Did you know that the average American spends about $4,000–5,000 a year on fast food, dining out, and mobile orders? Now as a student that might be a little less, but if we really break down what fuel we are giving ourselves, it does not always line up with our physical goals or our financial goals. Feeling your best going into spring break usually comes from simple habits rather than drastic changes.
Let us start with consistency: breakfast.
In a semester, assignments are due and projects and exams are always looming over us. It is easy to skip meals and rush to and from classes, sometimes picking up something quick and easy, but is it really fueling us? Foods that contain protein and fiber tend to keep you satisfied and prevent energy crashes later in the day. Holistic foods such as chicken, eggs, beans, oats, and whole grains and
vegetables tend to make a meal more filling and help the body produce fuel to memorize
for the exams and keep you going during long study sessions.
Simple Habits That Make Healthy Eating Easier
Some simple tricks and habits that have been shown to improve habits and consistency
are eating with friends. News flash: eating with friends or coworkers is shown to be
beneficial. Another habit that has shown itself to be consistent in getting enough fuel for
the day usually requires more than a quick pick-up order from somewhere. Sitting down
and either making something from scratch or giving yourself actual time to sit down and
enjoy your meal, made fresh or not, can make a big difference.
Listen to How Your Body Feels
If finances were not enough to make you take a step back, let us look at how the body feels
throughout the day. Are we tired, confused, and lazy throughout the day? It might be a
question about what you are feeding yourself daily. Going into your break you might get the
opportunity to try mom or dad’s cooking, or even give yourself the time to do something
and not rush somewhere, but notice your nutrition patterns when you are on break. Does
your appetite increase or decrease while at home? That could be a big indicator as to what
you could improve or change when you come back from college.
Eating out necessarily is not a bad thing, but smart financial decisions and making a
holistic meal, if you have never tried it, might not be the worst thing to try out. Give yourself
the extra time in the day to experiment with fuel as well. If you do not try breakfast, try it and
see how much more or less energy you have throughout the day. Follow USDA’s new food
pyramid and see how it makes the body feel, because I can almost guarantee you that you
could benefit from at least one thing from it.
The last habit I will give you is to do your own research. There are so many new, interesting,
and rewarding things you can do to help make yourself feel better. If you spend even a little
bit of time looking into what foods you are putting into your body, you will find that there are
always better options. Just as it takes energy for you to do work and school, your body
needs energy 24/7—even when you are sleeping—to keep things up and running.
Remember, your body is never off the clock. It is constantly changing, improving, and
protecting itself, so why not give it what it really needs—a good meal.