It's 10:30 on a Tuesday night. Since you've been slaving away on a history paper for the last four hours, you missed dinner at the dining hall and your appetite is starting to cloud your concentration.
As you reach for the phone and dial the nearest fast food joint, your mouth waters in anticipation of juicy pepperoni and mozzarella. Or maybe you're craving some tangy buffalo wings with a side of egg rolls… Mmmm… You can already taste that extra large pizza!
College brings with it a host of new temptations, among them the temptation to order pizza or Chinese take-out any time day or night. But in addition to eating up your chequing account, ordering too much fast food coupled with eating cafeteria food you can't control can have disastrous effects on your waistline, a phenomenon known as the dreaded freshman 15.
Then there are other students, who succumb to the stress of college and homesickness and actually lose 15 pounds. Neither scenario is desirable, but both can be avoided with a little exercise and some healthy decision-making.
First off, avoid skipping meals. As you're rushing out the door for an 8 a.m. philosophy lecture, it's tempting to forego breakfast, but eating in the morning is important to jumpstart your metabolism and help you stay focused in your morning classes.
Skipping meals may seem like a good way to cut calories, but you'll just end up eating more later and you'll be less able to control what you eat. If you don't have time to hit the dining hall before class, keep your dorm room stocked with yogurt, cereal bars, or fruit for breakfast on the run.
When you do eat in the dining hall, remember that variety is the spice of life. Admittedly, most of us find ourselves reaching for the same foods day after day. (My personal favorites are pasta or Belgium waffles.) Even if your food choices are healthy ones, you still may be missing important nutrients, so mix up your eating habits by trying a burrito or salad instead of the same old macaroni and cheese.
And when it comes to those delectable desserts, dietitians recommend that you go ahead and indulge your sweet tooth from time to time, so you won't end up bingeing later. Just remember to enjoy those lemon squares or brownies in moderation.
To avoid buying fattening and overpriced snacks from a vending machine, pick up a piece of fruit from the dining hall. Most cafeterias will allow you to take one piece of fruit per meal, and an apple or banana is a healthful, cheap alternative to potato chips or candy bars. Munching on carrot sticks or apple slices can give you a similar sensation to munching on chips but with fewer calories.
If you absolutely must get your daily dose of snack foods, buying a bigger bag of low fat pretzels or baked chips from a grocery store is more cost-efficient than buying smaller bags from a vending machine. Your wallet and your waistline will thank you!
Susan Johnston is a communication student at Boston University in Massachusetts. When not working the in the admissions office at BU or studying for classes, she enjoys writing, scrapbooking, singing, and acting.
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