Let’s face it, eating healthy is hard. It’s really not something you wake up and decide you’re going to do. It takes time since it’s a lifestyle and we all want to live long healthy lives, right? (This is the part where you nod your head.) With the current rave of veganism, all of us have thought about going plant-based at least once or twice before, I know I have. I wake up in the morning and I tell myself yesterday was my last day eating meat, drinking milk, and scarfing down scrambled eggs. Within two hours I find myself eating a bacon egg sandwich for breakfast from Starbucks. So what happened? You can’t just decide to change your way of eating the day that you’re going to do it. Drastic changes require time to adjust as well as changing what’s in your fridge. It took me a couple of weeks to months to effectively cancel dairy from my diet, and even some days I slip up.
Deciding to change your way of eating without the right amount of food and nutrition information may lead to you to just eating kale salad and a granola bar for the entire day. Not eating enough on a plant-based diet wires your brain to think that eating healthy food means you’re always going to go hungry and unfulfilled. Being in college doesn’t make it any better, with exams and papers to write you may not have time to cook. It’s so much easier to get fast food because it’s quick and requires no extra time or preparation out of your busy schedule.
Veganism is not the only way to eat healthily. A lot of people believe that going vegan automatically equates to eating healthy; however, many vegan foods are high in sodium and sugar. So even if you do go vegan it can be hard to make sure you’re staying on track. Everything is a process, so if you are looking to start eating healthy but cannot commit to veganism yet, here are 4 habits to stick to:
1. Discipline
All good things require sacrifice. Balance and moderation are key, so if you’re used to eating Oreos every night, you can probably try to cut that to once a week.
2. Meal Prepping
Meal prepping can sound intimidating, but it really could be just making your lunch the night before or planning out your dinner for the next two to three nights. I know most college students try to avoid cooking at all costs; however, with this method, you don’t desperately order Taco Bell at 9 pm because it’s the only thing open. Knowing what you’re going to eat leaves less room of uncertainty when you get hungry.
3. Snacking
Dieticians say you should be eating around every 2-3 hours, which most college students don’t really get the chance to do. If you’re consumed with schoolwork, 4 to 5 hours can pass by and you realize you’ve only eaten breakfast. Remember to stock up on healthy snacks.
- Fruits– bringing an apple or grapes with you can save you during that 3:35 class that never ends.
- Protein combinations– I love the blend of different textures and flavors and these can be extremely filling. Examples include apples and peanut butter, bell peppers and hummus and crackers and cheese.
- Trail mix- peanuts, cashews, almonds, you name it, there’s a nut for you.
- Healthy packaged foods: Skinny Pop popcorn, granola bars, sweet potato chips or yogurt
4. Time
Give yourself time to adjust, if your body is used to high sodium and sugary foods, it may take you a while to get used to whole foods. If you are thinking of removing meat, dairy or any other type of foods from your diet, take small steps. Start by removing milk first and then work your way up from there.
Eating healthier does require some sort of planning and thinking about what you eat before eating, but it’ll be well worth it. Also, remember moderation! It’s totally fine if you want to indulge in your favorite fast food every once in a while like ordering some tacos while out with your friends. No one said you have to completely cut yourself off from everything you enjoy, just try your best.
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