College campuses are very active places. It is common to see people literally and figuratively “running around.” People go to the gym daily – super early before class, right after class, at midnight, even – but many go in fear of gaining the infamous “Freshmen Fifteen.”
For this reason, plenty of overachieving college students work hard at the gym only to skip breakfast, lunch, or even their glorious midnight snack (yes, even pizza), and “forget” to eat in the hustle and bustle of everything else they are doing.
According to Webmd.com, the average college student should be eating 2,200-2,800 calories per day. While the active college student should be consuming about 2,400-3,000 calories each day because they are exerting themselves just a little bit more.
Photo by Carrie Morowitz
Skipping meals after exercise doesn’t just hurt your soul (Really? No cookies today?), it is hurtful to your body, as well. Exercise causes your muscles to break down, so make sure you rebuild them the right way.
There are specific foods that are perfect for strengthening those muscles – foods that you may even look forward to eating afterwards. Kimball has plenty of healthy options – check out the new Lean and Green section or head to the fruit bar.
Download the Kimball Dining App or click here to check out the nutrition facts to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need.
Photo by Carrie Morowitz
The best part is that because these foods contain the proteins that your body needs, you could and should eat as much of them as you want after a workout. That’s right, we’re talking buffet-style, all-you-can-eat goodness.
Take Michael Phelps, for example. He eats three sandwiches of fried eggs, cheese, lettuce, tomato, fried onions, and mayonnaise; one omelet, a bowl of grits, and three slices of French toast with powdered sugar; and then three chocolate chip pancakes- all just for breakfast. Safe to say he’s not skimping.
Just take a look around your dining hall at breakfast, lunch, or dinner – the football and hockey players have stacks of pancakes and three glasses of chocolate milk. Your elliptical workout might not be as crazy of a calorie-blaster, but it still requires plenty of energy, so eat up.
Photo by Caroline Morano
The goal of exercising should not be to lose or maintain a certain weight. There is an endorphin-triggered natural high that only a good workout can create. Providing the body with a lot of food after an intense workout only adds to this high, making you feel even better.
That being said, do not hesitate to have a treat. A warm chocolate chip cookie with some cold vanilla ice cream on top is not only deserved, but good for you, too.
Check out these articles for more ways to fuel an intense workout: