Eating healthy as a college student

While being a college student is a mix of busy schedules and ups and downs, it is important to be eating well and maintain a healthy diet in order to be at your best 100% of the time.

Determine Your Goals

Eating doesn't just have to be a chore necessary for survival. It can also be a great tool to help you reach your goals. Whether it's feeling better, bulking up, or slimming down, eating certain foods can help or hinder you. For example, getting your essential nutrients from good protein sources, clean carbohydrates, and an abundance of fruits and vegetables will allow you to feel like the best version of yourself.

Not Just Chicken and Rice... Add a Little Spice!

Remember the healthy eating plate they taught us in elementary school? Think of your plate like that and make sure you're getting more than just protein and carbs in each meal. A great way of doing this so you don't have to eat plain veggies is to research recipes and try to recreate them. Sites like Pinterest and Tik Tok are great resources to explore for inspiration!

Your Mind is What Matters

Life in college can get overwhelming and stressful in general. Make sure you take time to put your mental health first and approach eating in a positive way. Eating a healthy range of foods can help reinforce this. Be sure you eat when you are hungry and try not to eat when you're not. Listen to your body, it knows what it wants!

Drinking in College

We get it, you're in college and for most of you this means that drinking is inevitable. Be sure to approach it smart and know your limits. Do some research too to make sure your night out doesn't hurt your health goals. Some tips include switching to light-colored liquors to help avoid hangovers and avoid beer and sugary drinks that have added unnecessary calories. So great alternatives include vodka water with lime and seltzers!

Some Healthy Budget Finds

Proteins

- Chicken Breast

- Eggs

- Protein Powder

- Tofu

- Beans

Carbs

- Potatoes

- Rice

- Oats

- Bread

- Pasta

- Quinoa

Fats

- Ground Beef

- Salmon

- Avocado

- Nuts

- Flax / Hemp Seed

We're all guilty of getting takeout when life gets busy, but prepping your meals and making healthy decisions with food will keep you feeling great in the long run. Most importantly, have fun while in the kitchen and you never know what you will create!