This is a guest post by our Summer Intern, Odelya Niknam
As college students, we spend our days studying, procrastinating by looking at memes, studying, and studying. Did I mention studying?
In case you weren’t paying attention in Bio class, your body gets its needed energy from food. We can gain our best energy to ace our classes by eating nutritious foods and making healthy lifestyle choices. Below are some of my favorite healthy eating tips for college students!
Use Your Smartphone
It’s so rare to find a college student not holding their phone while walking from class to class. Since our smartphones are so accessible, t should be REALLY easy to track what you’re eating. Whether your goal is so lose weight or build muscle, apps like Yazio and Lifesum are great ways to count your calories and keep record of your eating/exercise habits.
Question Why
Eating mindlessly is a common culprit of weigh gain. Ask yourself if you are hungry, bored, or eating to comfort your feelings. Give yourself an honest answer! When we take the time to listen to the body, we are able to see what foods it really needs. Staying in tune with the body allows us to differentiate these signals and can cut out unnecessary cravings. Honor your hunger and listen to your body!
Stock Up
Stocking up on HEALTHY and QUICK choices can be a lifesaver in college. You’ll thank yourself every time you reach for them! Surrounding yourself with healthy clean options is a smart way to drive yourself in the proper direction. Aim to stock up on items like frozen vegetables, unsalted nuts, granola bars, and low-sodium canned soups.
80/20 Rule
This rule states that 80% of the time you should aim to eat clean foods, and 20% of the time you can allow yourself to enjoy those "fun" foods. Following this rule gives you the best of both worlds in moderation, because the truth is no one can be 100% all the time! Enjoy that chocolate cake, but make sure you ate your fruits and veggies for the week.
Drink Your H20
All day, every day. Thirst and hunger sensations are linked together, and thirst can often be mistaken for hunger! Again, listen to your body and be able to differentiate these signals. Try not to drink your calories with soda and sugary beverages. Water is such a pure fluid- stay hydrated with water is the best way to clean out your body system and make your skin glow.
Be Inspired
Cheesy, I know- but it's true! Without being inspired to do something, it can be hard to accomplish what we want to achieve. Find some inspo from places like Instagram or Pinterest (Stef Health Tips has awesome social media pages). The internet is full of creative recipes for us to take advantage of.
All in all, stay active and eat right. Focus on consistency and don’t be so harsh on yourself. Make decisions on your eating habits based on YOURSELF, not anyone else!
Good luck my fellow college mates this year!
Xoxo,
Odelya
Odelya Niknam is a student at Queens College majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics. We are very excited to have her as our Stef Health Tips Summer 2018 Intern. Learn more about Odelya in this introductory blog post.