Healthy Living in College
Staying healthy in college can be a struggle, especially when your options are limited and so is your budget. Recently, I have been on my own fitness and health-eating journey and have a few tips to share with you on how I’ve been keeping it up while back at school.
Tip #1: Start by eating clean. Cut out as much meat and dairy as you can as those two food groups contribute to many health problems and diseases. Slowly cut out meat and dairy while you begin to incorporate more foods that are packed with nutrition such as greens, fruits and vegetables. Know your macros and use that as a guide to how you should be eating based on your body weight and goals. Doing this will not only make you feel better, it will also cost you less at the caf.
Tip #2: Know what to buy and what not to buy from the caf. In my experience, produce bought from a local grocer tastes better and has a better price than the produce available in the caf. Stock up on a week’s worth of fruits and/or veggies; keeping them around will make you less likely to run out for a midnight snack. Always stock up on water as well, constantly buying from the caf will make your meal plan deplete much faster.
Tip #3: Make use of the school gym. Every residence hall at Pace is equipped with a gym, including the main building. Although these facilities are not the greatest, you can still manage to get in a quick workout before class to start your day. If Pace’s gyms just don’t cut it, Blink Fitness on Nassau Street offers memberships for $25 a month with no contract. Personally, having a gym membership usually keeps me on track with my workouts and gives me more incentive to go.
Tip #4: Don’t beat yourself up if you get off track. We’re all human and make mistakes, don’t let yourself get down about having a cheat day every now and then. Trust me, I’ve had my fair share of cheat days, but I have never woken up the next day and lost all my progress. You always have a clean slate tomorrow.
All in all, know what works for your body and plan a routine based around your needs. Know your body, give yourself the nutrition you need and find something that helps you stay motivated to go to the gym. College can be stressful and time consuming; staying healthy will not only help your body but your mind as well.