Moving away from home to live on your own involves hundreds of small transitions. You may never have needed to make your own meals before. Even if you did your own cooking, chances are your refrigerator was always well-stocked. And your mom was there to remind you to "eat your vegetables."
Now, between school, work, studying, and a social life, you may think you're too busy to go to the grocery, make healthy meals, or exercise regularly. And that fast food habit is particularly tempting.
FAST FOOD FACTS
There are more than 300,000 fast food restaurants in the United States, making that burger and fries ("supersized," of course) a convenient, predictable, and cheap meal on the go. Unfortunately, fast food meals are often high in calories, sodium, fat and cholesterol. Why is this so bad?
Salt helps to form the stomach juices that to digest foods, however too much salt over a lifetime can contribute to high blood pressure. According to C. Everett Koop, former US Surgeon General, most of us get twice as much salt as we need in our diet.
Eating too many high-fat foods can contribute to high cholesterol. High cholesterol has been linked to coronary heart disease, strokes and some types of cancer.
QUICK FACT-According to the McKinley Health Center for students at the University of Illinois, most Americans get 40% of their daily calories from fat, while the ideal intake is 20-30%.
Much to-do has been made in the news lately about "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol, and of course, even foods that contain "no" cholesterol can have enough fats to convert into cholesterol in your body.
Short of getting a degree in Dietary Sciences, how can you tell which foods are "good" are which are "bad?" The key is to aim for a well-balanced diet and educate yourself so you can make informed decisions. Having that burger and fries once in a while isn't going to kill you. Every day, on the other hand, may set you on the road to high cholesterol.
PLAN AHEAD
Is it worth fifty-one grams of fat to have that quarter-pounder with cheese? (That's basically your entire recommended daily intake of fat on a bun.)
Kick the fast food habit by planning ahead. If you know you're going to be out at a meal time, pack a lunch (this will have the added benefit of saving you a few bucks.) Keep snack-sized bags of pretzels, crackers, or peanuts in your car. Carry a bottle of water with you.
Fast food is convenient, and if you're craving a burger and nothing else will do, by all means have the burger. But if a frozen yogurt tastes just as good to you as a Frosty, go for the frozen yogurt.
HUNGER V. EMOTIONS
Sometimes, why you're eating is as important as what you're eating. We eat for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with hunger. We may eat because we're sad, bored, or want something to chew on. Eating is a social activity. We go on dates and go out to dinner.
Ever finish a meal at a restaurant and see a friend who invites you to join his table? Before you know it you're having a second meal or dessert. The same thing happens at Thanksgiving when you have to have a family meal at your parents home, then go to your boyfriend's and do it all over again.
Eating out of boredom or loneliness is also common when you first leave home. That's why mashed potatoes are called "comfort food." They remind you of home and mom and all that you miss. When you find yourself baking a tray of cinnamon rolls because you are bored or lonely, get moving. Go find something to do, preferably with someone else.
Any emotion can trigger eating, and some can lead to eating disorders. Sometimes, controlling what you put into you mouth is the only part of your life you can control. If you find yourself nodding in agreement here, you may need professional help. Call a counseling service and tell someone you think you might have an eating problem.
GET MOVING
Everything about life on your own is different, especially if you were an athlete in high school. You no longer have time for sports, informal or intramural. Your former buddies have gone their own ways and playing tennis or soccer by yourself just doesn't work. The only regular exercise you get now is walking across campus or up the stairs to your apartment.
If you find the numbers on the scales inching upward, you need to add some physical activity to your daily routine. It's a simple law of nature. Whatever calories go in must be burned off or they stay there on your hips, rear and stomach.
You don't have to rush out and join a health center, either. Some of the best exercise is available to you free. Walking, running, dancing don't require much more than a pair of good shoes and a spare half-hour a few times a week. When you engage in exercise you realize a bonus other than just burning calories: exercise is great for stress reduction.
A brisk walk, kick boxing, shooting baskets, slamming a racquetball all help with those pesky emotions that may be tempting you to indulge in cookies. Choose any activity that gets your muscles going and your heart rate up. If you can find a partner, so much the better because you'll hold each other accountable for keeping your jogging dates.
Planning ahead to avoid the fast food habit, eating out of hunger rather than emotional eating, and remaining physically active should help you avoid that "freshmen fifteen."