Put to the Test

Well… Saturday November 9 was the culmination of the “Shannon eat healthy tips.” I put all my research and “practicing what I preach” into play when I ran (AND COMPLETED) my 50K in Maryland. Now, I am not sugarcoating it at all. It was a rough five and a half hours! However, I firmly believe that all my training coupled with the food training really helped.untitled

Months before the race, I tried to eat healthier and follow the general tips I provided for you all in my blog posts! On my part, I knew that there were a LOT of slip ups (mainly involving a significant amount of icecream). But, generally my overall diet improved. With my improving diet I saw a general rise in my daily attitude and self-confidence levels. I relate it to the fact that I was proud of what I was doing!

As for my race, food and hydration went a lot harder than what I expected it to be. This was mainly because I was caught between my not being able to eat while running and my competitive nature that didn’t allow me to take the needed amount of time to stop and eat. Unfortunately for my body, my competitive nature won. The entire race I consumed a handful of M&Ms, a few pretzels and pieces of potatoes and some gel chews. The gel chews are probably what really gave me the energy to get through the miles 15-22. The only thing that helped me get from 22 to 31.2 was the “finish…or else” mentality. If I ever decide to run another marathon (or ultra) again, I really need to focus on the ability to run while eating. It will save a lot of time and stress in the long run (pun intended). Water was also a huge problem as I completely forgot to drink it. Water stops every 5 miles no waterwere a little too far apart and, after skipping one water stop, my body did start to hate me quite a lot. I was supposed to be getting 16 oz about every half hour, but I think I only got maybe a little over 32 oz the entire race. Oppps!

The feeling crossing the finish line, even with my bad race eating and hydrating, was still absolutely amazing. I completed the 31.2 course in 5 hours and 29 minutes! Not too shabby for an ultra newbie. My mom, who has never run more than 4 miles, also finished the last 10 miles with me which was AWESOME. I was mainly pleased with the “free” hat I got out of the whole thing and the experience! Will I be running another ultra anytime soon? NO. NO NO NO. My body is still wayyyy to sore for that. It was a ton of fun though, so maybe someday! I am still trying to stick with my food rules! So far so good and my post-race recovery is going very smoothly. Here are some recovery tips for anyone competing in a rather long athletic event.

Recovery:

  1. Chocolate Milk (for muscle recovery)
  2. Carbs (pasta, bread, granola)
  3. Sugars (honestly, at this point you deserve it) I ATE SOUR PATCH KIDS
  4. Rest and relaxation
  5. An ice bathmom i love you
  6. Lax ball (for deep tissue roll outs)
  7. A loving Mom to take care of you

 

I originally wrote this blog post last week and then realized that it would actually be my very last blog post ever THIS WEEK. 10 weeks certainly flew by. I hope that everyone learned a little from reading my short little blurbs every Friday. Writing about something that I am so passionate about was an absolute blast. I hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving break. EAT LOTS OF TURKEY (it’s actually really healthy!!)

happy thanksgiving

The Happiness Project: Food Journals

This week I decided to impart not only a little eating advice, but also a reading suggestion! My study abroad experience last year was obviously a very tough year with constant daily struggles. About 5 months into the experience, my Mom told me about one the books that she and her book club were reading that, after reading it, really made a difference in my daily Ecuadorian life. The title alone peaked my interest. For those of you who haHappinessProjectve not read “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin, READ IT. I command you.  The story line is of self-improvement and trying to create a happier life by focusing on one small thing a week at a time. During her journey, Rubin decided to focus one week on keeping a food journal. After she had succeeded with other mini happiness projects in past weeks, she figured that by keeping an eating journal, she could try to focus on healthier eating which would contribute to her overall happiness. Although it is all written down in the book, the summary of her experience was that keeping a food journal is hard stuff!

