Dining halls offer unhealthy tempations
Jillian Greer
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: Lifestyles
The dining hall can get your waistline into trouble. It's an all-you-can-eat buffet - and many go up more than once in a sitting. Any food you can imagine eating, the dining hall has it. It can be tough to stick to a strict diet when you could have anything from cheesy pizza to a double cheeseburger.
So how exactly do you go about picking what to eat, especially if you are trying to lose weight?
When you enter the dining hall, think about what your goals are. If you are trying to lose weight there are certainly some things that you should avoid. Here are some tips to make it through the semester without gaining a pound.
1. Have a giant salad - Make a large salad and load it with veggies. If you want toppings such as cheese or dressing, use them sparingly. When picking a dressing, opt for a light dressing or vinaigrette and use it on the side. The same goes for sauces; stay clear of anything that is cream or cheese based. They are loaded in fat, calories and cholesterol.
2. Lean protein - While the protein selection may be small when you are at the dining hall, try and get the healthiest choice possible. Go to the grill for some grilled chicken, or when they have it, choose turkey or fish.
3. Get it cooked right - When you get anything, whether it is protein or veggies, stick to baked, broiled, steamed or grilled. Anything that is fried is drowned in oil and ruins the "healthiness" of the food. Also, watch out for anything cooked in butter.
4. Whole grain - When you get any type of grain, make sure it's whole. Look for brown rice, whole wheat pasta and whole wheat breads. Getting a sandwich? Get it on whole wheat and use just one slice of bread. You will save calories, but feel like you are still eating a sandwich.
5. Stay clear of the dessert bar - Yes, we all love dessert at the end of our meal, but it will kill your diet. If you have a sweet tooth craving, go for some fruit or get a small cup of hot chocolate. If you have to have that dessert, have one or two small bites and get rid of it.
So how exactly do you go about picking what to eat, especially if you are trying to lose weight?
When you enter the dining hall, think about what your goals are. If you are trying to lose weight there are certainly some things that you should avoid. Here are some tips to make it through the semester without gaining a pound.
1. Have a giant salad - Make a large salad and load it with veggies. If you want toppings such as cheese or dressing, use them sparingly. When picking a dressing, opt for a light dressing or vinaigrette and use it on the side. The same goes for sauces; stay clear of anything that is cream or cheese based. They are loaded in fat, calories and cholesterol.
2. Lean protein - While the protein selection may be small when you are at the dining hall, try and get the healthiest choice possible. Go to the grill for some grilled chicken, or when they have it, choose turkey or fish.
3. Get it cooked right - When you get anything, whether it is protein or veggies, stick to baked, broiled, steamed or grilled. Anything that is fried is drowned in oil and ruins the "healthiness" of the food. Also, watch out for anything cooked in butter.
4. Whole grain - When you get any type of grain, make sure it's whole. Look for brown rice, whole wheat pasta and whole wheat breads. Getting a sandwich? Get it on whole wheat and use just one slice of bread. You will save calories, but feel like you are still eating a sandwich.
5. Stay clear of the dessert bar - Yes, we all love dessert at the end of our meal, but it will kill your diet. If you have a sweet tooth craving, go for some fruit or get a small cup of hot chocolate. If you have to have that dessert, have one or two small bites and get rid of it.
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