McDonalds, Chick-fil-a, Panda Express, and of course, pizza, surround every side of campus. It’s almost impossible to have a healthy lifestyle. There is Subway and a Greek salad restaurant on campus but those are basically the only healthy options available on campus.
In order to maintain a healthy life, you have to work around your classes and busy life. I am new to being a pescatarian and honestly, it is one of the hardest lifestyle changes I have made. Meat and junk food is an addiction. It grows when you enter college because it's cheap, fast, and convenient. If we only knew what the food industry is doing to our body, people would probably decrease their meat intake.
I decided to become a pescatarian solely off the Netflix documentary, “What the Heath”. The movie shines a light on the deep, dark, nasty truth about where our country’s meat comes from. Pumped with steroids and chemicals, top government agencies and corporations witness us kill ourselves slowly with every bite.
In a society where college is so expensive and fast food is so cheap, college students and people living in poverty have no choice but to voluntarily ingest these toxins. This is the government's most mysterious genocide. Rather heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or obesity; food is always the common denominator.
In order to make a smooth transition, I encourage snacks. Packing healthy snacks, especially fruits and vegetables will allow you to get through classes without complete starvation. Also, home cooked meals. Meal prepping is a way to save money as well as to focus solely on healthy eating. The most important thing to know about cooking is SEASONING! Utilize your spice cabinet. Get creative and make the same food taste different from spices alone.
During the school day always bring water with you. Water will allow you the illusion of feeling full. Getting started is simply the easy part of the transition. A commitment, which for anyone in their 20’s, has been always the rocky part.
As temptation surrounds every inch of campus, try to resist. Whenever you walk past Chick-fil-a and smell the satisfying smell of the fries and chicken nuggets, dipped effortlessly in the Polynesian sauce, stay strong, eat a carrot and keep it moving.
As a college student, this journey has been interesting but exciting to watch my body experience large energy amounts all from eating differently. A lifestyle change like this takes tremendous courage and self-discipline. You have to train your mind to fulfill this commitment. This is not an easy process, but it is definitely worth the experience.
