Trying to stay healthy while living at college can be
hard. Between exams, papers and classes, healthy habits can fall by the wayside
for college students. However, many colleges provide health care and endless
possibilities for physical activities for students to form new healthy habits.
With some quick guidelines, any new college student can stay healthy while
living at school.
Diet
If you want to avoid packing on the freshman 15 (or more),
it's important to pay attention to your diet.
- Learn proper portion size. It's easy to pack on the pounds when you
don't pay attention to how much food you're packing onto your plate. Sure, those
meal plans aren't always specific about how many meals you can have each time
you can enter, but try to stick to just one meal at a time.
- Eat breakfast every day. Start your day with a healthy and balanced
meal before heading out to a long day of classes. It doesn't matter if you're
waking up at dawn for your first class or in the afternoon, it's not called the
most important meal of the day for nothing.
- Keep healthy snacks around. If you get hungry while studying you're
likely to grab whatever is closest to you, so why not switch those bags of chips
and cookies to fruit and nuts instead?
- Drink in moderation. College students have a reputation for being big
partiers but you can still have a good time without consuming as many liquid
calories if you only do it occasionally.
- Indulge every once in a while. Letting yourself slide every once in a
while is okay. You can use it as a way to reward yourself for creating such
healthy habits. So go ahead and have that piece of dark chocolate after your
exam, you earned it.
Exercise
Adding exercise into an already busy schedule is
difficult, but slowly exercise can become second nature for you.
- Stretch first. Avoid injuries by stretching every time you exercise.
Doing a few minutes of stretching before and after your workouts can help keep
you pain-free.
- Make it fun. If you're bored during your workout, chances are you
won't continue with it. Find a way to make your workout routine fun rather than
torture.
- Play a sport. If going to the gym isn't your thing, join a
recreational sports team. Many colleges offer intramural teams for most seasons.
It's an excellent way to increase your physical activity and make new friends.
- Walk to class. This may seem self-explanatory, but many times
students will take the campus shuttle to a building that's around the corner
instead of taking the 10-minute walk.
- Bring a friend. Working out alone can get boring after a while, but
if you bring a friend you can commiserate together and/or compete with one
another.
Illness
Communal living with hundreds or thousands of other
students is bound to stir up a few mini-epidemics during cold and flu season.
- Wash your hands. Hand washing can help prevent a large number of
illnesses. Wash your hands anytime you'll be touching your nose, mouth or face.
- Go to the doctor. If you're showing symptoms that don't clear up
after a few days, see your doctor either at home or visit a health center on
your campus.
- Wear flip flops in the shower. Dorm bathrooms are supposed to be
cleaned daily, but with so many students using them they can become dirty
quickly. Wearing flip flops in the shower can help prevent catching any nasty
viruses and bacteria that can cause warts or athlete's foot.
Sleep
You may not be someone who is early to bed and early to
rise, but sleep is an integral part of staying healthy.
- Take a nap. If you have time in between classes, a nap can do wonders
for concentration and energy levels. Just remember not to nap too close to bed
time or for too long otherwise you won't reap as many benefits.
- Don't work in bed. Keep your work space and your sleep space
separate. This will help you have an easier time clearing your mind at night and
keep insomnia at bay.
- Avoid all-nighters. Pulling an all-nighter can be inevitable in
college, but a few too many will be doing yourself at a disservice.
You
don't need a Ph.D. to stay healthy while living at college. With these tips
you'll be able to avoid the freshman 15 and then some.