The unfortunate reality of college these days is that it’s terrible for your health. College students typically have terrible mental health, and their physical health isn’t great either.
The best way to survive college and maintain a healthy lifestyle is by implementing a personal healthy living program. This way you create behaviors and routines that should keep you healthy while you focus on your education.
But the trick to a successful healthy living program is sticking to it. Here’s how to create a healthy living program that will work for you.
What Is a Healthy Lifestyle Program?
Each person’s definition of a healthy lifestyle is different. While you’re in college, your definition might be a bit looser than when you’re working full time.
So don’t think about what is best for another version of yourself. College means you’re going to have days where you don’t eat the best food or you have to stay up late finishing an assignment. Accept these as inevitable, and create a living program that is forgiving of college student tendencies.
Healthy Diet Plan
Diet is one of the first things to go when you’re a college student. Time and money are short so you end up eating a lot of unhealthy food (if you eat any food at all).
Try to plan and make your meals well before you need to eat them. Consider the cost of ingredients and the nutrition of the food.
Eating Disorders
If you don’t take good care of your diet, there’s a big chance of developing eating disorders during college. An eating disorder is incredibly dangerous to your physical and mental health.
It is a good idea to go to therapy for an eating disorder if you think you’ve got one. It is always best to get help sooner rather than later.
Physical Activity Plan
When you’re under a lot of stress, you feel it in your body. Keeping active is a vital part of healthy living.
The rule of thumb for physical activity is 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day. But when you’re in college you don’t always have that kind of time. If all you can manage is a 15-minute walk around campus every day, then that’s all you need to aim for.
Mental and Emotional Care Plan
College is a big life change and is full of stress and emotional struggle. Many people develop mental illnesses while at college.
Know that your mental health will struggle, and create protective behaviors and routines. Make sure to do things like having rest days and giving yourself a mental break.
Most colleges offer therapy services. If you feel overwhelmed make sure to draw on the resources available to help you.
Maintaining Your Healthy Living Program
The beauty of a healthy living program is that one bad day doesn’t make or break it. This way you’re forgiving of the days you aren’t very healthy and are more likely to stick to your program in the long run.
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