 

Now, many of you might think that a food journal is something that only body building overly-health conscious people do. False. Even if you are simply trying to shed a few pounds, a food journal can be a crucial element to success! For Rubin, the journaling really made her realize just what she was putting in her mouth and what could be eliminated. Unlike calorie counting, the journal really makes you aware of WHAT you are putting into your system and not the calorie count of it. Her experience showed her that her handfuls of M and Ms throughout the day actually were quite frequent and contributed a large amount to her diet. “Grazing” aka going through your fridge and random times during the day and eating a little bit of this and that can be deadly to anyone who is trying to lose weight. By keeping track of her foods, Rubin became more conscious of what she was eating. She was able to eliminate the majority of grazing and only snacked occasionally. Success!

Grazing-Shot

Keeping track of your food is a pain in the neck, so you have to make it a habit! I decided to give the food journal a test trial this week and see what happened. I quickly realized the recording after every meal was impossible. I am always running every which way and am always late for something so do not have the time to write anything down after a meal. I was, however, able to remember my foods of the day and write it all down before going to bed. It was an effective method. Usually I manage to squeeze in handfuls of sour patch kids or chocolate throughout the day but keeping a food journal really helped me to limit my personal food grazing!

food journal2

So this week’s challenge, keep a food journal. Section off part of one or your notebook with three columns for breakfast, lunch and dinner (with spaces in between for healthy snacking) and record your food for the week! It will really make you conscious of what exactly you are putting into your mouth on a daily basis! Start your own personal happiness project!

The Ultramarathon of…Eating?

For those of you who don’t know, on the 9th of November I will be attempting my very first long run. By long run, I mean 50K (so roughly about 34 miles.) RosaryvilleLogo1WOOHOO. Have I ever done a marathon? Nope. I sort of skipped over that step. Unfortunately, my brothers and I seem to have all received the “obsession” trait from one of my parents. Once we get fixated on something, we just don’t let it go. I became fixated with running an ultra-marathon, and now I won’t rest until I have at least attempted one! Unfortunately, when running any ultra-marathon, the running is one of the easiest parts. The training and food planning are a completely different story. For the last 2 months I have been training for a long race (although I was not sure how long), so I feel semi-prepared. Unfortunately, when it comes to the nutrition side of running an ultra, I am completely and totally clueless.  According to our race guide, we have aid stations about every 4 miles that include water, Gatorade, potatoes, granola bars, bananas, figs, gummy bears, pretzels and cookies. Trust me, when I read it I thought it was the weirdest assortment of food ever. I know that while running I will be needing to replenish my store of electrolytes and carbs, and it was also recommended that I run with a backpack to replenish my water supply constantly. Quite honestly, the food aspect of this thing is scaring me more than the actual mileage. So, for any of you that may someday be attempting to run a marathon (or an ultra), I have researched and compiled a list of tips and tricks to help you!

  1. For the first 4 hours of running, a runner can usually supply on a steady stream of gels and other simple carbs to keep from completely collapsing. Not surprisingly, after about 4 hours, the body will require a more complex form of carb like granola bars, potatoes or cookies.Chewy-ChocChip-Detail_sflb_
  2. In regards to hydration, I will need to be drinking about 14-16 oz of water per hours. Of course, with the awesome cold weather I am bound to have, I will probably be sweating less. The amount of water required also depends on the pace you are trying to keep.blue_wave_of_water-wide
  3. Many ultra-runners like to drink coffee in an attempt to keep their energy levels up. Coffee, however, dehydrates the body and needs to be balanced with a steady intake of other fluids (like water).
  4. After finishing the race (assuming I finish of course) replenishing my body with protein for recovery will be key!

 

P429623-1-1_jenn-shelton-ultramarathon

After doing all of my research, I really realized what a newbie I am at long races. Apparently I should have had an eating plan for the last 2 months. Opps. Too late now! Hopefully, through sheer will power I will be able to focus and complete the entire course! Make sure everyone is extra nice on November 11, as I will be a very tired girl.

The Good Side of Fat

While doing a recent running workout and talking to my crossfit trainer Tom, I happened to make a remark about having to work harder to cut the fat out of my diet. His immediate reaction was, “NO, DON’T DO THAT.”

