Finding your ultimate health during college possible or not?

pkw58

I think that finding your health/work/life/balance is a challenge at any age. You do it when you want to. I found it my Junior/Senior year in college thru the first 5 years after. then it kinda was yoyo diet land, then two years ago it really mattered (at age 53).

If you don't like being unhealthy now, and you can remember how low it made you feel, and you want to get out of it, you can set the course to be healthy the rest of your life. Many do.

So I would say finding your utilmate health during college is possible, it might be just the best time ever.

I found the key to meeting my person needs is doing things right away in the morning. Exercise, bible study, horn practice.

Then work / family /life gets all balanced because I already feel good about my self the rest of the day!

seltzermint555

You think you're busy in college? Try working full time and raising kids. You have plenty of time.

I see a lot of people were ticked at this comment but I kind of understand the frustration there, honestly. Of course the OP did not explain that she's a non-trad with kids etc. I thought so based on the photo (she looks young but not fresh from high school).

Anyway yeah, I'm not a parent so I don't fully grasp the responsibilities of that but as someone who typically worked 30-40 and sometimes 48 hours while attending college full-time it can be pretty irritating to hear non-working or part-time working college students whine about not having a lot of time. I feel ya on that.

sybrix

Here's my suggestions, I pack my food and snacks daily and I suck at pre-planning so take it as you will, lol. Also not sure if you get free cafeteria food, which renders this info useless! (Sorry!)

Invest in some portable reusable containers of various sizes. You can also do ziploc bags but they can be a waste in the long run. Also look into some small condiment holders.

This is the Rubbermaid set I have: http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-FG7K3900CHILI-18-Piece-Food-Storage-Container/dp/B001HBI7CY/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1388701259&sr=1-2&keywords=rubbermaid+set

And the condiment holders I have: http://www.amazon.com/Soy-Sauce-Container-15-Bag/dp/B001AJ8HOG/ref=pd_sim_b_2

With the different sized containers there are the different types of things I can do. I can either prepare this stuff ahead or hurriedly shove this stuff into them as I'm running 10 minutes late in the morning:

- Pretzels
- A raisin/choc chip/nut mix
- Hummus in a snack container with veggies and/or pita bread in a larger container
- Sandwich ingredients. This morning I put a few slices of "meat" on the bottom, then a slice of cheese, and then the bread. I wrapped each layer with foil to keep the flavors/juices from running into each other. Then I packed mustard in one of the tiny condiment bottles. I have access to a toaster and microwave at work so I toasted the bread, added the "meat" and cheese, nuked it for 10 secs to melt the cheese, and added the mustard.
- Greek yoghurt, granola, frozen berries in one of the bowl-shaped containers
- Cereal
- Soup with the crackers in a separate container
- Rice, beans (usually black beans) and veggies

Endless possibilities. I carry a small purse too and as long as you get a high quality set with heavy duty lids they don't leak everywhere even if you carry them sideways. I usually pack a lunch and 2 snacks. Sometimes the snacks are pre-packaged (like string cheese) and I just shove them in my purse.

A bento box cookbook has great portable meal ideas. A lot of them are quick with very little prep time. Try a bento-inspired cookbook and instead of Japanese bento boxes use your handy containers! I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/The-Just-Bento-Cookbook-Everyday/dp/1568363931/ref=pd_sim_b_2

Hope that helps in some way. IMO the key is a varied portable container set and fast portable meal options. Good luck!

Edit: Oh yeah as for exercise... That's up to you, I just workout for 30 mins after I get home anywhere from 6-11pm depending on mood. I use workout DVDs, walking, or a weight lifting routine. You can get an effective workout under 30 minutes, any physical activity you can manage is great! When I was in college walking to all my classes made me LOSE 10 lbs my first year! :laugh:

cuinboston2014

It's possible at any stage

I work full time, have a daughter, and am in school full time and completing clinical hours on top of the credits. Sometimes I'm on-the-go from 4:30am until after 9pm. Everyone has their own schedules with varying challenges at different stages.

The BEST advice I have is to prioritize and plan. If you have to get up at 6am to get ready for your day, get up at 5am instead, do a 45 minute workout and then get ready. If you have to be ready for your kids that early, plan a workout at night. Whatever works for someone else might not work for you in terms of scheduling - but you need to have a schedule. And when it comes time to workout, don't push it aside. Look at it just like anything else. You have to get the kids together, you have to prepare meals, you have to do wash, you have to workout.

I also have tons of quick options for any meal. They may not be the most unhealthy, least processed food ever, but it works for me. I eat a lot of protein bars or make a lot of simple sandwiches that I can eat on the run. I also eat simple protein shakes - think milk, a banana, and protein powder - and take that on the run. I also always have healthy snacks wherever I go.

When the stress load goes up at the end of a semester or wahtever it may be, adjust your schedule accordingly. You can't work out for 3 days because you are THAT pressed for time? try to take an extra 5-10 minutes for a walk break and eat a little less.

cwolfman13

I was pretty darned healthy in college. I probably didn't get the best nutrition in the world, but I was generally active. I didn't really "workout" but I didn't own a car so I walked and road my bike everywhere and I loved hiking and hanging out with the "hippies" playing frisbee golf, etc.

It was after college when I finally landed a "real job" sitting on my *kitten* 10 - 12 hours per day and traveling that things got out of control. Now at 39 I'm healthier than I even was in college...largely because I'm back to moving and also getting proper nutrition.

But really...you can do it at any stage of life.

GingerLolita

It's definitely possible because I've gotten so much healthier in college so far! 2 years ago, I was an overweight senior in high school, but I LOST my freshman 15 and got into a healthy BMI range and have been maintaining since.

The biggest challenge I've found in college is that every semester is a different schedule and you need to be able to adapt your healthy habits. I'm assuming you have your own place with all the tools to cook, which is an advantage over many other students who are stuck with fairly unhealthy, binge-inducing meal plans. Before next semester starts, come up with a game plan on how you'll make time for cooking and eating healthy. Cook mostly on days that you're free to prepare for the days that you aren't. Plan realistically; if you're eating while walking between classes, bring a wrap, sandwich, or something easy to eat.

Have some healthy on-the-go options in mind for times when you forget to bring food. This has saved me over the past semester, although it certainly hasn't saved me money.At my school, we don't have a cafeteria, but we have an organic cafe in the building I also work in that makes great egg white sandwiches and turkey wraps; around campus, there's also somewhere to get a low-calorie meal of vegetable soup and multigrain bread, or somewhere else that offers low-calorie, healthy half or whole sandwiches and wraps.

Also, if your school has a gym or exercise classes, take advantage! If not, try to incorporate more running or walking into your daily routine and see if you can find a gym or exercise classes that fit into your schedule.