New Tab! - College Nutrition

Got a new Tab up that I think could really help some people, as a lot of people are headed back to school! AND because I'm not stingy - I'm posting it here also. HOLLA!

I wish I would have been a little more smart in college, and I'm not even talking about academics.
I did not consistently stick with a healthy lifestyle and it showed.
I gained, lost, gained, and lost throughout.
At one point I was 268, was insanely stressed over school, and was NOT interested in committing to becoming a healthier me.
Looking back, I wish I would have utilized tips and tricks I know now to get me through college without packing on pounds.
I started REALLY losing weight Dec. 26th, 2011 and graduated in May 2013.
These are some definite tips that I was loving during that time!

1. STOCK that mini fridge up.

-Hummus
-Bell Pepper
-Deli Meat
-Pre-cooked Grilled Chicken
-Milk/Almond Milk
-Fruits & Veggies
-Plain Greek Yogurt
-Vitatop Muffin

            -Do you have a freezer? Well get to it. I WISH I had a freezer that worked in college, and that was with 2 different refrigerators! This is a luxury ladies! What healthy options go in a freezer?

-Frozen Veggies... like so many frozen veggies!
-Fat Free Cool Whip
-Artic Zero Ice Cream

           -Do you have access to an oven/stovetop? What about at your parent's or a friend's house? Well that would be my next tip. MEAL PREP!

-Eggs/Egg Whites
-Chicken
-Fish
-Turkey
-Ham
-Energy Balls
-Protein Pancakes
-Protein Muffins
-Brown Rice


           -Hey, do you have a blender? Welcome to another world of possibilities!
-Protein Shakes
-Protein Smoothies

2. Get a basket of HEALTHY SNACK & FOOD OPTIONS. Also, put them in your closet or under your bed. Not in plain sight.

-Tuna
-Sweet Potatoes
-Pita Wraps
-Thomas Light English Muffin
-Protein Bars
-Oatmeal Packets
-Almond PB
-Powdered PB2
-Healthy Popcorn
-60 cal pudding
-Beans
-Dark Chocolate

3. Never waste nutrition and calories on liquids. CHUG WATER, NOT BEER. Now, I didn't drink in college, and I don't drink cokes (literally, ever.... it makes my eyes tear up horribly and it feels super tight in my chest), BUT, during college, I didn't drink very much water. In high school I did, and now in grad school I do, but not during my 4 years at undergrad. Tote that water bottle to classes! I know your school has a water fountain, so refills will be no big deal. Drink a little throughout the day, and use the restroom before class and you'll be good to go.

4. Get to the GYM. Start researching some moves and get active. Take advantage of the school's gym. It's in your fees and there is no reason not to. I wish I would have started lifting weights. I'd be a total beast right about now.

5. Destress. This is probably going to sound like a broken record, but how healthy are you actually when everyday you are hating every day of your school career. I have talked about it on here maybe once or twice, but I used to hate my classes. LOATHE. I was a biology major, and to do that you had to take a bunch of Chemistry classes. I absolutely hated Chemistry. It was the only class I ever made a D in, and then I went on to take TWO more Chemistry classes, all of which made me want to cry everyday. I'm so glad that my family is so supportive. They all told me that I could do anything else, and gave me the supportive safety net I needed to jump into something else- something I loved, aka Psych. Get out there and spend your days doing something you love.

These are just a few of the things that I would stress to undergraduates! Or really anybody. If anyone has anything they'd like to add throw it in the comments and help other readers out!