Balanced nutrition for students is very important as they have to work hard and prepare for their future. Learn more about eating healthy in this article!
When you are a college student, you are often hard-pressed for time, and are under a lot of stress, with quizzes, exams, assignments, etc. It is very hard to find time to eat healthy, homemade meals and a university student usually eats on the go.
It is very hard to avoid bad habits such as skipping meals such as breakfast, lunch, etc. or eating more frequently at fast-food restaurants. However, with the help of a healthy diet, you can not only feel better and stay fit but will also be able to cope with anxiety and stress which will help you perform better in the classroom.
The Importance of Healthy Eating
With a hectic school schedule, where you don’t have time to go through the lesson plan given by your teacher, it is hard to eat healthily. However, balanced nutrition for students is necessary.
If you switch to a healthy diet, you will be able to maintain a healthy weight, sharpen your mind, stabilize your moods, and avoids various health issues. It is very easy to stress eat when you have a lot of work to do. With so many online resources available, if you want to buy assignments online, you can and reduce your workload.
Nothing is more important than your health. A healthy diet not only keeps you physically fit but helps to improve your mental and emotional well-being as well, which plays a great role in preventing health conditions like ADHD, depression, anxiety, etc.
If you are healthy, you would be able to focus on the classwork, assignments, etc. in a better way. Here are a few things that you can do to encourage healthy eating habits even as a college student in pursuit of learning and education.
Focus on Overall Diet
Don’t focus on a selective food group. You should eat everything that is as natural and whole as possible. The less processed something is, the better it will be for your health. Simply start by making a distinction between processed and non-processed foods.
Disguise the Taste
Healthy foods don’t taste as good as pizza, French fries, and burgers – we know that. However, what you can do is disguise the taste of healthy foods. You can make a beef stew and add vegetables to it.
Love mashed potatoes? Why not add some mashed carrots alongside as well? Don’t like an apple? Eat apple slices with a bit of peanut butter and you will have a different opinion!
Plan Your Meals on the Weekends
We know that it is hard to think of food and meals when you are running to and from classes on hectic weekdays. Therefore, it is better to make a meal plan on the weekend and prepare your meals as well, if possible.
Instead of cooking every day, cook in large batches that will last you for a week.
Keep Healthy Food at Hand
Feeling the munchies? If you don’t have anything in your bag, you are more likely to grab a bag of chips from the vending machine. If there is an apple or a healthy snack in your bag, you will hesitate while going for the bag of chips.
Keep a bottle of freshly squeezed juice, milk, etc. so that you don’t go for unhealthy alternatives like soda, processed juice, etc.
Don’t Skip Breakfast
We are often in a hurry to leave for school in the morning and skip breakfast – don’t do that. It is a very unhealthy habit, and research shows that skipping meals, especially breakfast, can have adverse effects on human health.
Even if you don’t have a lot of time, have some bread and peanut butter, a piece of fruit, freshly squeezed juice, etc. Try making poached eggs in the microwave for a good amount of protein and save yourself time. You can easily store these things in your room, and keep them in your bag as well so that you can have breakfast while going to your class in the morning.
Make Wise Fast Food Choices
If you have to eat fast food and have no other alternative, you can control the portion size at least. Instead of finishing up half a pizza in one sitting, take one or two slices at most. If you are eating out, order salads instead of rich, fatty foods.
Switch from full-fat yoghurt to low-fat yoghurt. Instead of buttered popcorn, go for unbuttered popcorn. Want to eat ice cream? Don’t eat the entire tub – take a small bowl and have some. Start drinking loads of milk to prevent health issues later in life.
If you don’t like milk, you should take low-fat cheese, green leafy vegetables, etc. in your students’ diet.
Lose Weight Sensibly
If you have to lose weight, don’t go for extreme options. Strict, restrictive diets are not beneficial in the long run, nor is starving yourself the right answer. Go for the safe way to reduce weight – portion control.
Eat everything that is healthy, but monitor your calories. Slowly wean yourself off the bad habits to see long-lasting results. If you starve yourself or go with restrictive diets, you will end up at square one since you won’t be able to curb your cravings.
One good way to start is to limit the amount of sugar you use. Sugar contains a lot of calories but doesn’t offer a lot in terms of nutritional value. Use it sparingly, and shift from white sugar to brown sugar at the start.
Limit Your Alcohol Intake
We all drink in college, whether it is dorm room parties or a night out at the club with friends. Alcohol contains loads of calories and doesn’t offer any nutritional value. It is very easy to come back from class and take a cold beer out of the fridge while slopping on the couch.
However, it is not good for your health. Apart from other health issues, alcohol can make you put on weight very quickly. Therefore, if you can’t completely give up alcohol, try to limit your intake as much as possible.
Healthy eating is difficult only in beginning. Once you start forming good habits, you will be on your way to a better, healthier version of yourself in no time!
Looking for easy recipes for students? Check out our quick KFC rice recipe and easy Shrimp Chow Mein recipe!
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