Many college students have gone through a stage where weight gain has a been an issue. Some have even gone through a state of weight loss. In college, there is not much thought put into having a healthy diet. All you think about is that quick meal to satisfy your stomach after a long day of classes and stress. No one has time to prepare a healthy meal low in sodium, sugar or carbohydrates. No one has time to read food labels to see how many calories they are taking in. As a college student, I have struggled with this problem for the past three years. In your mind, you want to be this well-rounded person with a healthy diet but so much unhealthy good tasting food is being thrown in your face and your friends don't make it any better.
My first reason I have come to realize why eating healthy is a struggle in college is because I live the life of a “broke college student”. The healthier you eat the more money you spend. You get what you pay for. Now don't get me wrong, you can go to the market and get fresh veggies at a reasonable cost but once again, who has time for that. A nice salad would be great but why get an $8 salad when I can get burgers and fries for 6. Now I could do a nice baked salmon for dinner instead of beef tacos, but salmon is not as cheap as you think. My taco meal would be a quick cheap meal that I will enjoy probably much better.
My second reason I have come to notice is that eating healthy is a full-time job in college. To actually pay attention to the ingredients that are in every meal you eat is a lot. Like expressed before, most students just want to satisfy their hunger for the time being. Between 10 page papers, extracurricular activities, social life, and trying to maintain a decent GPA, you don't think about a nutritious diet. A quick bag of chips for breakfast to be on time for class is probably the most convenient breakfast there is but is it healthy? Of course not but it's easy for what all a student has going on.
My final reason for this unhealthy diet is that most students are not aware of how to eat healthy. Being a nutrition major, I have noticed the lack of knowledge that some students have when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet. Yes, I struggle with it myself because I am a college student as well but I have improved. As I get more into my major, I began to realize the ins and outs of food. At some institutions, “Nutrition” is not a requirement for an elective which is a problem. Students should be more aware of the foods entering their body. Not only will this help them to have an overall well-being but some foods provide nutrients to the brain which is very essential in college. Yes, college is stressful, and yes you have assignments due at 11:59 but let's not forget that we are humans, and the body needs to be taken care of inside and out. This can start with a more improved diet.
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