The United States has become a health crazed calorie counting country. In the process of all the calorie counting, we have forgotten the fact that fat actually is healthy and necessary for your system. Of course we are talking about “good fat.” The kind that is found in dairy products nuts and especially in avocandos, not Taco Bell.  After Tom’s negative reaction, I of course wanted an explanation.

Fats help your body to make tissue and biochemicals. Fat also stores energy, which your body will need when it is performing any form of physical activity that is general over an hour.  Fats have twice the amount of energy potential as carbohydrates and can actually help you perform better as long as you are maintaining a healthy level of fat in the body. No, eating McDonalds twice a day probably is not a healthy level. So now the crucial question. What is good fat, and what is bad fat?

  1. Fat-free does not mean healthy! Don’t be fooled by the low-fat icecream label or the fat-free yogurt. Most likely, the amount of sugar loaded into these foods is twice the normal amount.
  2. Fat can actually help you to lose weight! If you consume “healthy fats” like avocadoes and nuts, they can actually be more filling than regular fat-free foods. Lessening calorie intake is key to weight loss, not lessening fat intake. By eating healthy fats you can actually curb over-eating tendencies.
  3. Limit trans-fat. Trans-fat is a “bad fat.” This fat, often found in fast food and many processed items, should not be consumed in high quantities. It is harder to burn, and is usually the blame for weight gain.

 

Healthy_Fats_Omega-3_and_Omega-6_Header

 

Cutting trans-fat and saturated fat out of your diet is hard, but there are millions of websites and books that are dedicated to helping you do just that. I have compiled some of my favorite tips to help with the process.

omega_6_fatty_acids

  1. Try to lessen intake of red meat. Now, I’m not saying go vegetarian! Simply, lessen your portion sizes or stick to chicken!
  2. Bake, broil or grill instead of fry. Obviously, oil is chalk full of saturated fats. Dipping food in it might taste delicious but is horrible for your system! Don’t do it!
  3. Avoid cheese or cream sauces. I love creamy pasta sauces as much as the next person, but eating one bowl of pasta with cream sauce would be your entire healthy fat intake for the day. DON’T DO IT.
  4. Have full-fat dairy in moderation. Get most of your healthy fat from nuts and avocadoes. I would still stick to skim milk and low-fat yogurt.

Hope those tips help! Remember: get healthy fat from avocadoes and nuts and not from icecream and candy!

role-of-healthy-fats-in-metabolism_1

HALLOWEEN TIME

It is almost that time of year! Halloween time (AKA eat as much candy corn and caramel as you can and then buy it after Halloween when it is on sale and eat it some more). I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Halloween. My Mother has an entire album devoted to my brothers’ and my Halloween costumes over the years. But let’s face it, the best part about childhood Halloween was the candy. We all came home and dumped the Halloween booty out on the table for sorting and prompt eating. Halloween is the gateway for the future eating festivities: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. It is impossible to make it through Halloween without eating one piece of candy, but I am trying to make sure this year I don’t eat 16 pounds of it (yes, that actually happened one year). Here are some helpful Halloween eating tips:

 

  1. Eat those caramel apples…with minimum amounts caramel. Caramel apples have been a fall favorite since…well, ever! They are sweet, delicious and relatively easy to make. As long as you don’t slather four layers of caramel on the apple, these treats can also be nutritious. Apples are a natural form of sugar and although caramel is fatty sugar that I don’t suggest, it’s too good to not indulge in a little. 1033249144001_1927258276001_RM-caramelapples2
  2. Candycorn. Fall isn’t fall without candy corn! I am a strong believer in a healthy amount of fat and candycorn is just that. My only issue is keeping it to a maximum of 2-3 handfuls. With 3am study sessions though, it can get tricky! Try to keep the candycorn intake to one or two handfuls!Candy-Corn
  3. Trick-or-treat candy. Oh boy. I always ended up with piles and am fairly certain I will still somehow end up with a lot of candy this year! Luckily, I have developed a system. Give it away! That way you can save yourself the calories and make a lot of other people happy in the process. One of my suggestions would be to package it up and send it to friends who are at different campuses! That way they will get the enjoyment of getting a package AND eating candy. Of course this only works for friends who aren’t health freaks.
  4.  As always, try to fill you stomach with other fall goodies like apples and pears rather than candy! Currently in season and usually in all dining halls, these two fruits are an excellent substitute for any candy that you do happen to get your hands on in the coming weeks.
  5. Finally, indulge a little. Halloween is once a year. I absolutely refuse to not eat candy at all! You do need a quick energy pick me up sometimes!

