Fitness and Nutrition

Can students at Washington and Lee University make healthy eating choices? The good news is that the “first-year fifteen” is not inevitable. With the right kinds of choices about the foods you are eating, along with a regular exercise program, college students can remain healthy. All it takes is a little advance planning and some careful choices whether you are eating in the on-campus dining facilities, fraternity or sorority houses, or cooking for yourself.

Check out the food pyramid that you are used to seeing compared to the newer Healthy Eating Pyramid developed at Harvard School of Public Health. The key is balancing exercise along with appropriate food choices.

Now that you have had a chance to study the newer way of thinking about eating remember it’s also about:

• Portion sizes – a portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards, 1 oz of cheese is about the size of your thumb, 1 oz of nuts or any snack food = 1 handful, the tip of your thumb = 1 serving of mayonnaise or margarine.
• Eating more fruits and veggies than you currently do – fruits 3-5x per day and unlimited veggies.
• Complex carbohydrates vs. simple sugars is the way to go – choose whole grains whenever possible.
• Eat the right kind of fats – vegetable oils and nuts vs. trans and saturated fats.
• Doing some physical activity on a daily basis – if you are thinking about going to the Fitness Center or out for a jog, make it happen!
• Budget in the foods you really like to eat including ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, etc. No food is off-limits – just watch the portion size and how often you eat it.

Fruits and Veggies Matter

Make healthier choices that reflect your preferences, culture, traditions, and budget. Choose fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and protein foods to get the most nutrition and meet your personal calorie needs. Aim for a variety of foods and beverages from each food group and limit saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Check out the MyPlate website by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for more information and helpful resources.

• Everything you eat and drink matters – focus on variety, amount, and nutrition
  What and how much you eat and drink, along with regular physical activity, can help you manage your weight and lower your risk of disease.
• Choose foods and beverages with less saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars
  The saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars found in foods and beverages are important for you to think about as you build your healthy eating style. Saturated fat and sodium are sometimes found naturally in foods and beverages. Sugars, sodium, and ingredients high in saturated fat can also be added during processing or preparing foods and beverages.
• Start with small changes
  Create an eating style that can improve your health now and in the future by making small changes over time. Consider changes that reflect your personal preferences, culture and traditions. Think of each change as a “win” as you build positive habits and find solutions that reflect your healthy eating style. Each change is a MyWin that can help you build your healthy eating style. Use the tips and links below to find little victories that work for you.

Additional Resources

Campus Resources

• Office of Health Promotion: Make an appointment to speak with a health educator about the choices you are making and the changes you would like to make to eat a healthier diet. Also available: books, articles, brochures, referrals to community nutritionists, and more. Contact Jan Kaufman for an appointment.
• Lindley Health: A physician can help you evaluate any medical problems related to cholesterol, your weight, or disordered eating. Contact Lindley Health at 540-458-8401 or visit the website.
• Lindley Counseling: Feeling like food is taking control of your life? Talk to a counselor who can help you set goals and take control. Call Lindley Counseling at 540-458-8590 for an appointment or visit the website.

Websites

• Federal Nutritional Guidelines: Loaded with info on healthy eating, dietary guidelines, supplements and much more.
• Diabetes: Don’t let the diabetes topic throw you (this is just a healthy way for all of us to eat) – loaded with info on healthy eating including sample meal plans, serving sizes and much more in both the nutrition and education sections.
• USDA: Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion – USDA guidelines, recipes, lots of good info, especially the Interactive Healthy Eating Index to analyze the quality of your diet!
• American Dietetic Association: Go to Healthy Lifestyle section for fact sheets everything from fiber to dieting to vegetarian eating.
• Eat to Compete: Tim Wierman of Nutrition Educational Services teaches individuals and groups new dietary behaviors that may lead to better health and improved athletic performance. His manual is housed in the Athletic Training Office in Warner Gym. 
• Vegetarian Resource Group: Everything you would want to know about healthy vegetarian eating.
• W&L Dining Services: Find out all there is know about W&L Dining Services including meal plans and menus.
• Health Letter: Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter
• BestColleges Student Nutrition: Another resource loaded with great nutrition information especially designed for college students.