Hello my dear readers,

I know it has been a while since I have posted. I have a valid excuse though. College has once again started and since day one it has been hectic. Already I have quizzes, orals, papers, meetings, assignments, and reading galore!

I have been struggling since college started to maintain my healthy lifestyle. Lets face it, for all my college companions, food is so important in college. Food helps us de-stress and socialize. And the dinning hall is temptation all around, at least mine is. You walk right in and you are greeted with fresh baked cookies, soft and spongy bread pudding, and vanilla yogurt topped with whip creamed. Not to mention the smell of the oven baked pizzas and lure of a good ole fashion hamburger. Its all very tempting.

How do I stay sane? I am still trying to battle that one to be honest. Chocolate is my weakness, and chocolate is no stranger to our bakery.

Furthermore, if you are a freshman maybe this is new to you, but college cafeterias are buffet. An all you can eat buffet. So soon enough you are already on your fifth plate, somehow left with more room for dessert....

Mainly what I do in my college cafeteria is...
1. Stick to the salad bar and fruits. Peaches and bananas are my back to school obsession. Also our school has quinoa in the salad bar so when I want to have a meat less day, I just grab about half a cup of quinoa and mix some peas (a new obsession), green, tomatoes, banana peppers and water funky stuff i find in the salad bar. I drizzle with balsamic vinegar and I am full for the rest of the day!

2. take to go boxes. My school lets us get a "to go" box for whichever meal so I just grab my healthy foods and eat outside or in my room while watching some netflix. It really helps to control my temptations.

3. Do not get an unlimited meal plan. Honestly, it will just be a temptation to go eat in the dinning hall all day. Another thing is do not sit in the dinning hall. Know my friend and I always do brunch and homework and we stay there for hours, I find that I always eat more then I want to because a) i say, "oh its brunch so i have to eat twice as much" and b) "i am already here so i should just keep eating all i want".....BAD.

4. For those who skip breakfast, start your day with a protein shake or a kind bar. Don't skip breakfast, its not healthy from what I've read and just from simple common knowledge.

5. Study.. Hard. you will be to busy to be thinking about food. ha this really helps me.

6. And if night times are your munch times like they are for me, always plan to have a little healthy snack a little after dinner. It can be a dark chocolate square, or a piece of fruit or tea or something that will make you happy and control those urges!

A note on smoothies. I think it was an article from Goodhouskeeping or maybe Shape magazine I am not sure, but there was a study that said smoothies should always contain some protein to balance out the sugar content of a fruit smoothie. Furthermore the protein will help to keep you fuller longer.

My readers, I will try to continue posting every week, at least once. Crunch time is about to start soon, meaning tests, essays and all that will really be hitting me, but I am here and I am continuously reading new things to share with you all! Please leave comments telling me about things that you would like to hear and just keep in mind that clean eating and mean training will deliver results and that everyday is a new day so do not get discouraged and keep fighting because I know i am.

Happy sweatember!