I'm not perfect at all but I've been in college for a little over a month now and I think I've figured out some good tricks to still enjoy college life and to feel good at the same time. I live in a dorm room so I have a tiny fridge and also have a meal plan so I eat at college dining halls. And also if you're not strictly paleo but still want to eat healthy, these tips are relevant too...
- Keep healthy dry snacks in your room
- My go to snacks are larabars, individual bags of larabara "renola" (grain-free granola), nuts, raisins, and apple sauces
- Shop at discount stores like Big Lots and Ollie's for great deals on these products! And when the grocery store has a 10/$10 sale on lara bars, stock up (Kroger and Meijer tend to have these sales a lot!
- Keep a bag of apples or individual baggies of veggies in your fridge for a quick grab and go snack
- My parents and my roommates parents have taken turns sending us bags of apples from local orchards and it's been delicious and such a convenient morning snack!
- Don't eat your "cheats" or sweets in the dining hall. It's not worth it. Go out and buy something gourmet on a special occasion!
- Going out and buying delicious insomnia cookies to console your roommate over a break up is worth it.
- Watch what you drink as well!
- I only drink water, tea, and (watery) coffee in the dining halls and in my dorm room
- I make sure I always have my water bottle with me so I can stay hydrated and not feel bleh while in class or studying
- Use the same rule as for cheat foods- if you're going to have something that's not so paleo, make sure it's a special occasion (i.e. at a party or when you're out to dinner with your parents (and they're paying)).
- It's ok to put water in a red solo cup if you don't feel like drinking something at a party that makes you feel not so great
- Learn to like black coffee. It makes things a whole lot easier not having to worry about there being almond or coconut milk in the dining hall or having to pay an extra 60 cents at Starbucks
- Ask your roommate to hide their junk food
- My roommate keeps her food in a storage ottoman and I really appreciate that! I don't have to stare at all of it all the time and be tempted by it!
- Going into someone else's room who has goldfish and oreos open on the table while you watch tv is a whole different story. Eat ahead of time.
- Keep a sweet in your room that IS paleo
- Sometimes you just need chocolate or something sweet. Especially during exam time.
- Keep some paleo dark chocolate or some other non-perishable sweet in your room for those times so you'll eat something good instead of reaching for your roommate's gourmet caramel corn or homemade chocolate chip cookies that she keeps offering to you and feeling terrible about it afterwards
- My favorite is Trader Joe's extra dark chocolate that comes in a 3 pack for around $1.25 or so ;)
- Be prepared
- Think ahead- you know that you'll be starving at 11:30am between classes and won't have time to make it to the dining hall for a real meal for a couple of hours. Bring an apple or a bar in your backpack so you can whip that out instead of being tempted by all the convenient and delicious looking bagels at the library cafe.
- Don't be too hard on yourself
- Life is trial and error.
- So what if you slipped up because the nearest dining hall had zero paleo options for lunch that day and you didn't have time to trek the 1/2 mile to the next closest one.
- You had to eat SOMETHING. Ideally you picked the best option you could but if your stomach isn't upset and you feel fine physically, just get over it and remember to check the menus online ahead of time next time!
- 12:16 PM
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