It is so easy nowadays to just order takeaways or buy a ready meal because you can’t be bothered to cook, but is it worth not cooking if that means you have an unhealthy diet?
Eating healthily at university is easy, you just need to follow these simple steps, and you’ll be on your way to a healthy diet in no time.
Plan ahead
Planning ahead is key when sustaining a healthy diet. Take some time out each week, Sunday evenings are great for this, and plan your main meals for the week ahead. This will give your diet some structure, and you don’t have to decide what to eat every night, as you’ve already planned it.
Drink lots of water
Drinking more water is beneficial to the body, and is such a simple task. Instead of going out and buying that bottle of Coke to have with your lunch, or that glass of sugar filled juice, replace it with water! Drinking water keeps skin clear, and of course, drinking from the tap will also save you money!
Write a shopping list and stick to it!
When taking time out to plan ahead for the week, and thinking what items you are going to need from the shop, write out a shopping list, and when you go shopping, follow that list and don’t be tempted to put that packet of biscuits in your trolley. Make sure you don’t go shopping on an empty stomach, as that is never a good idea.
Cook meals from scratch
You might think cooking from scratch is a long and daunting task, especially after a long day of lectures or doing work. It is always tempting to say “let’s just order a takeaway” or “I will just buy a ready meal for tonight”, but the fact is, cooking from scratch is so much healthier. It will take 10 minutes more to cook something rather than using a ready meal, and as long as you use healthier ingredients, you can pretty much guarantee it will be 10 times healthier!
You don’t need to worry about everything you are eating to keep a balanced diet, sometimes it’s okay to have that chocolate bar you been saving or its fine to eat those sweets during revision periods, but using simple things can really boost the way you eat.
If you would like any help with your nutrition, our @NTUFitness team are here to help. Email sport@ntu.ac.uk for more details.
Callum Rowland (2nd year Sports Education and Psychology student)
The Nutrition Suite at Lee Westwood Sports Centre
NTU Sport Blog 