The worst feeling is walking straight to the Cinnamon Toast Crunch in the dining hall and standing there for a solid minute thinking, "Do I really need that?" It's always there making it that much harder not to splurge and eat four bowls in one sitting (possibly speaking from experience).
Now what does being healthy actually mean? It's really varies person to person, but usually includes a good diet and exercise - nothing new, however, those simple words are extremely tough pills to swallow and actual pursue. Here are some tips to stay somewhat healthy from a not so hardcore healthy person.
How to stay away from Cinnamon Toast Crunch (street name CTC) and every other junky food:
Have a plan. Set a schedule for days you feel like you deserve to splurge. For example, any day you have an exam or a bad day in general, comfort yourself with a bit of junk. Or you could have set "junk days" for every Monday and Friday or something like that.
Don't wait too long to eat. You are more susceptible to eat larger portions when when you wait too long leaving your body to digest and store more in a short period of time. Eat small snacks and drink plenty of water to keep your body "full" and less likely to eat two hamburgers, fries, a couple of cookies, and maybe a salad for good measure.
Dining Hall food can also be very tempting when given an unlimited selection, so I would recommend sticking to yet another type of plan. Say every morning you want thirty-two strips of bacon (yeah me to). Instead, Go for a nice protein (one preferably not filled with fat and salt), some nice breakfast carbs, and fruit. You can never go wrong with fruit. You can even grab some toast and put some peanut butter on it - simple. For lunch and dinner, you'll probably want all of the delicious carbs they offer like rice or dinner rolls, but stick with again a nice protein, whether that be meat or another source, and never exclude your veggies. They will save your life in college with the lack of vitamins and at home meals mom used to cook every night.
How to get motivated to work out:
Again, have a plan, but not just by yourself. Whenever I tell myself I'll go to the gym by myself, it's a 50/50 shot I end up going. Make a plan with a friend. I'm telling you it gives you so much more motivation because if either person cancels, it feels like they're a weakling and not hard core enough to handle leg day or run a mile or two.
Get involved. There are so many random activities you never thought in a million years you would partake in. You could join swing dancing, rowing, or an ultimate frisbee team to stay active and have fun at the same time rather than thinking of exercising as a hastle. This way it becomes a commitment.
As you can tell, I'm no expert, but I would like you to take away information on how to begin a "healthy" college experience and not get stuck in the rut of an unhealthy lifestyle.
