Spring Break
The Daily OrangeAvoide huge meals, extra portions to maintain balanced diet
By Tramayne Osbourne
Posted: 9/6/07, 12:12 AM EST Section: Feature
The word "meal" means a lot of different things to college students. They eat in between class, during class - wherever they can find something quick to eat.
But with the threat of poor health looming, it's important to maintain one's diet.
Ruth Sullivan, registered dietician and nutrition educator of Syracuse University Food Services, offers some tips on how to manage and maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the year:
Control your portions: Large portions are the cornerstone of an unhealthy diet.
"[We] are so used to eating large portions that we seem to think we aren't getting what we deserve if we aren't," Sullivan said. "We don't even know what a reasonable portion size is."
But the food pyramid is a good resource of dietary guidelines and can be helpful when choosing an appropriate portion size. By reducing portion sizes, it will also reduce the amount of calories and fat the body intakes throughout the day.
"Everything can fit in your meal pattern, as long as your portions are adequate," Sullivan said.
Stay away from "empty calories": Empty calories are calories found in high energy foods that lack nutritional value - like most processed foods. Look for foods that are more beneficial for your health such as whole grain products, plain or flavored water, herbal iced tea or skim milk. Sullivan suggested staying away from junk foods, such as candy and soda and limiting consumption of fried and fatty foods.
Eat meals at a reasonable time: When you are having a late dinner because you haven't eaten in a long while, it's hard to keep portion sizes within reasonable amounts, making it easier to overeat.
Keeping a regular eating schedule helps to even out metabolism and reduce hunger pains.
"When you skip a meal, your body goes into starvation mode," Sullivan said. "Your metabolism drops and your body holds onto every calorie that it gets."
Control "mindless" snacking: The snacking that goes on throughout the day, and especially at night, can be a big problem, especially for college students who are awake at all hours of the night. The excess calories from chips, cookies, ice cream and pizza contribute to weight gain.
Some find that not eating after a certain time helps minimize or eliminate the possibility of munching on a lot of unnecessary high calorie foods.
Avoid "fad diets": A fad diet is a weight-loss plan that promises dramatic results and usually centers around eliminating or concentrating on one particular food or food group in daily diet. However, these plans rarely offer long term success and can result in serious health deficiencies.
Exercising and eating healthy are better options.
"The only benefit of fad diets is that they make people pay attention to what they are eating," Sullivan said.
But with the threat of poor health looming, it's important to maintain one's diet.
Ruth Sullivan, registered dietician and nutrition educator of Syracuse University Food Services, offers some tips on how to manage and maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the year:
Control your portions: Large portions are the cornerstone of an unhealthy diet.
"[We] are so used to eating large portions that we seem to think we aren't getting what we deserve if we aren't," Sullivan said. "We don't even know what a reasonable portion size is."
But the food pyramid is a good resource of dietary guidelines and can be helpful when choosing an appropriate portion size. By reducing portion sizes, it will also reduce the amount of calories and fat the body intakes throughout the day.
"Everything can fit in your meal pattern, as long as your portions are adequate," Sullivan said.
Stay away from "empty calories": Empty calories are calories found in high energy foods that lack nutritional value - like most processed foods. Look for foods that are more beneficial for your health such as whole grain products, plain or flavored water, herbal iced tea or skim milk. Sullivan suggested staying away from junk foods, such as candy and soda and limiting consumption of fried and fatty foods.
Eat meals at a reasonable time: When you are having a late dinner because you haven't eaten in a long while, it's hard to keep portion sizes within reasonable amounts, making it easier to overeat.
Keeping a regular eating schedule helps to even out metabolism and reduce hunger pains.
"When you skip a meal, your body goes into starvation mode," Sullivan said. "Your metabolism drops and your body holds onto every calorie that it gets."
Control "mindless" snacking: The snacking that goes on throughout the day, and especially at night, can be a big problem, especially for college students who are awake at all hours of the night. The excess calories from chips, cookies, ice cream and pizza contribute to weight gain.
Some find that not eating after a certain time helps minimize or eliminate the possibility of munching on a lot of unnecessary high calorie foods.
Avoid "fad diets": A fad diet is a weight-loss plan that promises dramatic results and usually centers around eliminating or concentrating on one particular food or food group in daily diet. However, these plans rarely offer long term success and can result in serious health deficiencies.
Exercising and eating healthy are better options.
"The only benefit of fad diets is that they make people pay attention to what they are eating," Sullivan said.
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