The University of Blog

Oh my goodness, for a sweets fiend like me, it is a paradise (or an undeniable hell when it comes to calories). The dining rooms are ridiculously full with cookies, frozen yogurt, ice cream, cake and pie. In addition, for the salt fan, there are potato chips, fries, and nachos. The common denominator here is that they are unhealthy and there are plenty of them.

So, the alternative to eating all of the good-yet unhealthy-food is to choose healthier options. Good tips are to always have breakfast and to always have two meals of the same food. This means to always have a salad or sandwich for lunch. Limiting your options helps make you feel fuller. Eating different ethnic foods (pizza with tacos for example) does not signal your body that you are full as fast due to the different spices.

Then limiting the junk food options is also smart. For example, have dessert once a day or once a week. Treat yourself, but don’t overindulge. I have learned firsthand that I feel like crap if I eat too much chocolate.

Knowing what you will eat or planning meals is also a good idea. This makes sure that you know how many calories you are eating and you can stick to your plan. The menus will be available online (once the site is updated).

The key is moderation. Have dessert, but limit to a few times a week. There are SO many options that it is wise to stick to one type of ethnic food. And balance protein (meat or cheese) with carbs (bread or pasta—wheat is always better) with GOOD fat (olive oil or almonds). Use the options (including your meal plan) to your advantage.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 23rd, 2007 at 8:35 pm and is filed under Freshman Experience, Dorms, Benefits. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.