Healthy Eating on Campus, Wellness Education Services Website

Healthy Eating on Campus

Eat BREAKFAST & eat regularly. Skipping a meal means your metabolism drops, you're more likely to become over hungry and overeat later (eat too fast, eat too much). It takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message you're getting full, but if you shovel it in, you won't stop eating until after you've had too much.
Plan ahead - if you have classes all day, bring some food with you. Shop for foods easy to bring. There is bus transportation to Tops International and Boulevard Mall on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Make BETTER choices. First know your options - Bert's / Kosher Kitchen, The Commons, vending machines? Burger King, dining halls…or bring your own? Order smartly. If you want fried food at lunch, choose leaner foods at breakfast and dinner.
Fit in vegetable and fruit servings when you can. Breakfast is easy, and take a fruit for later. At dinner, fill ½ your plate with vegetables and/or fruit, or have a large side salad. Eating more of these nutrient-dense, calorie-dilute foods will help fill you up and keep your immune system up.
Choose protein wisely - choose chicken breast, ham, turkey; beans, lentils, low fat/non-fat dairy, soy more often than high fat protein (chicken wings, sausage and pepperoni toppings, breaded patties, cutlets, tenders, chicken wings, cheese filled/topped dishes). Nuts and seeds, while high in fat, are high in beneficial unsaturated fats and fiber, and have no cholesterol. Small amounts can help you feel satisfied.
Watch condiments - how much salad dressing, margarine, butter, cream cheese, sauce, salad dressing, etc. do you use? These little extras can really add up.
Snacks - It's too easy to eat too much of high-calorie candy and snacks if we eat them when very hungry. Eat regularly and have treats occasionally ("80/20 rule"). Don't substitute M&Ms for lunch. Keep healthier snacks with you (fruit, cut veggies, soup, sandwich, yogurt, etc.)
Beverages - how many calorie-containing drinks do you have a day?
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Beverages:                           Calories
    12 oz Soda Pop                      ?
    20 oz Sobe Nirvana                  ?
    16 oz Starbuck's Caramel Macchiato  ?
    16 oz Intense Vanilla milk          ?
    16 oz McDonald Chocolate Shake      ?
```
(answers below)
Also, our bodies don't sense liquid calories as well as we do solid food (we don't compensate and eat less later as we would if we ate those calories).

USE a water bottle - satisfy your thirst with water. We may eat when we're thirsty. Drink 8 to 10 cups/day, more if you're active or it's hot out.
Balance - Eat high fat foods with lower fat foods
1. e.g. Scrambled eggs w/toast (w/margarine) & fruit instead of home fries & donut
2. If you really want French fries, get a lower fat sandwich or main dish rather than a cheeseburger or wings.
BRING YOUR OWN lunch, snacks. Make what you want, have it when and where you want. Means planning ahead and shopping occasionally… start preparing for life outside of UB now.
Don't eat fat free meals - without some fat and/or protein, you will quickly digest your meal and become too hungry and/or easily crave sweets or other food. A meal should have some complex carbohydrate (bread, rice, cereal, etc.), some protein (lean meat, beans, lentils, dairy) and/or some fat to be satisfying.
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Beverage:                            Calories
    12 oz Soda Pop                       150
    20 oz Sobe Nirvana                   300
    16 oz Starbuck's Caramel Macchiato   240
    16 oz Intense Vanilla milk           500
    16 oz McDonald Chocolate Shake       580
```