Eat your vegetables, stay active, don't drink soda or sugary drinks, and live an overall balanced lifestyle. Four very important tips many people have heard before.
While growing up, parents are encouraged to place their children in sports and activities to keep their children active and engaged. They are also told to feed their children balanced diets, forms of protein, fruits, and vegetables, all in hopes of starting their children's lives with healthy patterns.
In college living a healthy lifestyle is extremely difficult. With constant temptations of unhealthy food in dining halls, sugary drinks to help you stay awake studying, and the constant presence of alcohol at parties and bars, being healthy is harder than ever.
With the shift from living at home and having parents make and manage our meals and grocery purchases, to living in dorms with limited cooking supplies, or unappetizing food that is offered at the dining halls, students seem to struggle with keeping their bodies healthy.
College senior Anna Brahan said, "when you are in college, you don't have the money to afford the healthy, organic foods you would prefer to buy. Also when you have roommates it makes it really difficult to avoid eating out together, and having late night snacks when you are up studying."
It is no surprise that a large portion of the United States doesn't enjoy working out or being active. But recently in our society, it seems as if weight-loss and fitness is more popular than ever.
Student Kate McCaughey tries her hardest to stay active as much as she can, but with her busy lifestyle consisting of school, a sorority, and a job, working out is sometimes put at the bottom of her to do list.
"Since most of my classes are later in the afternoon, I have to prioritize things throughout my day differently. I usually work in the mornings, have class in the afternoon and evening, and then use the night time to study and do homework. This makes it really hard for me to find a time to work out, or just relax." said Kate McCaughey.
Mackenzie Deller, a student and employee of a local fitness studio said, "Being surrounded by positive people in a happy and welcoming environment help keeps me motivated about my workouts and eating habits." Mackenzie believes that the trick to staying motivated and keeping away from temptations is all about having a good environment around you and being comfortable in your own skin.
The appeal for expensive athletic clothing and trendy workouts, such as spin classes or barre classes, has grown. People now seem to justify paying hundreds of dollars a month to maintain a membership at these luxurious studios.
The money spent on these classes or clothing isn't the issue, it's the reason behind the sudden obsession. It is not because people genuinely enjoy working out, but more so because Kim Kardashian is doing it, or it's a social environment.
Since millennials were raised during a time of major transitions in the American society, their priorities and expectations have raised. Their spending habits are also extremely different from the previous generation. It is now acceptable to purchase $120 pair of leggings or other expensive material items.
The concept of wellness and health is seen as luxurious. Today, wellness and health are more than just being healthy on the inside, it also focuses on looking the part, and acting the part. At the end of the day, whatever is keeping people motivated should be looked at in a positive light.
