10 Healthy Eating Tips for College Students

 

According to a national study; 3 out of 10 students are overweight or obese –says the CDC-. Maintaining a fit body and proper eating habits during college can be as difficult as passing some of its toughest exams; busy college students usually eat on the run, do stress-eating, skip meals, or eat while studying due to their tight schedules, all of which increase their overweight problems.

If you’re a college student who wants to fix his/her overweight issue or to want to prevent gaining weight along with your certificate; follow these eating tips.

 

1- Fuel up with breakfast

Chances of controlling the rest of your day’s meals increase if you start your day with a healthy filling breakfast, even if you didn't have time to sit for it, don’t miss it; find healthy alternatives.

 

2- Get an “A” in snack preparation

Plan and prepare your snacks the night before to spare yourself time the next morning or to avoid visiting the cafeteria for a quick –and usually unhealthy- bite. Chose easy, portable snacks, and get the extra benefit of saving some money by bringing lower cost snacks from home.

Find some healthy snacks ideas to help you out.

 

3- Study your classes schedule well

Look carefully into your classes and studying schedule and see how you can fit your snacks and meals to cut down chances of hunger and sudden visits to urgent food restaurants.

 

4- Avoid social eating

Meeting friends on meals can be tempting and difficult to quit, but if it becomes a habit, it will lead to stacking lots of calories in your body. Instead; find other activities to socialize with and ask your friend’s support on managing your food intake.

 

5- Scan the available cafeterias

Visit the nearest cafeterias and vending machines and look at the available foods and drinks in the eyes of a nutritionist. Choose the most healthy options available -even make a list of them- so that you prepare you mindset on what to buy in case you had to.

 

6- Eat something every 3 hours

Skipping meals promotes weight gain –science says- so avoid staying on empty stomach for more than 3 hours. And don’t think that you can compensate for the missed foods in the previous meal, in the meal after.

 

7- Don’t go for fad diets, EVER!

Fad diets are a road to failure if you want a long term body weight management; so learn how to recognize fad diets and avoid falling for them.

 

8- Drink lots of water

Water aids in weight loss, in addition to many other benefits, so make sure to drink at least 2 liters of water daily, make water bottle your studying companion.

 

9- You've got to move it!

There is no escape of mentioning exercise even when talking about diet; even if you couldn't possibly fit some exercising in your schedule, try to compensate for that by increasing movement in your everyday life such as walking while reading or during breaks.