Giggles 'n More

Diet and Exercise For Busy Students

Your thesis or dissertation deadline is looming over your head, you’re probably finding it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Your healthy eating habits have most likely dissolved, despite your best intentions. Exercise is at the bottom of your list in terms of your priorities, and just getting one more paper turned in or one more exam out of the way is at the top of your to-do-list. To say that you’re busy would be an understatement, but do not make that an excuse to abandon a healthy lifestyle. Learning how to balance your studies and your health is highly important, so read on below for a few tips on healthy living as a student.

Tip One: Plan Ahead of Time

It’s hard when you’ve been awake since 2 am and have had nothing but coffee to get you through the day to say no to your roommate’s two remaining slices of pepperoni and sausage pizza.

But unfortunately, you have to. Keep in mind though that it’s easier to resist temptation if you don’t starve yourself all day. If you know you’re going to pull an all-nighter, keep healthy snacks and foods around such as fruits and nuts, which will not only get you through the night, but help you to concentrate better as well. Whatever you do don’t skip meals, because this only wreaks havoc on your metabolism and can eventually lead to binge eating.

The same can be said for exercising. If you know for sure that you will not be able to workout at night because you have classes every night of the week for three hours, try to schedule your workouts for earlier in the day instead of eliminating them completely from your schedule. Remember that leading a healthy lifestyle is a commitment you made to yourself, which is just as important as the commitment you’ve made to your studies.

Tip Two: Keep Visual Motivation Handy

For many of us, visual motivation is key to staying on top of our workout schedules.

A visual motivation can take the form of many different things. It can be a picture of an article of clothing that you’re dying to wear pasted to your closet door, or maybe a calendar on your refrigerator that you use to record your daily exercise activities, either way if you can see the progress you’ve made or see the goal at hand, then you will be more likely to stick to your exercise routine.

Tip Three: Make a Workout out of Anything

Understandably, situations arise that will prevent you from working out, whether it be a change of a due date or an impromptu quiz. When this happens, just be flexible and remember that you can work out anywhere. Take the stairs to the seventh floor of the library instead of the elevator or walk across campus instead of taking the shuttle. A mini-workout can be just as effective as an extended one.

Tip Four: Form an Exercise Group

Just as you’ve formed study groups, form workout groups with your friends. Workout groups will give you a chance to vent, burn calories, and release some stress associated with the drudge of academia.

Tip Five: Learn How to Shop on a Budget

With the current economy many individuals state that eating healthy is too costly, but grocery coupons and weekly specials make eating healthy even on the tightest budget possible. So be sure to grab Sunday’s paper or check your favorite grocery store online.

Just stay committed to leading a healthy lifestyle even as a student and your body will reap the rewards!