Tips on how to eat healthy for students always on the go

It seems that life never really slows down when you are at University. The first week away from home is always the party week. For a couple of days students go absolutely crazy as they try to take advantage of their new found freedom. Nevertheless, the partying starts to dwindle after all the course work, readings and assignments start to pile up. As a student, I never had the patience to stand in the kitchen and cook every single day. I found that my eating habits started to suffer while the number on my scale started to increase. Many of us just shrug off the weight gain as a part of the University experience (I remember telling myself that I'll loose it later); however the dreaded Freshman 15 can be easily avoided if you take the right steps.

Here are just five tips on how to be healthy and avoid any unwanted weight gain:

5. Avoid a meal plan.

Before purchasing a meal plan students have to first check out what kind of cafeteria they have at their University. I personally went to the University of Ottawa and the food in our cafeteria was ridiculously unhealthy. Our choices were burgers, fries, pizza, cookies and/or the weird concoction they whipped up in the fresh section. When a student has a meal plan, they buy food for the sake of using up the money on their card. What happens is that many students start making unhealthy choices instead of spending an extra 30 minutes in the kitchen making some food.

4. If you do have a meal plan then only stick with healthy options.

I know that it is really tempting to go to the cafeteria and get two slices of pizza when you are in full exam mode, but maybe try opting for something a little healthier. After four years, the cafeteria at the University of Ottawa expanded their food choices. They started to offer salads, pitas and fresh smoothies. These choices are obviously much better than a burger and fries, but beware of hidden calories. For example, Calorie Count shows that a regular falafel pita from Extreme Pita (including the pita bread and standard vegetable mix) is 492 calories. This doesn't include extras like cheese or sauces. In the end, try to avoid the cafeteria all together and only whip out that card in extreme and desperate cases.

3. FREEZE scumbag.

The secret to cooking is simple: freeze your food. Pick a day during the week where you have some free time. Whip up something extremely easy to make like spaghetti or some soup. After you finish cooking divide up your food in plastic containers (for each day of the week) and then put them in the freezer. When you come home just pop a container in the microwave and voila! Now you have a home cooked and healthy meal in just a couple of minutes.

2. Don't buy junk food!

Student tend to binge eat during stressful times. I have a weakness for junk food which is magnified when I have a looming deadline. A bag of chips calls out my name when I sit in front of my computer trying to type out 20 pages for my politics essay. A bowl of chips turns into two bowls. Before I know it I'm eating straight out of the bag. In an hour the whole bag is finished and I feel guilty (not to mention fat!) Instead of opting for junk food, stock your fridge with healthy options like carrots or celery. According to Calorie Count a cup of diced celery has only 19 calories! Sometimes it's hard to cut out junk food all together so If you have a sweet tooth then buy those 100 calorie bags of chips. This way you satisfy your cravings without consuming too many calories.

1. Go to the bookstore.

If you have absolutely no idea what to cook for dinner then hit up a bookstore. There are so many books out there that are specifically targeted towards college kids. It turns out that there is a whole section at Chapters for healthy college cooking. I personally bought The Healthy College Cookbook, which has a huge number of recipes that are quick, cheap and easy. Each recipe also has a nutritional guide at the bottom to demonstrate the amount of calories, fat, protein and carbohydrates in each serving. Inside theses books students can learn the basics of cooking and learn how to cook healthy meals in minutes.

In the end, avoid being lazy. It only takes a couple of minutes to whip up something that is truly healthy. If you don't have much time then make a salad (extremely easy!) or a sandwich. Students tend to put off cooking because they either don't know how to do it or they think they don't have any time. Trust me, you always have time. Instead of spending hours on Facebook (stalking your crush) take a couple of minutes to relax and put together something to eat your body and mind will thank you later.

Yvonne Ivanescu
		About the author:
		A self-proclaimed travel fanatic, Yvonne has had the opportunity to travel to many amazing and exotic countries over the years. Her favorite spot overall was her unforgettable trip to Egypt. Her journey to Paris was particularly special, as it was the Journalism School at Sciences Po that reignited her passion for writing and journalism. Since returning from France, Yvonne has interned at Vervegirl Magazine and MTV Canada while freelancing for a number of other publications. She has an Honors B.Soc.Sc in International Studies with a minor in Spanish and French and is currently pursuing her Masters in International Development and Globalization with a Specialization in Women's Studies.
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