College life has several shades to it which is a carefree life with friends with an equal pressure studies.
Nutrionally this the best time to lay foundation for healthy body as this the growth spurt which requires good nourishment. But eating right is always missed out in this period. The reasons are plenty. Many of the students are living out of their city and family because of education. And almost everyone is unaware of healthy eating habits. It is very easy to choose wrong food, because all the foods youngsters love is junk and which has certain nutrients missing or excess of unwanted sugars or fat.
- Healthy eating out
Eating out in this age is very often. There is always a reason to eat out, be it a birthday party, or exam success, it is always celebrated in restaurants. So eating out with healthy options is important.
You can choose over grilled or baked item instead of fried ones. Instead of burger, you can go for a wrap with some protein in it like egg, paneer or meat.
You can opt for multigrain sandwiches which are made according to your choice, so you can go for more veggies less of mayo or other sauces and a meat. Search for healthy food outlets which serve good quality healthy foods.
If at all you had to eat junk at one meal, you can balance out rest of the day with wise choices.
- Breakfast is a must.
It is the most important meal of the day. It breaks the fast of about 10 hours after your last dinner. So it should not be skipped.
Try and choose healthy options for breakfast like eggs, milk, cereals. Always have one protein source in your breakfast. Like a paratha with curd, toast with egg or cheese, milk followed by poha/upma, or a bowl of milk with muesli or oats etc.
- Exercise
Doing aerobic exercise (cardio) is an excellent way to burn calories and it secrets feel good hormones, which helps to improve your physical and mental health. Eg walking, running, cycling, going up and down on stairs.
Simple exercise tricks which you can do is taking up stairs rather than elevators, or parking your vehicle a little away from the destination. Yoga or suryanamaskar are also an excellent exercise options which you can do at your place without going out and doesn’t need any fancy equipment. Squats and push ups are also easy to do exercise options.
- Fast is okay, but avoid junk food.
There is difference between fast food and junk food. Junk food is made in unhealthy conditions and with unhealthy ingredients. That’s why the food which we get outside is most of the time unhealthy. If you are a fast food lover and cannot stay away from foods like burgers, pizza, atleast make sure it is made fresh. You can also make these things at home so you can be sure about quality.
Even you have to eat some junk or fast food which not so healthy you can combine it for a better nutrient uptake. Like you can combine a wrap or sandwich with a salad or fruit juice.
But be sure the salad or a fruit juice is freshly made. You can also make this at home or your hostel room.
- Tips to avoid acidity
To avoid situations like ulcers or acidity, always eat frequently so avoid long timely gaps. You can eat small fillers like a glass of milk/buttermilk, or a tetra pack of soymilk or yogurt, fistful of dry fruits so there is less secretion of acid in your stomach. Even avoid being awake late night.
Another way to avoid acidity is frequent eating. Keep eating 2-3 hourly so your body gets enough food and nutrition throughout the day. So this can also take care of your health since you are continuously studying and running around in college.
- Tricks when you eat in mess or canteen
If you eating in mess, or canteen, always consume some raw salads and protein group with your meals like dal, chicken, or curds with other food. Normally the sabzis you get in mess are oily, so you can reduce sabzi quantity and increase salads and dal.
NUTRITION ON THE GO
You are always on the go because of your college schedule and do not get enough time to really seat and eat properly. So there are some things which you can do to ensure healthy eating-
Keep handy some easy to carry snacks with so you can munch on these things whenever you are hungry and cannot manage proper eating.
Eating fruits and raw fresh veggies in a day in one of the healthy habits. Even if you have to eat out or in a mess, you can always but some fresh fruits and veggies and eat in between the meals to ensure nutrient intake.
Here is a list of some easy to carry snacks with you-
- A tetra pack of soymilk/ buttermilk/ yogurt
- A fistful of almonds or walnuts
- A small packet of dry fruit or roasted chana
- A khakra
- A fruit
- Nutrition bars
- Granola chunks or bars