bag_of_trick_or_treat

 

I hope those tips help and that everyone has a fantastic Halloween. It may be a little early but heck! It is never too early to start eating candycorn….

 

The Power of Honey Bunches of Oats

Sitting in my chair pondering blog topic ideas, I realized I was unconsciously eating handful after handful of Honey Bunches of Oats. Yes, the cereal. Yum. While stuffing my face and feeling horrible because of it, I decided to check my email andHoney_Bunches saw that I had received an email from my Athletic Association meeting group. The email talked about our group’s involvement in body image week. Oh the irony. Here I was sitting in front of my computer feeling like a complete fatty and loser simply because of some sugary cereal. After reading the email, I decided to take a break from eating my delicious cereal and devote a blog post to philosophic side of body image instead of food/dietary choices.

Body image is something I think everyone struggles with at some point in his OR her life. We are all guilty of harshly judging our own bodies and our imperfections. I am certainly one of those people. I never ever used to worry about my weight until, as a 16 year old, I went to Mexico for 4 weeks and somehow managed to gain 14 pounds of taco and enchilada weight. Did I love every single bite of Guacamole stuffed tacos? Abso-freaking-lutely. But, suddenly, my body decided to rebel and just store every little ounce of food I ate. Since that fateful trip to Mexico, I have always struggled with my weight. Keep in mind that struggling does not necessarily mean eating disorder (I love my food way too much to let myself to do that.)  My waist size can, however, sadly determine my mood any given day.  insecurity20ft20lg

But what exactly constitutes body imperfections? For me, imperfections are, but not limited to, my appendix scar, my wide shoulders, my height etc. However, looking from another perspective, my scar is actually an awesome story (no, I did not actually get stung by a jellyfishas I sometimes try to convince people), my wide shoulders helped me tremendously swimming and being tall is the best thing ever when you are stuck in the back of a crowd and can see over all the, excuse the expression, “little people.” Why do I find so much wrong with my own body when I should be perfectly happy? Millions of people should be debating the same thing.

So here is the challenge of the week. Wake up, look in the mirror and don’t focus on the flaws. Why bother? Everyone has something they should be proud of. Whether it is your smile, eye color, toned arms or even your fingernails that you just painted yesterday. Flaunt it! Be proud. Maybe if more people had decided to actually do this challenge earlier we would be a much happier as a society. If people judge you for your imperfections, go looking for new people! There will always be someone who can appreciate you just the way you are. There, how’s that for motivation blog post. And to think it all started with a handful of Honey Bunches of Oats and an email.  untitled

Fad Diets Revealed

I am sure everyone has had those awesome advertisements of “LOSE 10 POUNDS IN ONLY 2 DAYS WHILE EATING CAKE.” Okay, so maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but seriously, that is pretty much what they say. We are a group of verfad_diets_dont_worky bright individuals, but I still feel the need to clarify. Those advertisements about fad diets are completely false. The vast majority of US citizens will try a fad diet at least once in their lifetimes. Unfortunately, the fad diets are just that, a fad. They are hardly good for your body and could actually cause you to gain weight. Here are a few of the most popular fad diets and why they do not work.

