As we work our way into the school year, a couple pounds may creep up on us from the easy-to-grab scones at the library and roommate dinner trips to Chipotle, with ice cream after. Here are some tricks to keep you on track.
For breakfast, make sure to choose something with a lot of protein! If you’re at home, instead of cereal or oatmeal, make a quick omelet with turkey and plenty of veggies! If you’re on the run around campus, instead of a latte with a scone or bagel and cream cheese, pick up Greek yogurt, string cheese and a green tea. If you need something else to last you through your morning classes grab a protein shake. Great places to buy these on campus are the Union, Marketplace and the C-store!
For lunch, it seems like there aren’t many choices. You either have fast food on high street or a variety of sandwiches and a bag of chips. What I really like to do is grab a packet of salmon at CVS, they are only a dollar and are a great supplement at one of our amazing salad bars, wher eyou can fill up on veggies. Lots of spinach, broccoli and mushrooms! Afterwards, top the saland with your salmon and dress with either mustard or hot sauce… kinda weird, but the fish is pretty sweet so you will need a tang to go with it. As a side, cottage cheese is always a good option, as well as more veggies. Try and stay away from carbohydrate rich sides, which will leave you hungry earlier.
Dinner time is most people’s largest meal, but I would try and keep it small. Not only will you save a lot of calories, but taking on a big meal even four hours before bed will have an adverse side effect on your sleep. So, instead of a Chipotle burrito or pasta and alfredo sauce, a chicken breast with in-season veggies is super easy and quick to make. Right now I am super into zucchini and a variety of squash, both of which are in season. I love spaghetti squash, and as the name suggests, it’s a great substitute for pasta! A serving of that, topped with green peppers, salsa and taco seasoned ground beef is a simple meal that will fill your Mexican cravings.
Snacks are always difficult because you are always craving something a little different. If in the mood for something salty, look for steamed edamame with sea salt instead of the bag of chips or pretzels. At Kroger there are packs of them for a dollar, a generous serving has 110 calories and 9 grams of protein. This is great for an after workout snack. If you’re running around campus, grab a peanut butter packet. You can find these on the counters of many dining halls. If not, ask the cashier; they usually run for about 50 cents. Be carefu, though, and only eat one; the calories will soon out-weigh the protein benefits. The library sometimes offers hard-boiled eggs. These are also amazing and will keep you full until dinnertime.
As for dessert, I don’t think there is a really good swap option. Most low calorie or non-fat desserts are filled with artificial ingredients that will mess up your hormonal balances and ramp up your sweet tooth. Instead eat what you REALLY want. Make sure that you only about a 200 calorie portion, though, and keep it as a treat and not another meal!