Tips for Healthy Eating Going Back to School

Yes – you read that right. Back to school.

Eating habits aren’t something we typically focus on during this time, but it’s imperative to start healthy eating habits at the beginning of the school year to help you get ahead. Here are 5 important tips for healthy eating going back to school.

Eat breakfast

Eating breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For those of you with a flood of excuses like:

-I’m never hungry in the morning
-I don’t like breakfast
-I don’t have time to prepare breakfast

Let’s change that.

If you break down the word breakfast it means to break fast. When you are asleep, your body is still working digesting, breathing, and functioning. After 7 hours of sleep, you have to break your “fast” with nutrients.

If you’re not into breakfast, opt for a fruit & veggie smoothie to kick start your body on the right track. Stay away from cakes, cookies, donuts, pies & sugary drinks.

If you don’t have time, make your shakes before bedtime. Grab, shake, drink, and go. Need more help? Check out this site for healthy breakfast recipes on the go.

No excuses.

Eat every 3 to 4 hours

Never go more than 4 hours after breakfast to eat again. Preferably a snack. Pack healthy snacks like bars, nuts, trail mix or fruit to munch on that’s full in fiber keep you feeling fuller longer. Stay away from candy bars and chips. If you crave chips during the day, try my kale chips recipe to curb the craving.

Remember: if you’re juicing, that counts as a meal, as you are drinking your calories.

Eat 5 times a day

Sound like a lot? It really isn’t. Your day can go like this:

6:30 a.m. – Breakfast

9:30 or 10:00 a.m. – Light snack

1:00 p.m. – Lunch

4:00 p.m. – Light snack

7:00 p.m. – Dinner

The key to this is eating smaller portions. If you’re used to eating buffet-sized meals, this will have to be scaled back. Instead of eating more to eat less times per day, eat smaller portions and eat more times per day. This breakdown will help boost metabolism.

Eat (or drink) Something Green

Whether you prefer to eat your veggies or drink them, the point is to consume leafy greens or mix them in your favorite smoothies. Get over it. You’re a big girl. Put the big girl britches on and eat (or drink) like a woman.

Chug Water…a lot of it.

Drinking water wasn’t something I was a fan of either, but I realized I had to learn to like it. I felt it was best to drink water a couple of cups at a time and even set alarms to remind me throughout the day. Water is essential, especially for those that have to trudge to class across campus.

Stay away from the sugar-filled sodas and faux fruit juices. Hydrate!

For those looking for something visually appealing to chug from, I highly recommend the BKR glass water bottles. I love mine! You can read more here about BKR water bottles and grab one in your fave color.

Click below to see my faves:

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