8:00am alarm clock goes off (you press snooze of course)
8:05am snooze
8:10am snooze again
8:15am contemplate on snoozing again, until you realize you have 25 minutes to get out the door until your first class
8:20am frantically get out of bed after looking at your phone to see which boys texted “Wyd?”at 2:00am and of course don’t forget their snappy chatts
8:30am knowing you’re late, you throw on a hoodie and jet to the bathroom for your morning ritual: hair check (messy bun day…. Everyday), your morning pee, and the brushing of your teeth to get rid of your monstrous dragon morning breath
8:40am crap, no time for make-up, so you pick up your book bag and head to the kitchen, where of course you have either no food, or at least nothing healthy
8:45am screw it, I can eat later or pick something up on the way
9:05am as you casually try to sneak by your professor, hoping he doesn’t see you sneaking in 5 minutes late, your tummy growls louder than the paper shuffling around the room… Busted!
9:20am you think to yourself, ‘seeing I was late, I should have at least ate something’
9:45am gosh I’m hungry
9:50am rushing to the next class, you pass a vending machine, but you casually walk back to it, hoping no one sees. Nothing peaks your interest, so you keep walking
10:00am class
10:25am damn I should have had breakfast
10:50am as you nonchalantly walk past the vending machine again to your next class, you browse it over once more, ‘ohhh a pop-tart! That will hold me over until lunch.’
10:55am as you trek all the way to your next class, eating your delicious snack, you kick yourself because the five minutes you spent at the vending machine, took up any time you had to watch McHottie walk into the Bio building.
11:00am class
11:15am that pop-tart did nothing
11:30am Oh. My. God. I’m going to die.
11:45am I. AM. STARVING.
11:50am you are the first to jet out the door, straight to the school cafeteria, because after having 3 back to back classes, you’re about to eat off your own hand.
12:00pm FOOOOOOODDDDDDDD!!! The caf looks like heaven J
12:01pm you stuff your face until you’re miserable
1:00pm from here you either head home/dorm to take a nap or go to your college job
3:00pm text from bestie, “OMG, I’m craving sushi right now! Let’s go for dinner!”
3:05pm reply with enthusiasm, “YAASSSSSS! When?”
3:10pm text from bestie, “We can go at 6:30, after I get out of class”
3:15pm unconsciously walk into the kitchen and begin snacking because you just spoke about dinner, that’s still 3 HOURRRRSSS AWAY
4:00pm Netflix or hw time
4:30pm you get bored so you grab a snack from the fridge
5:00pm begin to graze the pantry for unfulfilling snacks, but tell yourself no because you’re about to eat sushi
6:00pm OMG I’m starving, AGAIN.
6:25pm bestie texts and says she’s running 10 minutes late but you get in your car anyways, not even caring, because you’re going to eat off your other hand now (2 hands on the steering wheel please)
6:35pm arrive at your local favorite sushi place, sit, and order your appetizer and besties drink because you know she’s won’t care
6:45pm bestie arrives
7:00pm order meal with drinks of course (wine, always wine)
7:20pm food comes out and you devour it like you haven’t eaten in days
Unfortunately this is the daily routine of college students. We do this over and over and over again. We get into the habit of eating poorly, eating too much, skipping meals, eating on the go, going way too long between meals, and so much more. We have such little time in our college schedules that we place our diets on the back burner in life.
We always think to ourselves that we will be healthy when life becomes less hectic, hence, when we are older; but realistically, life never slows down, and before you know it, you’re 35 and still have the same eating patterns as you did in college, wondering why you can’t shed your bulging tummy that started as your freshman 15 into what now is your mid-life 30 pack.
Why, you ask?
Truth be told, it’s because you didn’t find it a priority or a necessity, when you were in your 20’s to think about your diet, because you had the metabolism of a race horse, so forming healthy habits and a daily lifestyle wasn’t on your to-do list and/or schedule, when it should have been.
Here are some easy and cheap fixes for college kids either wanting healthier life styles or trying to diet on a budget:
Utilize the campus gym: It’s there, so use it!
Dining Hall: You can be healthy at the dining hall. Not everything in there will be, and it will be tempting, but look for the non-processed or low in carbohydrates options.
Portion control: This is highly important! If you eat at a slower pace, you will become full faster, and won’t eat as much. This in itself will cut back calories. Which also goes hand in hand with the next step.
Be careful of the times you eat: If you go too long between meals, your body will think you are starving yourself and store your next meal as fat. If you eat too late at night, your food won’t be done digesting before you go to bed. Combined with portion control, the smaller your portion sizes, the more times you are capable of eating, which in return will keep your metabolism running.
Incorporate nuts and whole grains into your diet: Most places give you options for healthier choices, so choose them. Instead of a bag of chips, grab a handful of nuts. If you eat a sandwich daily, eat whole grain bread instead of white.
THE SWITCH UP GAME: This one is my favorite! Taking junk food away is extremely hard, so instead of taking it out, I play what I call the switch up game. The rules are simple, for every piece of candy or junk food I eat, I have to eat 3 of my least favorite veggies/fruits. I despise bananas, so every time I think about putting something oh so delicious, but oh so bad into my mouth, I remind myself that I will have to incorporate a banana into my diet….. way worse!
Milk: If you’re like me, and have an unhealthy addiction to milk, you don’t have to stop drinking it all together. Try to cut back, and also try to stay clear of whole, with healthy options like 2%, skim, Fair Life, almond milk, etc.
Eliminate soda and juices: The sugar content in these drinks are atrocious. Take them out completely. Water and milk are your best friends, and if you aren’t a water fan, try water enhancers like Mio. They are acids that when combined with water, turn sweet, and the best part is….. they are 0 calories.
Put away your leftovers before you eat: Fix your portion and put the rest into the fridge. You are less likely to go out of your way, to go back into the fridge after you eat, to get more food, because by then it’s cold and you have to warm it back up causing it to be more of a hassle than not.
If you’re a cereal eater: Stay clear of sugary cereals. Try healthier options, they are better than you think. Also, don’t forget to put the box back into the pantry, so you don’t go for that second or third bowl.
HARDEST TIP: SELF CONTROL (self-explanatory)
It may be hard right at first, but once incorporated into your everyday life, it becomes easier and easier. Not to mention all the benefits you’ll reap in the long.
