Sometimes, when you go off to college and you don't have anyone telling you to come sit down for dinner, or making sure you take a piece of toast with you for breakfast, eating can slip your mind. Make sure that you are not only eating, but eating food that is going to fuel your day, and promote a healthier life style.
1. Eat breakfast for a king, lunch for a prince, and dinner for a pauper.
Start your day with a breakfast fit for a king, have lunch be a little bit less than breakfast, and dinner your smallest meal. Eating a larger meal when you first wake up gives your body time to break down the food throughout your day, and metabolize it better than if your largest meal is in the evening. Make sure your last meal is before 7 p.m.! Eating anything after 7 p.m. doesn't get metabolized as well because you'll be going to bed.
2. When going to your school's cafeteria, you don't actually have to eat everything in sight
I know you paid for your meal plan, whether by choice or as a requirement as an incoming freshmen, but trust me, you don't need to eat everything you see at the caf. Getting six plates, just to get your money's worth is ridiculous.
3. Eat fruit first.
When digging into your meal, start by eating whatever fruit you have on your plate first. Eating fruit first helps fill you up faster, and can help you control how much you eat.
4. Drink a lot of water.
No matter if you thought you drank a lot of water before now or not, bump it up. Drink more. Buy a camelback water bottle instead of using plastic bottles, and bring it with you throughout your day. Make sure you tell yourself to finish your water before leaving class, or before you go out for the night. Whenever you are bored, get a glass of water and drink up! Drink a glass of water when you start to feel hungry. Water keeps you hydrated, and can help weight control!
5. Try to avoid processed foods.
It's so hard to eat healthy while in college, either because you don't have time to prepare something, or because you're too broke to afford it (which I typically have problems with both of these). Although it may be easier to grab a bag of chips before heading out to class, try to grab something that is better for you. Take an apple, banana, granola bar, nuts, or anything that has some substance to it.
6. Make sure your plate has some color to it.
Get foods of all colors. Attempt to fill your plate with as many colors of the rainbow that you can!
7. Buy healthier snacks.
We all know that when boredom strikes, and all your roommates are munching you are tempted to break out whatever snacks you own and join in on the feast. Don't let yourself have any snacks that aren't going to give you any nutrients. Buy nuts instead of chips, if you love chips buy healthier alternatives like popcorn. It's OK to snack throughout your day! Just make sure you're snacking on foods that are going to give you some protein, or complex carbohydrates.
8. Don't have feasts.
When your roommates decide you're all hungry and you want to start snacking, make sure you grab a good snack, but most importantly, control the portion you eat! Check out the portion size on the back, and prevent yourself from having a feast!
