Do you ever come across those roadblocks of healthy eating habits? You are not alone. What health habits lead to the common phenomenon called the “freshman 15?” You can basically answer it for yourself: binge drinking, which is then followed by cravings of fries, cookies and other junk foods. Binge drinking is not the only cause or even scenario of poor eating habits. Things most, if not all, students struggle with are also stress, anxiety, or even loneliness which provokes the need to constantly scarf down food. The greater challenge to toggle with is knowing your limits, and what your focus should be on.
When discussing why students struggle with their weight in college, it most likely revolves around their eating habits. This is not to say that you can sneak in a few cookies here and there, however. With eating cookies comes, of course, the gym. The gym is not just a place to lose weight, but a place to release your in- ner stress endorphins. Why could you be stressed? With stress coming from constant academic changes, or even managing your schedule are closely related to stress.
For myself, as an avid cyclist and gym enthusiast, I cannot go a day without entering my home: The Life Sports Center. Although, there are times where I am just too tired to walk to the gym, my instincts remind me that I need to be accountable for my own stress. So, rather than eating junk food, I take myself to the gym to release those stressors. I make sure that everyday before I head to the gym, I have completed all assigned work that is due the following day. Procrastination is a problem for a lot of students, therefore, I recommend thinking about your future. What do you want to do after college? Where do you see yourself? These life lessons are ones to keep in mind. These are lifestyle responsibilities that are similar to how your professors expect you to see your work. If you become apparent to what your daily needs are sooner than later, along with what your future will look like, it will help guide you in the healthy lifestyle path of managing your stress.
Having these balanced motives will allow for happiness. As a matter of fact, you can flip through flashcards on the elliptical or treadmill in preparation for an upcoming exam. You can take 35 minutes to workout without studying, or even so 35 minutes to workout while studying. Remember though that if you are walking on the treadmill, you should increase your incline from 0.0 to 12% with adjusting your speed to 3.5mph, or whatever allows you to walk and study without falling off.
Being equipped with these stressors does not stop you from eating healthy foods!
Looking for a healthy and easy recipe, that will leave you full? You are at luck! For those of you who may not know me, I craze about kale, and greens! As simple as waking up a little early before class, and gathering ingredients to make a powerhouse smoothie will keep you satis ed until your next meal. With only 240 calories, and five minutes to make, the High Protein Blueberry Kale Smoothie, is full of antioxidants and of course protein which is what keeps you full!
As most students still live in dorms, and may not have access to a blender, or even a car to pick up these ingredients, there are still other ways to have a healthy breakfast, lunch, or even dinner! We have one of the top dining halls in the country, along with the number one in Pennsylvania, the Muhlenberg Dining Hall is right at your fingertips! What are you waiting for? The dining hall has numerous of healthy living choices for you to pick from. Whether it’s grabbing a scoop of granola and drizzling it onto your plain nonfat vanilla yogurt, or grabbing a handful of kale you are good! Make sure you have some protein, even grabbing grilled chicken will do the trick. Keep in mind that salad dressings are high in sodium, and carbohydrates, so be aware of how much you drizzle on. Muhlenberg has multitudes of accommodations that suit everybody’s needs. That being said, if you ever need nutrition help, the chefs are more than happy to assist you, along with the nutritionist on campus.
Remember to find your core happiness! Maybe it consists of doing abs in your room, spending 25 minutes at the gym, doing yoga, or just sitting in the saddle (bike seat), listening to music, riding towards your success and happiness. Or even so, riding towards your next endeavor, followed by success and happiness.