  1. One of the most popular diets currently is called the Paleo diet and is based off of a “caveman’s” diet. Basically, you eat food that only cavemen could eat; food that can be hunted and/or picked. That excludes all carbs and refined sugars. I actually tried this diet for two weeks this summer. The day after the two week mark, I ate so much bread that I was practically bursting. It is just not possible or healthy to cut carbs out of a diet. paleo-diet-is-it-healthy-360x240Of course, limiting carbs can be a good thing, but do not beat yourself up about a plate of whole wheat pasta! The Paleo diet does not have a significant amount of research to back it up, and research actually shows that whole wheat carbs are crucial for your overall health.  A version of this diet that would be beneficial would be to simply cut out refined sugars and limit yourself to whole wheat carbs.
  2. The Atkins diet, another popular diet that recommends unlimited about of eggs, meat and butter has actually been losing popularity due to a large amount of health specialists that have spoken out against this dangerous diet. Popular because it did not focus on limiting awesome foods like meat and butter, the Atkins diet has actually been condemned by multiple health specialists and the FDA. 2010093800atkins
  3. The Master Cleanse. The go to diet for celebrities like Beyonce and Justin Beiber. Guys, just because they do it doesn’t mean you should. With multi-million dollar health specialists advising them, celebrities often have a more tailored version of the Master Cleanse. This mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup and pepper might make the pounds go away at first, but as soon as the cleanse is ended, the pounds which just slither right back. This diet was originally meant to regulate PH levels in the body and was not supposed to be used for weight loss. Master_Cleanse

Moral of the blog post, don’t turn to fad diets to lose weight. Instead, develop a method that works best for you. If that method is calorie counting or simply limiting sweets, do it. Also, my saying no to ice cream has not gone as well as hoped. I am, however, down to 3 bowls a day and not 6 so that is a plus! keep-calm-and-forget-fad-diets

The Woes of Late Night Snacking

Late night snacking has become the bane of my existence. Before college, as the girl who went to bed consistently every night before 10pm (hashtag loser status), I never ever had a problem with not eating past 8pm. College has completely and totally turned that upside-down. Now, as I find myself still semi awake by midnight with my stomach growling, I continuously turn to quick, easy and generally unhealthy snack foods for my quick fix. Living in South has only made my snacking problem worse. Redifer Commons has a late night buffet open from 9 to 11pm with lots of awesome foods like doughnuts, bacon, bagels, cookies, fries, chicken and (I hate to say it) ice cream. Of course they also have veggies, wheat bread and salad, but at 10 at night, I am hardly in the mood for a healthy snack. As my eyes feast on the piles of doughnuts, but willpower seems to just float away, and I stalk up on all sorts of delicious and fattening goodies. Sorority recruitment has only made this snacking problem worse. After a long 5 hours night of talking to girls about EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN, I am really in the mood to treat myself to some sugary food. The result has been a disgusting weight gain in only the last week. latenightsnacking1

Here is the science behind late night snacking. Basically, after a long day of working overdrive, your body begins to slow down around 9 or 10. This includes your metabolism! When a person’s metabolism slows down, so does digestion. This means, that any food you eat after 9 generally only half digests before you fall341244-1901-01 asleep. Because your body is inactive when sleeping, this means that the majority of the calories from your food are being directly absorbed into your body and are not actually being burned like they would normally be in the daytime when you are active. However horrible it may sound, you are actually putting on weight while you sleep. Ugh right? Here are some three tips and tricks to avoid that extra pound or two you never should have gained.

1. Try to limit snacking after 9pm. It’s so obvious! Take the Nike saying, and do the opposite. JUST DON’T DO IT. We all know how hard that can be, so read on…

 

2. Only keep healthy food in your dorm room. When you are tired and hungry at midnight, you probably won’t be likely to get out of bed, into appropriate clothing and walk to the nearest grocery store. Therefore, you will probably turn to eating all the food in your dorm room. If all you have in your room are cheese puffs and chocolate, then that’s what you will eat. Follow the “Susan philosophy” (Susan is my Mom) and stalk up on veggies, apples and healthy cereals. In my fridge, I have a healthy supply of carrots, apples and shredded wheat along with a lot of water and milk. I also have yogurt and granola for the REALLY late night snacking that turns into becoming my breakfast.

