Finding your ultimate health during college possible or not?

Hi, I'm trying to get back on track as well so would like to see what people suggest. I work full time and go to college two evenings after work each week and it's getting hard to try and eat healthy with little time in the evenings. Wondered if anyone had any suggestions for quick meals. Thanks K x

I was pretty darn healthy back in college. The fact that most colleges have AMAZING gyms helps. There are usually several athletic clubs and classes that you can sign up for. Also, it's amazing what you can do with a mini fidge, toaster oven, and microwave . Good luck!

I think it really depends on so many factors that it is hard to say based on being in college. Being a college student can vary so dramatically. A lot of people do it when they are older and 90% online...that's totally different than the stereotypical collegiate experience.

I went to college at the traditional age, right after high school, but I was a commuter who lived alone off campus and worked 30-40+ hours every week. I was at my worst during some parts of college and then during my senior year I found some healthier habits and lost a bit of weight. For me it had more to do with the company I kept than my super busy lifestyle.

It's like any other time in life if you ask me. Difficult for some people, easy for others, when it comes to anything - including healthy eating, exercise, etc. Obviously there are a few different challenges if you live on campus, party a lot, or have a major that requires unique/unusual circumstances and foreign travel etc. Actually though a friend of mine lost weight during his semester abroad.

Good luck, regardless.

It's a daily grind... it depends on your own lifestyle, and determination to get and stay healthy. Back then, I was young, didn't think about it, didn't worry about it and ate whatever I wanted - but now I'm older, a wife, mother, work full time and back in college... lol, working my way to better health every day. You don't find time for health, you make time, and sometimes there just isn't time... so then you focus on eating right, exercise when you can, and make the most of that young and healthier metabolism! It takes planning ahead a bit every week... shop ahead, pack ahead, bring water and snacks so you never get too hungry and nosh down an entire pizza, etc... You can do this! Surely a bunch of people here are young college folks!

You can do lots of walking and stair climbing.

If you're a traditional student:

All cafeterias have healthy eating options - you just have to look for them. Many even have low cal options.
The challenges you face drinking/snack foods, etc. are the same you'll always face. Buy healthy snacks for your dorm and eat a lot of them, but small amounts of chips.

It's way harder working holding down two lives - work and school. But people have made great suggestions. I think the extra energy you get from eating well overpowers the convenience of eating crap. My skinny, skinny, skinny sister gained two hundred pounds in two years by eating junk food on the run when she started working. Don't let that happen to you.

Your biggest tool for a healthy life is knowledge - and logging on MFP and learning which foods in your diet have too many calories for their nutrients is amazingly empowering.

As a college student I have discovered that eating healthy isn't cheap or fast, but with a little work you can get a good system down. As a ravenous runner, juicing, eliminating dairy, and going vegan just aren't on my radar. I also have a history of ED problems, so I try to stay away from restricting too much. I believe in eating natural and mostly unprocessed foods 90% of the time and going outside the lines 10% of the time (hello burgers, sweet potato fries, and chocolate cake!) I am currently a double major, on my school's cross country team, and on the magazine team, so the day is pretty hectic. I try to prep my food right after I go to the grocery store: measuring cereal and putting it into Ziploc bags, putting fruit in Ziploc bags and freezing it, etc.

Here is my current meal plan for spring semester:
Meal 1: Smoothie that I make the night before and stick into the fridge// 1/2 cup oats, banana or cup berries, 3 ounces greek yogurt, cup milk, tbsp. ground flax seeds. A cup of coffee from my French press + sp. raw sugar
**Alternate Yoga/Swimming/Weights depending on the day of the week// 30-60 minutes**
Meal 2: 3 ounces Greek yogurt, cup Kashi golean cereal
Meal 3: grilled chicken breast, spinach, steamed veggies, 1 serving whole grains (quinoa, barley etc.) or a baked potato
Meal 4: apple + tbsp. peanut butter, cup green tea + sp. raw sugar or cup carrot juice
**Run 40-90 minutes, depending on the day**
Meal 5: 2 slices whole wheat bread + 2 oz. turkey breast + spinach + sliced tomato + tbsp. hummus
Meal 6: cup frozen grapes + 2 tbsp. almonds

This is just the routine that works for me Hope you were able to gather an idea or two!!!

Yes it is definitely possible to find your health during college, actually it is now through my college years where I have found myself at my best and have learned so much. If your weeks are extremely busy planning ahead is key, yea it does mean trying to find that bit of time to pre-cook your meals or whatever it is that will help you throughout the week. For me, I always take sunday evening before the start of every week to prepare my meals particularly if i know it is going to be a busy one - i'm in my final year now so I do find myself out of my apartment a lot and in the library a lot so i like to bring my own meals with me in tupperware.

I do a mixture of lunch and dinner options; chicken, veggies, boiled eggs, salad, turkey, spinach - mixtures of things i can throw in to a quick sandwich on the go or whip up a quick dinner with if i get home late. I also often prepare overnight oatmeal for breakfast if I know i'm not sticking around in the morning to make porridge - that is really yummy especially in the spring-summer months. That being said i always have frozen veg in and frozen chicken fillets for days i find myself running out on food near the end of the week or when i just want to cook a meal at home.

Know everyone is in different situations here in college but what I love is how open college really is, I live on campus and i'm not afraid to be the student who eats healthy, there is so many students and people with health goals now and people respect that. I do try and do 80/20 where poss - 80% good foods to fuel my body with and 20% treats - it works well for me, sometimes there is more treats - like i may go out drinking with friends or have a movie night but i work that into my weekly goals, always jump back on the wagon the next day and eat as good as I can! For me anyways, what has worked is planning ahead and checking in with site to keep myself focused. Best of luck with your goals!

Just curious if there are others who are in college and still able to maintain a healthy lifestyle?

Of course. Many of the world's finest athletes are college students.

Eating, exercising ? Tips advice?

Eat smart, move a lot. College is the perfect environment for being in/getting into perfect physical health.

Alright - I come to you from the future. I'm married, I have a demanding job, I have two small kids, I have a parent that isn't self-sufficient and is dependent on me for A LOT - oh, how I look back to those college days! Yes, your life is just as crazy-busy in its own way, but generally you have a lot more flexibility than someone in my position. I have a desk I'm supposed to be at for most of my day; I've got kids that need looking after... the times of day that I can actually exercise are limited and consequently I do most of my running at 4:30 am. I think back to college and wish I had taken advantage of that flexibility. The key is planning and knowing when your energy levels are the best. Plan your eating, plan your exercising, make them appointments just like you do your classes and coursework. Keep healthy snacks in your home for those late nights that you're up studying... you can totally do this and how I wish I had thought about this more back then!

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!

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:

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.