Every college student wants to avoid the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior 15 lbs. I know I do. But there’s just one tiny problem: pizza exists, and donuts do too. Also chicken wings, pasta, grease, sugar, fried food–OH MY! My mouth is watering. You can already see my dilemma.
However, it’s not just me. College students ride the struggle bus on a daily basis when it comes to even finding a decent meal. How many times have you have a 7:50 am class and said, “I’ll just skip breakfast, I’ll be fine.” Or how about this one: “I need to work out, I should work out, I will…..no, no, I don’t think I will. Does clicking to a new episode of ‘Parks and Recreation’ count as exercise???”
No, no it doesn’t.
But of course, we’ve all been guilty of being lazy. It’s much easier to have a pizza delivered to your front door than getting up, putting on pants, and walking or driving to get a meal. I get that. Stress and a busy schedule gets the best of all of us at some point or another, so that’s why I’m here: to talk to you as one lazy, pizza-loving college student to another.
Without further ado, here are my simple tips to living healthier in college.
1. DRINK WATER.
Your body is composed of 73% water, so don’t even try to act surprised that this is the FIRST step to becoming a healthier college human. When you’re running around all day, going to class, extracurriculars, sports, the gym–it’s a wonder we all don’t pass out from dehydration anyways. Our bodies are the real MVPs…they deal with much more than they should. So do it a favor and try to drink eight 8-oz glasses of water a day. Not only will this keep your body hydrated, but it will keep your skin healthy, keep you more energized, and will keep your tummy full so that binge-eating isn’t even a worry! Drinking water also increases your metabolism that can help weight loss!
2. CUT DOWN ON THE STARBUCKS, WILL YA?!
Before you click away and hunt me down to burn me at the stake, hear me out. College and coffee go together like peanut butter and jelly, I get that. But I’m here to tell you what Starbucks won’t. Fatty frappaccinos and calorie-filled lattes or ice coffees will slowly but surely put the pounds on you without remorse. Coffee’s not the only culprit–bagels crammed with carbs and pastries packed with sugar do not bid well for your belly. Carbs and sugar also keeps you tired and groggy, exactly what you don’t want! Caffeine is terrible for you, too, and is actually quite addictively like a late night studying-induced nicotine. To combat this, try Starbuck’s healthier alternatives, such as using coconut or skim milk in your coffee, sugar-free syrup, or even just trying your coffee black. They also have amazing teas and refreshers that, when taken without sweetner, could serve as a better alternative. Bonus: green tea speeds up your metabolism, clears up your skin, and is caffeine-free.
3. EAT BREAKFAST, YOUR BODY WILL THANK YOU.
Ron Swanson is right, my ladies. Breakfast can cure more than you would imagine. Eating a nutritious breakfast in the morning can help energize you and prepare your body for the crazy day ahead. No matter how early you have to be up, give yourself enough time to enjoy a breakfast. Be wary of the wrong breakfast foods though. Sugary cereals and yogurts, that cold pizza you ordered the night before, those don’t count. Treat your body like the temple that it is–foods such as real greek yogurt, fruits, granola, whole-wheat toast and peanut butter are all great examples of protein-enriched meals that will aid your body’s metabolism and digestive track. Following this breakfast up with a tall glass of H2O would be the perfect start to any morning.
4. TRY TO WALK AND USE THE STAIRS.
It’s amazing what a difference it makes on your body when you walk everywhere (within reason) instead of driving. The same situation applies to taking the stairs whenever possible instead of using the elevator or an escalator. When living on a private college campus like HPU, it’s easy to walk everywhere, although some buildings do seem pretty far away. But unless you live off-campus, it’s a blizzard, a monsoon, or just too damn cold, you should be walking everywhere! Enjoy the weather, admire the beautiful campus, take your time and breathe. Even the slowest walking is better than just driving–it saves gas too! Keeping a step-counter or a fitbit handy is a good way to push yourself, as well. Keep in mind, even if you aren’t working out on a daily basis, walking to-and-from class can have you burning over 300 calories a day!
