I just went home for the first time since I moved in and I realized that I actually put on a few pounds. Back in high school I was a three-sport athlete, therefore never having an off-season and always having a two-hour practice after school. When I got to college, exercise was not a constant thing. I do play a club sport, but it isn’t much of a workout compared to basketball sprints, volleyball lifts or tennis fitness circuits. Basically the first two weeks of school I didn’t have much work to do so I was motivated to workout everyday at the gym. Sadly, once the work started to pile on I felt that I had no time to fit in a workout or that I even wanted to work out. But then I started to see the effect it was having on my body, especially since I was eating more food than I normally did.
One thing that I realized after talking to my mom was that I was eating a far greater amount of food for each meal and that I did not have portion control. When you have a dining hall, it is essentially a buffet and it is easy to want a little bit of each thing. The plates in the dining halls are pretty large and sometimes it just feels right to fill them up, therefore that was what I was doing. When I realized this I stopped getting a little bit of everything and I started to only choose one thing; such as a salad with pieces of chicken, a burger with some veggies or a sandwich with some fruit.
Yes, sometimes I don’t feel full so I opt to grab a piece of fruit on the way out of the dining hall to bring to class or back to my room. Oh and let’s talk about the dessert. I love dessert and it is okay to indulge in a brownie or an apple pie once in a while; sometimes I grab a dessert and only take a couple of bites to satisfy my cravings. Another type of food in the dining hall that people live off of is cereal. I personally love to eat Lucky Charms and Fruity Pebbles, but the amount of sugar in a bowl of that type of cereal is far more than I should have, especially if I eat two bowls. If you are craving for a sugary cereal, try mixing it with a cereal on the healthier side such as Special K, granola, Raisin Bran, etc.
When you go off to college or if you already are in college, it is important to understand that life is all about balance. It is key to learn how to balance school with extracurriculars and exercise. It is also important to learn how to balance the foods you are eating. So after reading this, go figure out a workout plan and evaluate your eating habits. If you are having trouble with both, that’s fine! I am still figuring out how to eat healthier and how to fit in time to go running. If you are only lacking in one, that’s great! Determine what you need to do to accomplish your goals.