College student, excited to start August 22nd

[stephanieblake]

Hey everyone, my name is Stephanie, and I am a sophomore in college with an unhealthy relationship with chocolate. I've grown up drinking lots of soda every day, eating all sorts of snacks and fast foods. AND, I'm a stress baker, so whenever a test rolls around, I whip up a batch of cookies.

 

Throughout my freshman year and this summer, my eating habits have gone from okay to poor to downright terrible. About a month ago, I walked upstairs to my bedroom, and felt like I had just ran a marathon. I don't have any energy, and all the food that I put into my body was horrible. I am not overweight, so it took me a while to realize how unhealthy I had become. Finally, I decided that it was time to change my lifestyle, to completely alter the way I eat. A friend recommended the Paleo diet. I've been reading about the Paleo diet for a week or so now, and I stumbled upon the Whole30 program from a Paleo food blog I was reading. I think the Whole30 plan will get me started on the road to life-long healthy eating habits, so I'm going to dedicate myself to the plan and try it out. 

 

I am nervous about starting this diet at the beginning of the semester, on a budget, but I believe that I can make it work! Any advice or comments are greatly appreciated! 

[healthy_haley]

Congrats on finally deciding to take the plunge! It can be really scary and intimidating at first, especially as a college student but it is very do-able! I just started my junior year of nursing school and the best advice I can give is to meal prep. It will seriously become your best friend. In between studying, Sundays are my "prep" days which is when I go grocery shopping and cook, etc. Before even placing most of my fruits and vegetables into their rightful spots once coming home from the store, I cut up the ones that last long once cut (celery, broccoli, zucchini, etc) and place them into easy to access containers for quick grab and go fuel. I also tend to grill up either chicken or turkey in mass quantities, boil half a dozen eggs, and just try to have as much stuff cooked as possible to make the week pass by a little smoother. Then the nights before class, I pack all my meals and have them ready to go in the fridge so all I have to do in the morning is pack them in a cooler and I'm off for the day. Another hard thing about being in college and going whole 30 are the temptations that constantly surround me. Whether it be alcohol or just bad non-whole 30 approved foods, but the best way to prevent yourself from indulging is to have alternatives. I always bring a can of flavored sparkling water with me to parties. That is considered my go to "party" beverage and I only drink it in that sort of environment. It makes me feel like I'm treating myself while still staying on track. As far as non-whole 30 compliant food goes, it gets easier to avoid it. I save money by not going out and use the money I saved to add to my meal prep. I make sure to always have healthy snack options available in case I do get hungry in between meals which happens less and less as my days progress. 

 

Best of wishes to you and let me know if you need any help or motivation!

[stephanieblake]

Thank you for the advice and support! I made my first grocery trip today, and I bought some meat in bulk and took your advice with the vegetable storage and prep time. Thankfully, I don't have to worry too much about packing meals, because I have all of my classes together, so I'm only on campus a few hours a day.  

I made my first Whole30 meal this morning (sausage patties, yum!) and they were amazing! I'm feeling pretty good about this, and I think if I plan and prep right, it should be doable. (: