We have all heard of the “Freshman 15” and it is a scary reality to face while attending college for the first time. With so many temptations it is easy to go up for seconds, have soda with meals and eat the junk food.
Though there are so many temptations, it can be an easier task to avoid them with some healthy food ideas. Instead of going for the carb-overloaded meal, you can instead eat green. Try to get a lot of vegetables and fruits with a lower amount of carbs and less greasy food.
A great service Oswego State provides is the nutritional fact sheet and calorie count that can be found on the campus’ website. Instead of making a guess as to what you are eating, you can simply look up the facts and know what you are putting into your body.
Late night is something that many people struggle with. The idea of having a late night snack is excellent, however, we do not need to make these snacks unhealthy. As opposed to getting wings and pizza, it is a good idea to eat fruits, vegetables, yogurt or even a healthy cereal.
Students are blessed and cursed with having an unlimited meal plan. It becomes hard to resist frequent trips to the dining hall and even when you tell yourself you won’t eat, we all know what happens next. A full plate and yet another meal in your stomach. Eating isn’t bad, but portion control and what you choose to eat does matter.
Something that helps students avoid possible weight gain is working out in the gyms on campus. It is such a great feature on this campus that everyone should take advantage of. It is helpful because it is just another way to stay in shape. If you do slip up, it is OK. You can go to the gym and work it off. Personally, the gym definitely has shaped the way I live. After I work out, I don’t crave bad food anymore and it becomes easier to eat healthy.
Another thing that can help you stay healthy and away from unhealthy food is to get a partner in your mission toward a healthy lifestyle. If you have a friend that you can go through this process with, it makes the challenge of avoiding unhealthy food easier.
Personally, I try to avoid desserts for all meals and I set aside one day to treat myself. For example, Sundays I will have an ice cream sundae after a week without desserts. This is a great way to look forward to a treat and hold out until then.
Also, in order to make it a point to go to the gym, I leave time before my morning class to go. To make sure I don’t skip out, I lay out my gym clothes for the next day and set my alarm early. This helps me to stay focused on what I need to do.
Avoiding unhealthy food can be a challenge. However, with the right mindset and a positive attitude, it is achievable.
