Coming back to college is always fun, but in terms of health, it may be a shock. Dining halls, though they may not have the best food, still make it easy for us to overeat due to the buffet style of serving. Fast food is cheap and easy but filled with calories. Busy schedules sometimes hide opportunities to workout so we never feel like we are burning the calories we intake. Here a few ways to increase your healthy choices this year!
- Skip desert. For me, this tends to be difficult due to my adoration of sugar. At NCSU, it’s even harder when we have the amazing Howling Cow ice cream. Despite the temptation, deserts can contain several hundred unneeded calories and grams of sugar. If you want the post-dinner sugar fix, try some fruit or yogurt.
- Walk around campus instead of driving across if you have your car. Sometimes it can be tempting to drive five minutes around campus to class instead of walking twenty, but even a short walk is exercise. Some studies have shown that walking gives the same benefits as running without the intense battering of the joints in our legs. Take a walk. Smell the flowers.
- Avoid excessive fast food. If you do happen to go by a McD’s or Wendy’s around dinnertime, opt for a salad instead of a burger meal which can contain at least 1000 unhealthy calories. Panera Bread and Jason’s Deli are listed in health.com’s list of the top healthiest fast food restaurants in America. Just remember to avoid the pastries!
- Schedule specific times throughout the week to hit the gym. If you make the time and clear a spot in your planner, you will be more likely to go work out than if you expect to go whenever you find time. Even a twenty-minute run or a thirty-minute weight lifting session is better than sitting in your room. Make the time to go and actually follow through. Going with friends also increases your likelihood of working out because it becomes a social event. You and your workout buddy can challenge each other to work harder. You’ll start seeing results in a matter of time and you’ll be proud of yourself.
- Carry a water bottle and refill it throughout the day. Personally, I like tumblers because they have straws which, for some reason, make me drink more than a regular water bottle. It is recommended that people should drink over ten cups of water per day. If you are active, this amount increases.
- Get a calorie/health/fitness tracker app. I have MyFitnessPal, an app that allows me to enter into my foods and keep track of my calories. As I am more active, my allotted ideal calorie intake increases accordingly. Seeing what I eat and the nutrition facts of it make me want to be healthier.
Stay healthy! Stay happy! Be smart! Have fun!
