10 Ways To Eat Better At JMU

Eating healthy in college is hard. From drinking to eating Chipotle literally all the time…temptations are all over the place. Read on for 10 ways to eat better at JMU!

1. It’s all about balance

Eating well doesn’t mean you have to only eat healthy foods- you should still allow yourself to have treats when the opportunity arises!

2. Keep healthy staples in your dorm

When you’re too lazy to make the trek to a dining hall, you’re going to be relieved you stocked up on peanut butter and whole wheat bread on your last Walmart run. What you keep in your room, you’re most likely to snack on- so be sure to keep things like nuts, fruits, and veggies!

3. Bring snacks to class

Running around campus all day makes you hungry. Bringing healthier options to class (trail mix, a granola bar, fruit…) will keep you from reaching for that candy bar in the vending machine.

4. Find healthy foods you like

Eating well doesn’t have to be a chore- find healthy food you like, and start experimenting with them!

5. Don’t drink too much

As fun as parties can be, those experiences can easily add a lot of empty calories to your diet. That jungle juice you love? Full of sugar. I’m not telling you not to drink- just pace yourself and be responsible!

6. Track food, but not calories

Tracking calories can lead to an unhealthy obsession with what goes into your body. If you feel the need to track something, track the foods you eat instead! It will still give you an overview of what you had, without putting stress on any numbers.

7. Listen to your body

If you’re hungry, eat. If you want a cupcake, have the cupcake! Eating well isn’t a diet- it’s a lifestyle. Make reasonable changes that you can stick to, and go from there.

8. Visit the dietitian

Fun fact- your tuition also pays for an on-campus dietitian, which you should totally take advantage of. She’s super sweet, and incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.

9. Actually pay attention in health 100

For many, this class is an ‘easy A’ gen-ed that many just want to get out of the way. It turns out, it actually presents very useful information! Paying attention in this class will help you learn how to take care of your body, and give you different resources as well.

10. Hang around Urec

Urec offers a variety of cooking and exercise classes that can show you how to make the most of your limited time and budget. Swing by to see how you can improve your health!