Upon beginning college, a common concern running through many young adolescents’ mind is the stigma of the ‘Freshman Fifteen’. You are constantly under the impression that the college diet consists of ramen noodles, pizza, and booze. Veggies, grains, and fruit are impossible. Life in college is already expensive, so how on earth would it be possible to eat in a more healthy manner than this? This stereotype especially weighed heavily on my mind going into college, as my weight has always been something I’ve been concerned with throughout my life. I have participated in calorie restricting, food group cutting, craving avoiding diets numerous times. However, none of them have brought me to my goal weight, so you can imagine the great panic I
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When I go to the cafeteria, while I know that a good chunk of the food in there isn’t above par, I know that I can find options that fit my standards. It’s like going to a store like TJ Maxx, where you know that everything there isn’t your style, but if you look hard enough, you’ll find a few staple pieces you want. I began to scope out all areas of the cafeteria options and grab the ones I knew I liked; the salad bar, rice options, vegan/vegetarian options that I knew were cooked with a little more TLC due to the lack of popularity, made-to-order omelets, cereals, etc. I began to utilize another food spot on campus to get grilled chicken breasts without buns and grilled veggies and would go back to my room and cook microwaveable brown rice to eat with it. When I would go to my grandmother’s home, I would cook things that were sustainable and freezable and bring them back to school with me. I started discovering easy, dorm recipes that only required the microwave or fresh food. I try to be mindful of consuming a little bit of each food group a day. I don’t restrict myself from pizza and brownies, but I certainly know they aren’t the ideal everyday choice. By the end of this year, my sophomore year, I can honestly say I am pretty satisfied with my food experience at college. I feel like a better, healthier me. I am especially looking forward to next year because I will be living in an apartment and will have nearly complete control over the foods I put into my
When I go to the cafeteria, while I know that a good chunk of the food in there isn’t above par, I know that I can find options that fit my standards. It’s like going to a store like TJ Maxx, where you know that everything there isn’t your style, but if you look hard enough, you’ll find a few staple pieces you want. I began to scope out all areas of the cafeteria options and grab the ones I knew I liked; the salad bar, rice options, vegan/vegetarian options that I knew were cooked with a little more TLC due to the lack of popularity, made-to-order omelets, cereals, etc. I began to utilize another food spot on campus to get grilled chicken breasts without buns and grilled veggies and would go back to my room and cook microwaveable brown rice to eat with it. When I would go to my grandmother’s home, I would cook things that were sustainable and freezable and bring them back to school with me. I started discovering easy, dorm recipes that only required the microwave or fresh food. I try to be mindful of consuming a little bit of each food group a day. I don’t restrict myself from pizza and brownies, but I certainly know they aren’t the ideal everyday choice. By the end of this year, my sophomore year, I can honestly say I am pretty satisfied with my food experience at college. I feel like a better, healthier me. I am especially looking forward to next year because I will be living in an apartment and will have nearly complete control over the foods I put into my