5. REDUCE YOUR STRESS (THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND ALSO THE HARDEST)
Repeat after me: you are worth more than your grades and extracurriculars. Now say it again, and again, and then one more time, until you understand that it’s true. Sure, you should try your absolute best in class because you’re not an asshole and you know you’re better than skipping class for a week and not turning in any assignments or studying for tests. College is four years of your whole entire life. Sometimes you will try your hardest, you’ll study for days, you’ll pull all-nighters, you’ll be the smartest or prettiest or best, but you will still fail. And guess what? That is okay. Without failure, we would never appreciate success. We will all over-committ ourselves at some point. We have sororities, sports, social lives, family and friends–of course you’re stressed! Stress also stops weight-loss, it decreases your metabolism, and it causes binge-eating and laziness. So take your failures, your stressful schedules, your impossible classes, with a grain of salt (most preferably on a margarita).
6. STOP EATING CRAP. STOP IT.
We all would love to find a healthy, extra-cheesy, super saucy pizza that had a magic ingredient that spurred weight-loss. But let’s be real–that’s some futuristic shit (but seriously, praying for the future). If you’re eating chinese take-out every night, stuffing your face with pasta, getting fries with every meal and accompanying that with dessert, well it’s no wonder you’re blowing up like a balloon! If possible, try to cook your own food naturally. Marinate some beef or chicken to grill up, try to keep fresh fruit around, and avoid buying candy or chips so you aren’t tempted when the late-night munchies come knocking. Try ordering steamed broccoli instead of fries, and avoid bread and sugar as much as possible. Don’t eat after 9:00 pm and watch your portion sizes. There are multiple ways to fight against bad eating habits, but ultimately it starts with YOU! Your will-power will determine the outcome. So, giving yourself a cheat day might aid in increasing that will-power. In moderation you can enjoy your favorite not-so-healthy meals, and stay on the slimmer side!
7. GET ENOUGH SLEEP, DUH.
You’ve heard this a thousand times before, but here it comes again. If you aren’t sleeping enough, your body isn’t recovering enough, which causes weight-loss to halt. Being fully rested also keeps your mind focused, it helps cognitive brain function and reduces stress and anxiety (which let’s be honest, we all need that). It’s much easier said than done, but sacrificing 6 hours of sleep and pulling an all-nighter will not help you study efficiently. In fact, you will perform worse! At the end of the day, keeping your mind and body healthy and rested is most important. Never forget it!
8. PHYSICAL EXERCISE IS KEY.
Working out on a daily basis can be difficult, given our busy schedules. That’s why walking to class and using the stairs is so important! On top of that, you should be getting at least two-and-a-half hours of moderate physical activity per week. That can be anything from hitting the gym, taking a recreation class such as yoga or pilates, or going for a run. Even joining a club sport could help with getting your hours in! Exercise doesn’t have to be difficult, inviting friends to join you is a great way to build relationships while getting tighter and more fit bodies! Exercise also helps reduce stress and burns fat and calories. Treat your body to a nice sweat session to keep your mind and stress level on track!
9. SKINNY VODKA ISN’T SO SKINNY–STOP BINGE-DRINKING.
So you’ve drank your water, cut down on your starbucks intake, ate your nutritious breakfast, used the stairs and walked to class, you’ve managed your schedule, stopped eating crap, got enough sleep and stepped up your exercise-game, but you’re still putting on the unwanted weight. We’re forgetting the worst enemy of the body: alcohol. Alcohol is not only full of calories and sugar, but it is a depressant, which means it slows all of your body functions down, including your metabolism, digestion and cognitive function. Pretty much it ruins all of the hard work you’ve been doing to keep the weight off. It keeps you from sleeping well, it causes you to binge-eat, and contrary to people using it to relax, it amps up your anxiety and stress. Alcohol is a drug, and drugs are bad for your body! Having a drink from time-to-time is wonderful, in moderation and if you are of age. However, binge-drinking can take a huge toll on your will to live healthier, and on your body in general. Alcohol is fine, but not all the time!