And I don't have to feel guilty! BONUS!)
8. This goes for snacks too.
There are soooo many good snacks that are healthy too. I suggest some sort of low-fat popcorn (I can't tell the difference) or popcorn chips. Also, Frito-lay baked Cheetos are great. I'm also guilty of snacking on some sliced deli-meat. It's really high in protein and low in calories and fat. And all this stuff is really cheap too, so you can ball on a budget, people.
9. Running isn't that bad.
Please don't shut your laptop and walk away. In moderation, running can feel really good and release a lot of endorphins. It works out most of your body, and is one of the best things you can do if you want to slim down or maintain your weight. Just start with a really short distance and you won't hate it nearly as much as you think you will!
10. Know your dining hall.
If you're in college, odds are most of your meals are from some sort of dining hall. Most dining halls (I mean I can only judge by the two colleges I've attended but I'm going with it) have salad, some sort of sandwich situation, home-cooked-ish stuff, desserts, and some sort of cereal/waffle area. As I mentioned before, salads are the devil, but if you can muster it, that's the best option. For me, (a normal human) protein and veggies were always the go to. My best tip is to fill your plate with veggies first, then meat, and then a tiny bit of those cheesy potatoes/garlic bread/other carb-y guilty pleasures.
11. Find someone who likes to do active things and befriend them.
My "active thing" was always playing basketball. The key is to find someone reliable that you can play a game or take a walk/jog with. I can easily lose hours in a gym shooting around, but on a jog by myself I know exactly how many seconds there are until I can stop. Workout buddies are not a myth.
12. Know that having a piece of Boston Cream Pie is not the end of the world.
Not that this is a specific cafeteria guilty pleasure of mine or anything, but having a bad moment isn't going to ruin your entire fitness plan. Everyone needs a piece of cake sometimes. Even Taylor Swift has a birthday cake.
13. Have a reason you want to do it.
If you want to be healthier- you have to have some sort of internal motivation. Someone can scream at you all day, but if you don't want to workout or eat better, you won't. Pick something- bikini body, healthier skin, getting stronger- just find a reason.
14. Rome wasn't built in a day, so you're not going to lose/gain 30 (or even 5) pounds in a day.
Rapid weight loss or weight gain is really bad for your body. You will get there if you work hard enough, but it takes just that- work. Set little goals for yourself each month or so, and you'll feel much better about yourself. Don't go from 0-60.
15. Love yourself all the way from start to finish.
The most important part about trying to begin a healthy lifestyle is to know that you're human, and you simply love yourself enough to start trying to improve. People loved you before your journey and they will love you after. Don't look at this as changing who you are, but as developing yourself.
Trust me, this stuff really works. I did it and I still am! It's just important to stay focused, and stay strict, but still enjoy yourself and know that there are more important things in life than fretting over an Oreo or two.
