1. Busy schedule: I don’t have time for healthy meals and snacks
- Prepare your meals beforehand. Once a week (during the weekends or a specific weekday) go grocery shopping and stock your kitchen with healthy, nutritious foods. Plan your meals ahead so you don’t have to rush for fast food when you’re in a hurry to class. You can pre-make your meals nights before, which will most likely be healthier than running to get burger and fries. Studies have shown that spending 15 minutes per day to prepare your meals can reduce the chance of gaining weight. Remember, failing to plan is planning to fail!
- Never starve yourself! When you over-starve yourself, you will not only be uncomfortable, but also have less energy to stay focused. You will be more likely to overeat later, and your metabolism will slow down. When you don’t eat, your body will want to conserve calories instead of burning them.
2. Late night eating - I study late and need the energy to keep going.
- No carbs after 9! Never ever eat chips, junk food, desserts, pastry after 9 o’clock. It is healthy to eat carbs early in the day because you have the rest of the day to burn it off. After 9 o’clock your body will more likely be storing those carbs instead of burning them off. Late night eating is a big factor that contributes to freshman 15. If you really have to eat, always eat something healthy (ex. fruits and veggies).
3. Too many choices: It all looks good; I want to eat everything.
- Know your nutrition. When you are aware of what you eat, you will be able to restrict yourself from eating too much unhealthy foods. There are three main nutrients in your food - carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Stay away from sweet or sugary foods (ex. pastry and soda). You want to avoid eating anything packed with carbs (ex. pizza, fried food), because essentially these are the nutrients that will be stored, and they make you fat!
- Watch your portions, don’t overindulge. It’s okay to enjoy yourself sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you can eat without restraint. If you want to maintain your health, you should restrain from eating too much carbohydrates. “Fat-free” foods still have carbs, and they are your worst enemy because ultimately they will be stored as fat. Always watch your portions and make vegetables, fruits, and whole grains your main source of food intake.
4. Limited control over choices - Only high fat, unhealthy foods are available.
- Go grocery shopping! If the restaurants around you only offer unhealthy, oily foods, no one is keeping you from making your own. You are better off eating healthier foods you make by yourself. You should at least make your own breakfast because often times time doesn’t allow you to make every single meal. It is proven that if you eat a healthy meal in the morning, you are less likely to overeat later that day. Avoiding big portions of unhealthy food is very important.
5. Social drinking - I drink when I’m with my friends and when I go out.
- Empty calories! Alcoholic beverages provide little nutrients to our bodies and slow down our body use of fat as much as one third, which means fat will more likely be stored in your body. A little bit of alcohol once here and there is not bad, but too much drinking will make you fatter, believe it or not! If you want to hang out with your friends, you can order substitute drinks that are more healthy, such as juice. Avoid drinking your calories.
6. Emotional eating and not eating - I eat when I’m stressed, procrastinating, lonely, bored, and/or depressed.
- Communicate! Maintain healthy relationships with your family, friends and teachers. Talk to them regularly and express your thoughts clearly and directly. Don’t try to offend others or act pretentious around your friends. Often times depression is due to unhealthy relationships. Love and respect the people around you. Give them support when they need you and they will return the favor when you need them.
- Amy Liao
