Page 287 - Keys To Community College Success

KEY 10.2 Create positive food habits.

Wellness and Stress Management

• Vary what you eat, focusing on local, organic
fruits and vegetables, when possible.
• Choose foods with limited fat,
cholesterol, and trans fats.
• Replace sugary snacks with fresh or dried fruit.
• Keep healthy snacks within reach to avoid temptation.
• Limit calorie-heavy alcoholic drinks and sugar-heavy sodas.
• Notice and reduce portion sizes.
• Plan meals and minimize late-night eating sprees.
• Substitute other activities for stress-related eating.
• Get help from weight-loss organizations
and on-campus support.

Healthy eating requires balance (varying your diet) and moderation (eating reason-
able amounts). Key 10.2 presents some ways to incorporate both into your life. Following
are some additional details.

Evaluate your eating habits. Keep a food log for a week,
writing down what you eat and when you eat it each day. Look
over the log. What kinds of food are you eating? What time of
day are you eating the most? Do you eat when you are hungry?
Worried? Nervous? Are you eating more than you need? See
Key 10.3 for some healthy alternatives to common foods you
might be eating. If you consistently have reactions to a certain
type of food, consult a doctor. You may have a condition such
as celiac disease, lactose intolerance, or food allergy that
requires you to change how you eat.

Eat a variety of foods. For guidance about the different types
and amounts of food you should be eating, explore the informa-
tion and helpful tools at www.choosemyplate.gov. The graphic
shown on this website indicates an ideal balance of food groups.
For example, half of your daily food intake should be fruits and
vegetables—ideally, five servings a day. However, research at
Oregon State University found that the average student barely

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