 

3. If you do end up hauling yourself out of bed and to the nearest dining hall, try to use self-control. I know it’s hard. I am still struggling! Try to limit the amount of bad food you put into your to-go container. For every cookie you grab, take twice as many veggies, and try to eat those first. That way, you might be full by the time you actually get to the cookies. When in doubt, fruit is always the way to go.

Late nights will always be a norm in college, but a 30 pound weight gain is not! Stay away from the unhealthy late night food guys! Your metabolism and body will thank you later.fitness_5

My Icecream Addiction

As a Penn State student on a campus that is famed for its’ creamery ice cream, I knew that my ice cream addiction coming into college was going to be a struggle. As an addict, I know that the first step to taking action is admitting the problem, so here it goes. I HAVE A HORRIBLE, AWFUL ICE CREAM ADDICTION. There. I said it. As far as addictions go, let’s be real. Ice cream is hardly the worst thing I could be addicted to (something I constantly tell myself as I am working through by second helping of chocolate fudge swirl.)  Some students just have to have their morning cup of coffee. I simply have to have my daily three bowls of ice cream. Of course, I put all the blame for my addiction on my dad. We have the same horrendous sweet tooth, and he kept the freezer stocked with ice cream for the majority of my childhood. Luckily, my Mom took a stand against unhealthy food a few years back and slyly swapped out our “thickly churned” flavors for sorbet and frozen yogurt. My Dad and I took an immense pride in the fact that slowly, our everyday ice cream eating binge turned into a once or twice a week habit. ice-cream-cones

Everything changed, however, when I lived in Ecuador for a year and had 30 cent ice cream tempting me at every single street corner. I ate it every day. Multiple times a day. I just could never seem to get tired of the stuff! Although I tried to blame by 15 pound weight gain on the Ecuadorian rice I ate for 3 meals a day, the true culprit was probably my 9-a-day ice cream cone habit. Now, as a freshman in college, I am trying to change this bad eating habit before it is too late. Unfortunately, thus far, I have been doing a God awful job. Here are a few things I have decided to do in an attempt to lessen my ice cream intake in college. Notice the key work LESSEN, not eliminate completely…

  1. Frozen yogurt is still ice cream. I somehow managed to get it through my head my first week of school that frozen yogurt was a healthier option and could hardly be considered ice cream. My five bowls a day were justified! Well, I was WRONG. After doing some research, both frozen yogurt and ice cream still have the main ingredient: cream. Although there is a slight calorie difference (272 vs 235 for a small vanilla cone) it still does not justify eating all five bowls. Plus, my tummy felt just as bad after five bowls of frozen yogurt as it did after the same amount of ice cream.  A sure sign that I should not be substituting frozen yogurt into my diet. images
  2. SIT AS FAR AWAY FROM THE DESSERT TABLE AS POSSIBLE. This is a method that I have developed and honed to a T. My thought process is something along the lines of, “Maybe if I don’t have to see it, I won’t want it.” It has about a 30 percent success rate, but I am trying to improve! Really, I am!
  3. Stick with one small cone on the way out the door. I am not trying to eliminate ice cream completely. I just need to cut down on the amount that I do eat. I have decided, that instead of putting it in a bowl and then having multiple bowls following my meal, I will grab a small cone on my way out the door. That way my penny pinching self will not want to swipe back in just for another cone. I will also save myself time by eating it on the walk to my next class!
  4. Replace dessert after dinner with fruit. Because I tend to eat dinner so late, whatever I eat tends to sit and digest in my stomach while I sleep. This means that my body is absorbing more of the fats then it regularly would if I was active. Replacing ice cream with fruit for dinner would probably make me feel better in the long run and would also allow me to stay awake for a longer amount of time. Fresh_FruitStudies have shown that the complex sugars in fruits do not make you as tired as the “sugar rush” of the quick sugars in ice cream.
  5. Do NOT binge. I know from past experience that trying to cut ice cream out of my diet completely will only lead to a binge later in the week. I am hoping that my new system will help me to gradually wean myself off of ice cream and avoid the binges! 92ae584f-7b70-48ac-a0ae-256782794065

