Hannah Reinhart

This is it – the time of the semester we have all dread: finals time. With only 3 short weeks left, it is that time of the year where we all will start cramming to study for all of our final exams. As we all know, this is the most stressful time of the semester, where we are constantly studying our textbooks or working on papers. Meanwhile, we tend to forget about other important things such as our diet and exercise. Here are some of the best study snacks you can indulge in without completely forgetting your balanced diet.

1.     Mixed Nuts

Nuts such as almonds, cashews, and peanuts offer a great source of protein that fills you up quick. If you can, it is better to eat the unsalted kind. However, even if you don’t eat the unsalted kind, these nuts still offer great benefits if you watch your portions. They offer you protein, fiber and healthy fats so eat up!

2.     Popcorn

Believe it or not, popcorn really is a pretty healthy snack. Go for the unsalted and less buttery kind so that you can indulge in the fiber goodness without all of the extra calories. Not to mention it is quick, cheap, and easy to make, which is convenient for study breaks.

3.     Veggies with Hummus

Instead of eating a full bag of pita chips with hummus, go for veggies with hummus. Vegetables are a great way to get a natural source of energy, and hummus is made from chickpeas, which are a good source of protein. However, you do need to watch how much hummus you eat because it tends to be high in fat. Look for the already portioned containers of hummus. There are usually only 30 calories in each one.

4.     Apple with Peanut Butter

With Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching, it is getting harder to eat healthfully. We are continuously finding ourselves surrounded by more and more by decadent desserts, buttery mashed potatoes, and endless amount of carbs. Although it is okay to splurge a little bit during the holidays, it is important to still know what we are consuming. Whether or not you choose to avoid them entirely, here are some of the foods to look out for this holiday season.

1.     Stuffing 

Although stuffing is very tasty,  it is typically loaded with high amounts of butter and fat meats. A single scoop of stuffing could have up to 550 calories. If you must eat some stuffing during the holiday season, try to avoid large amounts of it. Or to make stuffing with less calories, replace butter with low-sodium chicken broth, and skip the meat. You could even try to make wild rice stuffing to be even healthier.

2.     Prime Rib

Prime rib comes from the fattest part of the cow, which allows one piece to reach up to 750 calories with 45 grams of fat. If you are wanting to have beef in your holiday meal, the better option is beef tenderloins. Unlike prime rib, beef tenderloins have a quarter of the calories. Other healthier meat options include lean turkey or grilled chicken.

3.     Candied Sweet Potatoes

With brown sugar, butter, and marshmallows all in one dish – you can easily guess this isn’t one of your healthier options. About half of one serving of sweet potatoes casserole can have up to 400 calories, with tons of sugar included. Plain sweet potato is the better alternative. Sweet potatoes are pretty healthy as it is, and they will be less caloric than a sweet potatoes casserole.

It’s that time of year again – everyone is going to the pumpkin patch, decorating theirs rooms and doors with ghosts and pumpkins, and more importantly – all of the Halloween candy is out. Although it is a fun time of year and a special occasion where some of the best candy comes out for trick-or-treaters, it is important to know what candies are the healthier options compared to the ones that are not. It’s no secret that Halloween candy can have extreme amounts of calories, fat, and sugar – but you can indulge this Halloween season without packing on the pounds.

The healthiest chocolate candy is the miniature 3 Musketeers. They are only 24 calories with less than 1 gram of fat. It is better to save the calories and eat chocolate candies with a more airy center, rather than a really dense filling. On the other hand, the worst chocolate candy to eat is the miniature Butterfinger. They are 45 calories with 2 grams of fat, but if you eat a couple of these you might as well just have a whole bar!

If you are looking for a more fruity Halloween candy, the healthiest option is Lemon Heads. The fun size box of Lemon Heads is 50 calories with 0 grams of fat, while 10 Starbursts have 204 calories and 4 grams of fat. Although Starbursts are a tasty fruity candy, make sure to watch how many you have because the calories do add up. You could even try another healthier alternative to Starbursts such as Jolly Ranchers!

With cold weather approaching and an endless amount of schoolwork , it can be hard to motivate ourselves to get outside and to workout. Although we have the ability to go to the KU Recreation Center, sometimes it can be hard to find a ride or it just seems too cold for us to walk all the way there. However, don’t panic – you’re in luck. Here are the top 5 best workouts you can do without even leaving your room.

P 90 X
Now we have all heard of P 90 X, but some of us have never had the courage to actually try it. Although P 90 X is a little pricey, try splitting the cost of purchase with a couple of friends that want to join you in the workout. You will gain access to a great workout as well as a supportive team to cheer each other on! P 90 X offers the total body workout. The workouts vary from day to day, which allows your body to work all muscle groups. Yes, it is challenging, but it is worth it.  Ask anyone who has used P 90 X, they will even tell you the benefits . With winter approaching, P 90 X offers you a great way to stay in shape without having to face the brutal cold weather.

10 Minute Solution: Rapid Results Pilates
If you are looking for a quick but beneficial workout, this is the DVD for you. The exercise burns 270 calories in one sitting and 50 calories per round. This workout is beneficial for those who can’t seem to find time to make it to the Rec pilates because it sums up everything you would do in a normal Pilates class in a quick and convenient way.  In the video the instructor is very specific as to which exercises target specific areas. Thus, you can focus more on your trouble areas more easily. The workout video focuses on your abdominals, thighs, arms, shoulders, and overall stretching ability.