So, this means no more chicken nuggets?
The thought of me giving up meat was something I thought I never could do independently. At home, luckily my mother cooks and buys primarily organic and healthy options and because of that, it is easy and more enjoyable for me to be health conscious.
However, when I am living in Richmond, when all grocery shopping and eating options are up to whatever I want, I have a sense of rebellion in what I eat. Choosing a steak bowl from Chipotle four days out of the week, eating an entire bag of pepperoni as a “snack” and drinking sodas when I’m in the dining hall even though I know the aftermath of acne flare-ups. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all about treating yourself and living life to the fullest, but with reservation. But with that there should still be a level of self-control and self care which for me, I lack. So because of that, I decided to test myself and alter my diet to becoming a pescatarian. A pescatarian is someone who does not eat meat but does eat fish.
Now, with any type of “diet,” it still comes with moderation. I know that by taking meat away I still have to have structure with whatever I eat. I do however think with this alteration it’ll allow me think about my meals more carefully. Not completely cutting everything, but thinking smarter when I eat out or even cook at home. In addition to this, exercise is still important for that all around healthier lifestyle. I’ve really picked up on my workout motivation, and it’s made a lot easier with the motivation of my roommate who is always down to workout with me. All around I want this to be an improvement in my health so I can not only feel more confident, but feel better.
I know, as college students we’re all busy and looking for anyway to save us time and money when it comes to food. However, today, societal norms seem to look at working out and health in such a different light. I feel like people of all ages have taken this Snapchat your workout “trend” in a positive direction. I want to continue being one of many who break the typical college student cycle. If health is priority to you, don’t make excuses, set some goals and make a plan.
My five starting goals:
1. Have more self-control
2. Control the amount of meals and snacks I have within a day. There will obviously still be days where I let myself slip up, eat all the wrong things and regret it later on, but hey, it’s all apart of the process.
3. Have a versatile grocery list (I make lists on Sunday nights since my roommate and I usually try and shop on Monday or Tuesday).
4. Continue with a consistent and enjoyable workout routine. I am not one for a strict workout regime, but as long as I go to the gym or some type of physical activity during the day I feel great.
5. Not to stress over this. I am doing this as a self test to see how many changes I truly can make but with this, I am not going to become to obsessive. I want this to be an enjoyable journey!
Photo credits: Cover Photo Taken by Aja Moore (Lamplighter Coffee Roasters, veggie sausage breakfast sandwich), 1