Staying Healthy

Get the most out of college life

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• Publisher: Adams Media
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781440558993
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Student Life

Get ready for the best years of your life! College Survival: Staying Healthy contains everything you need to know to always feel your best. With advice from avoiding the dreaded "Freshman 15, " to coping with homesickness, to navigating campus health services, you'll be on top of your game all semester long.

Be Smart, Stay Healthy

Transitioning to college is a huge step. In addition to making new friends, adjusting to life in a new environment, and balancing classes with a social life, you’ll need to maintain your physical health. Remember that the stress you may feel during this transitional period — and at points throughout the semester — will pass, and that other students are going through the same experiences. Read on to learn ways to keep your body healthy.

A Healthy Diet

Healthy eating involves quantity, variety, and frequency of meals. While your cafeteria may offer a variety of appealing foods for every meal, you will need to exercise some self-control. It’s important that you only take the amount of food that will fulfill your appetite without making you sick. If you continually overeat, your capacity for food (and your body weight) will likely increase. Each time you make a trip to the serving line or buffet, take only one serving of food. If you are still hungry, you can always return for a second helping. In addition to eating a reasonable amount of food, you also need to vary the foods that you eat. Fruits and vegetables are important to your body’s ability to function and are readily available in the cafeteria. Supplement one serving of an entrée with at least one serving of vegetables, and occasionally consider fruit as a dessert. Don’t neglect the other basic food groups, either. Grains and dairy are also important in a balanced diet. Take time to read the nutrition information posted in your cafeteria and try to select meals that hit all of the recommended nutrition points listed.

There will be a variety of meals available at your college and you should sample as many as possible. Try not to eat fried food for every meal, and don’t shy away from sampling dishes you have never heard of, particularly if you are in a new part of the country or on a diverse campus. This is a chance to explore new foods and cultures. You should also try to plan your meals for the whole day to be sure you’re getting the proper nutrition. If you have plans to study and order pizza with friends in the evening, have a large salad for lunch. If you know that you’ll be exercising later in the day, be sure to include some protein in your earlier meals. And if you think you are getting a cold, have an extra glass of orange juice with breakfast.

Essential

Look for a kitchenette in your residence hall and consider cooking an occasional meal there. You may be able to prepare a family favorite, such as lasagna or tacos, which will be nutritious as well as comforting. You may also impress your new friends with your cooking prowess, even if the recipe is actually very simple.

A simple goal is to try to have three well-balanced meals a day, regardless of what you eat between meals. College life is filled with opportunities for snacking, so you need to make a point to eat healthy foods during meals. Even if you keep an active lifestyle, you’ll still have to maintain a healthy diet. If you are not particularly active, you will need to pay special attention to your snack intake and dedicate yourself to eating well-balanced meals.

Vitamin Intake

Your college diet is likely to be inconsistent, even when you are vigilant about it. This being the case, you might consider one of the many multivitamins that are available over the counter. It’s important to make sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs on a daily basis, and multivitamins offer a one-stop solution for people who aren’t necessarily health-conscious. Consult your family physician, pharmacist, coach, or college health center staff for advice on a good multivitamin or other dietary supplement. But remember: only treat your vitamin as a supplement and not a substitute for healthy eating. If you are taking prescription medication, check with your physician to make sure that the multivitamin you choose won’t create any unwanted side effects.

Weight Loss

While at college, you may decide to try to lose some weight. The best weight-loss plans are managed through a responsible diet and healthy exercise. Fad diets are typically overrated and can even be dangerous. Any diet that promises fast results with minimal effort should be viewed skeptically. If you don’t know how to begin a healthy weight-loss program, talk to your campus health center staff or your physician, or ask your RA to sponsor a program for your floor. Remember, too, th...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Be Smart, Stay Healthy
• A Healthy Mind and Spirit
• Also Available
• Copyright Page