Dorm residents struggle with healthy eating habits

As the manager of the Willkie C-Store, Sandy Porter sees firsthand the choices students make about what to eat. For the majority of students, these choices are not always the healthiest, she said.\n"(Students) don't always purchase the healthiest or low-fat options," Porter said.\nWhile gaining weight is thought to be inevitable during college years, eating healthy and staying fit is possible when living on and off campus.\nAvoiding weight-gain begins with balance, Porter said.\n"Do everything in moderation," she said. "It's not about depriving yourself of everything you like."\nRobin Lemieux, a registered dietitian with Residential Programs and Services, said to "cut back and not erase" when eating. \n"Pizza every now and then is OK, but if you're doing that every night, that's bad," she said.\nBoth women agreed chocolate and other junk food is tempting but that avoiding it altogether is not the best option. Instead, limiting the portion size or the amount can make a difference. \nThis strategy also applies to fad diets like as the Atkins Diet. Both women agreed the types of diets that limit certain foods are unhealthy and often don't work.\n"Diets are restraining yourself," Lemieux said. "If you take vitamins to replace what you're not eating, I would be wary of that."\nWith many students running from class to class each day, they usually go long periods of time without food. As a solution, Lemieux suggested taking a lunch or bringing quick, healthy snacks like yogurt, apples, soups and cereals. \nTaking the time to eat healthy is important, Porter said. \n"Health is important, and you have to make choices," she said. "You have to make time to eat healthy and take care of yourself." \nMaking healthy food choices starts in line at the food court.\n"Don't go to the food court when you are famished," Lemieux said. "You'll eat everything."\nJunior Steve Bishop has had meal points for the past three years. Although meal points are convenient, he said he finds the food choices to be limited.\n"(Meal points) limit your choice on what you can eat," he said. "You just have to use your own judgment on what is healthy and unhealthy."\nFor Bishop, avoiding certain foods keeps him fit.\n"I try to eat somewhere else outside of the C-Store or places where they have salad or pasta," he said.\nFor those without meal points, be prepared when going to the grocery store, Lemieux said.\n"Take a list," she said. "If you go in there with no list, you'll come home with junk." \nDuring nights of study sessions or party-hopping, keeping junk food away can stop the unhealthy late-night munchies. Baby carrots or yogurt are low-fat options, Lemieux said. \nMaintaining a healthy weight is not just about eating habits, but also about physical activity.\nLemieux encouraged students to take advantage of the activities and equipment at the Student Recreational Sports Center and the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation to stay healthy and relieve stress.\nFor those who cringe at the thought of physical activity, Lemieux suggested simple activities. \n"Find something that you like to do," she said. "You don't have to go to the gym and sweat, but just get moving." \nBishop said he walks to class.\n"I make a point to walk to my classes and not take the bus," he said. "I even take the stairs at Ballantine."\nMaking healthy food choices can have long-term benefits, Lemieux said.\n"You'll feel better," she said. "If you start maintaining healthy lifestyles in college, then it will continue in life."\n-- Contact staff writer Danielle Gingerich at dgingeri@indiana.edu.