Eating healthy and keeping fit in college are both kind of cliché and overdone topics, but rightfully so. Since there are so many different food venues on campus, it can be somewhat difficult to pick out the healthiest option at times. Let’s face it, college students are extremely busy and want immediate gratification; healthy eating just doesn’t fall into this category. Finding the right eating habits is actually really easy, but we all need to be reminded every once in a while.
Your best bet is to make your own food, but sometimes that just isn’t possible (obviously you cannot cook if you live in a freshman building). The University of New Haven has been working with Sodexo for quite some time now, and it is like pulling teeth to get information. It wasn’t until recently that students could find nutritional information, and, let’s be honest, we’d be extremely lucky if the information provided was even remotely accurate. So, how does a student go about making sure what they are eating is a part of a healthy lifestyle? By looking at it.
The easiest way to determine how healthy or unhealthy something is is by looking at it. Greasy food is a dead giveaway. Take chicken, for example; is it battered and fried or is it grilled? Anything that looks shiny or crispy is more than likely the leading cause of a heart attack. Try to go for more of a dry looking food (with soup and milk as an exception), and don’t be afraid of carbs.
A lot of people assume that the salad bar is the healthiest option, and, for the most part, they are correct. Don’t allow yourself to be fooled by vegetables. Salads are great because they are full of vitamins, fiber, protein, and crunch; however, that dressing you liberally pour over it is not. Be very conservative with salad dressing and additional toppings like croutons, chicken, egg, olives, and bacon or other meats. Too much of a good thing does exist. Raw vegetables are more nutritious than cooked vegetables, so, like stated above, salad is always a good option.
Put down the chips and reach for hummus, yogurt, or a piece of fruit. Snacking is always a threat to someone’s diet and exercise regimen. One may eat healthy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner but then counteract that effort by poor snaking throughout the day. It is important, however, to make sure that the feeling of deprivation never exists. Don’t wait until your starving. If you simply eat when you’re hungry and learn to understand what your body wants (a snack, or is it just thirsty?), you’ll be in control.
There are so many different diets that have people counting calories, counting points, eliminating carbohydrates, or adding insane amounts of protein. It is just silly. Eating anything in moderation is okay. And remember – you can have the entire pizza now, but there will be delicious leftovers tomorrow if you don’t!