I encourage each and everyone one of you to search deep inside yourselves. Are you addicted to fried chicken? Can you simply not live without that late night cookie dough? Confront it! Take action! If I can start a new eating plan, so can you.  This week and the next, strive to limit your favorite unhealthy food, and let me know how it goes. Hopefully, the two weeks will kick start a whole new eating plan.

 

Images from:

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Breakfast. Seriously, Just Eat It.

Waking up in the morning is always rough, especially if you are not a morning person. Let’s face it, mornings are usually rushed, and between grabbing that cup of coffee and finishing up a homework assignment, the last thing a person has time for is breakfast. The mantra of “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” has been ingrained in my head since I was little. I never found it difficult to eat breakfast until I got to college.  This morning, as I was rushing around gathering materials for class and getting dressed, I almost forgot to eat breakfast. If a breakfast lover like myself almost doesn’t take the time to eat a small granola bar and an apple, there are probably many more people who skip the meal completely.    breakfast-cereal-desk-lg

Completely skipping breakfast is bad enough and is addressed later in this blog, but what is almost worse is students who eat all the wrong foods for breakfast.  I was one of those disgusting breakfast eaters only a few short years ago.  The delicious doughnuts, French toast covered in syrup and pancakes piled high with butter were always a scrumptious way to start out my morning. When I began eating healthily, however, that all changed. My breakfast this summer usually consisted of yogurt after the gym with fruit and granola. Luckily, this trend has continued into college. By buying my own yogurt and granola, I can usually make myself a quick and easy breakfast before running out the door to class. The few mornings I do go to eat breakfast in the dining commons, however, I have developed a system to avoid eating the foods I shouldn’t.

I usually always go to buffet styled breakfasts. They have the healthy food I enjoy eating, and I can pick out the portions I want. The buffet comes with some serious side effects, however. Here are a few tips and tricks to healthy buffet dining hall breakfasts:

  1. AVOID THE DOUGHNUTS. Not only will these iced temptations provide you with almost your whole saturated fat intake for the day, but they will also give you a quick sugar rush which will then fade and leave you feeling exhausted. The same concept can be applied for sugary cereal.
  2. Avoid fried breakfasts food. Although those hash browns might look amazing, they aren’t for your body. Avoid anything fried when it comes to breakfast food.  heavy-breakfast-290x222
  3. Limit syrup. There is nothing wrong with the occasional pancake, waffle or French toast breakfast. Eating all three in one day, however, will lead to a cholesterol, carb and sugar overdose. Limit portions and the amount of syrup! When in doubt, yogurt and applesauce often make for a great healthier topper.
  4. Fruit all the way. Try to eat as much fruit as you can in the morning. Whether it is piled on top of oatmeal or yogurt, fruits are complex carbs and healthy sugars that are a nutritious filler! Plus they also taste delicious. My favorites are strawberries and pineapple. Both are usually available in all buffet breakfast commons.
  5. Drink fluids. Coffee actually can dehydrate your body. When drinking coffee in the morning, make sure you are also getting other fluids such as milk, water, tea and/or juice. My favorites are usually skim milk or caffeinated tea. Fluids will also fill up your stomach and make you seem fuller than you actually are. That will prevent overeating during all meals.

 

Obviously, not everyone eats breakfast. I am writing to convince you that you SHOULD! When trying to lose weight, eating breakfast will make your metabolism kick in and will actually help to burn more calories throughout the day. Whether it is eating a quick meal in your dorm room, a granola bar on the way to class, or a quick trip to the dinning commons nearest you, there are easy ways to eat a healthy breakfast! So tomorrow, set your alarm a measly 5 minutes earlier and grab some food. I promise you, and your body, won’t regret it.

 

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