It happens to everyone—somewhere between midterms and March 1st, your spring break body got lost and has yet to be found as you sip, guiltily, on that white chocolate mocha or nom on some chicken strips slathered in BBQ sauce. Dieting can be difficult and it seems that a lot of people are only interested in short-term goals such as slipping into a new bikini or looking great for formal and, unfortunately, they often find themselves feeling guilty as their diets crash and burn a few weeks later. This is not okay. Stop feeling guilty about ordering that sweet drink from Starbucks and your body and aim to get healthy and not just diet. Getting healthy isn’t just a short-term goal, it’s a major lifestyle change.
As scary as the term “lifestyle change” sounds, it’s really not! All it takes is taking the stairs instead of the elevator, drinking lemonade or juice instead of a soda at lunch, or even giving up meat just one day of the week! Personally, I am HUGE fan of the latter and each Monday my friends and I participate in “Meatless Mondays.” Meatless Monday is a simple movement that focuses on cutting out meat one day a week. Not only does this have a positive outcome on the environment by reducing your carbon footprint and minimizing water usage, but is has an amazing outcome on your health! By minimizing your meat intake to one day a week, you dramatically reduce your risks for things such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
As cheesy as it may sound, get a friend involved! My friends and I love to have lunch together each Monday afternoon to explore vegetarian options on Auburn’s campus and sometimes we have dinner parties where we each bring a dish that we made without meat. It’s amazing what a great meal you can have without using meat! All it takes is a little creativity on your part and soon you’re feasting on honey-glazed carrots and garlic-roasted mashed potatoes and thinking, “Chicken, who?” Meatless Monday isn’t just limited to Mondays, though. You can host your own Meatless Monday any day of the week! Whether looking to have a healthier diet or challenge yourself to live a more “green” lifestyle, Meatless Mondays is where it’s at.
If you are looking to get involved with this movement, then there are tons of resources as your disposal. Auburn’s “The Challenge” will be hosted a Meatless Monday Challenge on March 18th and there are tons of websites that can help you learn more about Meatless Mondays and getting fit while reducing your environmental footprint.
Resources:
The AU Challenge
Why Meatless?
Meatless Monday Recipes