When coming to college and going to the dining hall for the first time, the options can be a little overwhelming, particularly when it comes to junk food. It is very possible to eat pizza and fries for every single meal. I think it goes without saying, however, that consuming comfort food for every meal is very unhealthy.
When I arrived at Hillsdale, back in the fall of 2013, my mom warned me about the so-called "freshman 15." Little did I know that there are actually two extremes, weight gain, or weight loss, or as I like to call it, the "freshman 15." I ended up getting the 15, and returned home at a mere 112 lbs; I'm 5'7, I'll let you do the math.
Just like the typical weight-gain that most college freshman experience, my weight-loss was caused, in no small part, by an unhealthy diet. Always a picky eater, I refused to treat food as fuel and lived off a diet of yogurt, pasta, and juice. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for pity, what I hope is that my mistakes of freshman year can educate and help other college students.
Let's start with why one should eat healthy to maintain an ideal weight. Eating a balanced diet and consuming plenty of fruits and veggies can prevent both extreme weight gain and weight loss. Being severely overweight or severely underweight can cause some major health problems and take a toll on one's quality of life.
Granted I understand that some people are naturally fuller figured while others are naturally thin, regardless of how well they take care of themselves. This brings me to my next point.
Eating well in college keeps you from getting things like vitamin deficiencies and helps prevent infections; trust me when I say that in the winter months, you'll be grateful for that. Since we're all living in close quarters, germs run rampant, and as far as prevention goes, other than doing the obvious things such as washing your hands, consuming a balanced diet can help stave off some of those nastier bugs.
I know college is tough, and sometimes you just really want that plate of curly fries. That's perfectly normal, and don't be afraid to enjoy them once in a while. Just try hard to make sure that you're also consuming plenty of fruits, veggies, proteins, and complex carbohydrates.
