The suitcases are packed and the car loaded. You finally leave home to go to college. Time expended attending classes, meeting new friends, and socializing can be stressful and often causes your diet to take a backseat. If you follow a few tips, you can eat healthily despite your busy schedule.
If you have that option, eating at your college cafeteria is a good choice. It offers a range of healthy options if you choose wisely. If the school has a buffet-style cafeteria, try to choose from each main food group. Try to limit your intake of processed foods, cheese, dressing, and fatty fatty foods. Food from the desert bar can be a great reward after a long day or a tough test. Try not to eat desert every day to maintain a healthy diet.
The time you eat during the day is also important. When you sign up for classes, think about the day with meals. You should have enough time in the morning to get ready for the day and have a quick breakfast, either in your dorm room or in the cafeteria. Make sure you make time for lunch sometime in the middle of the day. Try to have dinner before 7pm to avoid late dining. You should also make time during the day to eat a nutritious snack like fruit and granola.
Weekends can be very challenging for college students due to the pressure to party. The usual food and drink is pizza, fries and salsa and beer. If you’re planning on going out at night and are unsure whether there are healthy food choices, eat a light meal before you go and avoid greasy calories. College student favorites like pizza, buffalo wings, or tacos are okay every now and then, but when they become a weekly event, your health can suffer.
Excessive alcohol consumption is also a great way to ruin a diet. Beer and mixed drinks are high in empty calories, so it’s a good idea to skip them altogether. If you must drink, choose diet sodas to mix your drinks with, red wine if available, or drink light beer. An occasional alcoholic drink may be in order; However, if you drink alcohol daily or even weekly, you will gain weight. The risk of liver disease, alcohol dependency and addiction should always be kept in mind.
Remember that drinking alcohol and driving can kill you or someone else if you are involved in an accident. The legal consequences could affect you for the rest of your life. The risk of liver disease, alcohol dependency and addiction should always be kept in mind. If you want to drink, always have a designated driver, walk or call a taxi.
By following a few simple tips and using your common sense, you should be able to eat healthy and enjoy your college years. Your health twenty years from now will be affected by the habits you develop in the few years you get your education.
Thanks to Curtis Mcelroy
