It’s Monday.
Grogginess hits you like a bus, because you stayed up a little later than you wanted to, getting your class readings and assignments done. After managing the cowlicks, you grab your cup of coffee and run out the door. You get through your classes only to stay on campus for an extracurricular meeting. Afterwards, you try to avoid traffic to get to work on time. Before you even realize, it’s late, but you need to get your assignments done before class tomorrow.
With a schedule like this for the typical collegiette (and, repeat), who has time to hit the gym three times per week and eat healthy meals in between running to classes located halfway across campus?
Here at Her Campus, we understand. So, to help lighten the burden and to keep you at optimal radiance, we’ve rounded up some easy, convenient tips to help you stay healthy, all while juggling life.
1. YOU NEED TO EAT!As someone who’s forgotten to eat meals in-between running around trying to do homework and be at meetings, trust me when I say food is essential for a vital mind and body. To keep your energy and metabolism up, you need to eat (especially in the mornings), even if that means grabbing a granola bar to eat during your first class. Listen to your mom when she says, “Honey, don’t skip breakfast!” This first meal of the day will not only start the engine on your metabolism, but will also give you the rest of the day to burn off calories.
2. Meal prepThe easiest way to ensure you’ll eat healthy is to make it convenient (not to mention, you’ll save tons of money to spend on other things). We go into drive-thrus because it’s fast and convenient, right? Take the same concept and apply it at home. This doesn’t have to be a chore. You can cook once per week for the five days and simply store it in the fridge. Spend an hour or so to cook 4 to 5 lbs. of chicken, prep a salad, and fix another side dish. Now, you’ll have a meal to eat, whether you’re taking it on the go or coming home after a long day without having to cook.
3. Exercise at homeIf you have the time to go to the gym, great. If you don’t, even better. You don’t have to brave the cold winter wind or waste gas driving to the Johnson Center or even the nearest gym. You have practically everything at the touch of finger. Download fitness apps, go watch YouTube videos, do some bodyweight exercises, go for a run or even relax and meditate. You don’t need a gym membership to exercise.
4. HydrationThere’s a thousand different benefits for drinking your agua: it aids in weight loss, cleans your pores, removes excess water weight, flushes out any toxins, improves digestive health, protects your joints, etc., etc., so do it. Go grab yourself a water bottle from the nearest Target and keep it with you at all times. If you don’t like the taste of water, make yourself some tea, get a water flavor or maybe add some fruit. Do whatever you can to stay hydrated. 100 ounces per day is a good goal.
5. Cheat days: It’s okayThere’s a ton of different opinions on cheat days, so here’s mine: don’t beat yourself up about them. Eating, among others things, is a very social thing. We get coffee with friends. We go and celebrate birthdays with fancy dinners. There’s is nothing wrong with having cheat situations or cheat days. Also, as a foodie, I can’t imagine anyone eating the same thing over and over and over again. Even if you ate something you weren’t supposed to while on a diet, IT’S OKAY. It’s better to be healthy and happy than to shame yourself for eating that extra brownie (besides, it was totally worth it).
Hopefully this will help you beautiful, radiant ladies with your daily nutrition and fitness health.
Let me know if these tips were helpful for you! More health and fitness tips and tricks to come.
HCXO
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