Summer is right around the corner and many of you are still carry around the holiday weight or the infamous “freshman fifteen.” For college students, gym membership and always eating healthy could be a little pricy. I have some tips that everyone could do to have a healthier life style and they are totally free!
1. Be on your feet!
The bus system in State College is awesome. Blue and white loop are made for lazy people like me who doesn’t even have a 10-minute walk from library to downtown. But if you want a healthy lifestyle and didn’t have time to exercise, you might want to consider to start walking. Penn State is a walker friendly campus and walking uphill on Shortlidge will burn your calorie like nothing else. So next time when your wait for the white loop to come for 10 minutes, you could have already gotten to your destination with a sweat-free cardio.
2. LEARN HOW TO COOK!
As we all know, healthy food choice like a green salad or a chicken sandwich is not as affordable and satisfying as two slices of pizza. If you are struggling eating health with a budget, you should start cooking your own meal. Cooking is no rocket science, and you don’t need as many equipment as you think. Take your time and go to a supermarket to shop for healthy ingredients for salads and sandwiches. It might cost a lot more than a meal, but those ingredients will go a long way and save your money in a long time period. There are recipe websites and YouTube channels, and you’ll be surprise to know that you can make a cupcake just using microwave! Some people also found cooking as a way to release stress, so play with what you have and enjoy the satisfaction of feeding yourself!
3. DON’T DRINK YOUR CALORIEs!
Trust me, I know how satisfying it is to drink a bottle of cold beer or soda after a long day in school, or the craving for coffee every single morning. All these beverages, including orange juice and milk, will increase your calorie intake and they are unnecessary. Try cut down the consumption of beverages and it will save lots of money and unwanted calories. Water is the best way to stay hydrated and they are always free!
I never understand why students wait for the loop for 20 minutes, then get on the Loop, then get off a few stops after getting on. Baffling. They could have gotten some great exercise simply by walking.