Healthy Eating On The Go…?
February 3rd, 2007
About 66.3 percent of American adults are overweight or obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If that trend continues, out of 100 of your friends and classmates, 66 will weigh more than doctors recommend. For many of them, this extra weight will cause serious health problems.
You don’t have to be one of those 66.
Contrary to what many think, eating healthily isn’t hard. Even as a busy student juggling class, studying, friends and a part-time job, you can still make healthy food decisions.
Take small steps
Healthy eating habits won’t happen overnight. Start slowly, eating smaller portions and swapping water for coke. Try eating healthily for one meal a day. Once you’re comfortable, increase that to two meals a day.
On the go
There are ways to eat healthily at fast food restaurants. Try a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a double cheeseburger. Ask if you can substitute fruit for the side order of french fries. Many chain restaurants offer several salads on their menus. You can even trade the soda for a bottle of water. Speaking of water …
Don’t skip the H2O
There are plenty of reasons to drink eight glasses of water every day. Water energizes and cleans out your body. It also lubricates joints and organs and helps maintain muscle tone. Water keeps skin soft. Water regulates body temperature, filters out impurities, and keeps the brain working properly.
Looks can fool
Not all the foods that look unhealthy actually are bad for you. While cheese fries may never be part of your recommended diet, potatoes alone are nothing to fear. In fact, they are full of antioxidants that are great for fighting diseases. The important thing is to know the pros and cons of what’s on your plate before you take the first bite.
Smart snacking
Keep an emergency stash of healthy snacks for those moments when you’re tempted to hit the vending machine. Breakfast bars and granola bars are easy to store in your dorm room. Low calorie pudding, apples and trail mix are also easy to eat on the way to class. And when you’re heading to class …
Stay active
Even small things, like walking to class instead of driving, or taking the stairs in place of the elevator, can help you stay healthy. Look for activities you enjoy, like biking, running or dancing, to get your heart rate up. After a few workout sessions, you’ll find you have a lot more energy.
The combination of a little bit of planning and some smart choices can help you stay healthy, no matter how busy you are.
