As busy college students, our eating habits are more than likely not our main concern but maybe they should be. Growing up we were often told that it did not matter what we ate, we often heard things like "let kids be kids" or "you're young, you have a fast metabolism" and these are far from the truth. Childhood is when we form habits that we take to adulthood and college. Something as simple as not eating breakfast or the types of foods we eat can have a negative impact on our mood and academic performance. In children there has been a correlation between eating breakfast on a regular basis and having higher nutritional values for cholesterol and fiber as well as lowering the chances of vitamin deficiencies. Kids also have a better attention span and are more likely to do better on a test if they have a nutrient dense breakfast on a regular basis. (Adolphus, Lawton, & Dye, 2013). Here are some tips to a healthier lifestyle and a positive academic career.
1. Do NOT skip breakfast.
Eating breakfast has also shown a correlation in lowering vitamin deficiencies, lower cholesterol, and increasing daily fiber intake. Eating breakfast also allows for better focus and retention of the material as well. Breakfast doesn't need to be big, it just needs to be nutritious.
Example:
Overnight oats
-1/2 cup of oatmeal
- 1 jar
-2/3 cup of almond/coconut milk/water
-add ins (fruit, chia seeds, peanut butter, dark chocolate chips, honey, etc.)
-1/3 cup of greek yogurt
-1 teaspoon of vanilla
Combine oats, milk/water, greek yogurt, vanilla and honey in the jar. Stir, and add additional toppings. Put in the fridge overnight and take out the next morning to eat on the go.
2. Plan ahead. Planning ahead can make eating healthy easy and cost effective, it doesn't need to be boring either. Pick one day out of the week where you have extra time and make food for the week, so when you're on the go you just grab food from the fridge and go.
Tips for Meal Prepping:
3. Pay attention to serving sizes. This applies to all food, healthy or unhealthy. It might sound simple but not always, because some foods are calorie dense and you wouldn't think that they are. An example of this would be nuts. In the picture below the serving size is about the size of a golf ball, the bigger pile is two servings. Nuts are calorie dense, one serving can be anywhere from 100-200 calories so if you have two servings, that's an extra 100-200 calories that you didn't even realize.
1. Do NOT skip breakfast.
Eating breakfast has also shown a correlation in lowering vitamin deficiencies, lower cholesterol, and increasing daily fiber intake. Eating breakfast also allows for better focus and retention of the material as well. Breakfast doesn't need to be big, it just needs to be nutritious.
Example:
Overnight oats
-1/2 cup of oatmeal
- 1 jar
-2/3 cup of almond/coconut milk/water
-add ins (fruit, chia seeds, peanut butter, dark chocolate chips, honey, etc.)
-1/3 cup of greek yogurt
-1 teaspoon of vanilla
Combine oats, milk/water, greek yogurt, vanilla and honey in the jar. Stir, and add additional toppings. Put in the fridge overnight and take out the next morning to eat on the go.
2. Plan ahead. Planning ahead can make eating healthy easy and cost effective, it doesn't need to be boring either. Pick one day out of the week where you have extra time and make food for the week, so when you're on the go you just grab food from the fridge and go.
Tips for Meal Prepping:
- use a carbohydrate, a protein, and a vegetable
- make 3 or 4 meals out of the same ingredients
- make a list prior to going to the store and create a budget
- pre-portion snacks as well
- switch it up every week
3. Pay attention to serving sizes. This applies to all food, healthy or unhealthy. It might sound simple but not always, because some foods are calorie dense and you wouldn't think that they are. An example of this would be nuts. In the picture below the serving size is about the size of a golf ball, the bigger pile is two servings. Nuts are calorie dense, one serving can be anywhere from 100-200 calories so if you have two servings, that's an extra 100-200 calories that you didn't even realize.
A good way to keep track of serving sizes is simply reading labels, and don't eat snacks out of the original package if it's more than one serving. Use plastic bags and separate it, use measuring cups or a food scale to portion out the correct servings. If you're out and about then use the system below to help you out!
4. Limit the processed foods. Everything is fine in moderation but foods high in refined sugar or ones that are heavily processed aren't good for the body for prolonged periods of time and can lead to health problems later on in life such as diabetes or high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease. There are simple swaps out there, instead of a cookie have some fruit. You're still feeding that sugar craving but an Oreo is highly processed with refined sugar where as a piece of fruit is naturally occurring. When making meals for the week instead of white pasta, use rice or sweet potatoes. They're not processed like pasta is and the nutrients these items have are naturally occurring they aren't enriched like the pasta is. Limit the empty calories like soda, juice, coffee creamer too. All of these are high in refined sugar and can be replaced with healthier options.
Still Confused? Helpful Links:
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/
https://www.myfitnesspal.com/
easy_meal_prep_recipes.docx | |
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