“If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.”
These words have resonated with me since I first read them in journalist Michael Pollan’s book “Food Rules.”
This is one of the many quotes I read in his book that made me reevaluate what I was putting into my body and began my journey to living a healthier lifestyle.
As a college student, it is difficult to find a balance between eating nutritious food and fast food.
We often don’t have the time, energy or money to cook healthful meals because we are so busy with classes, friends and jobs.
I was guilty, as a freshman, of going to a drive-through rather than a grocery store to get a quick meal instead of cooking something that might actually be good for me.
This is where I suspect my dreaded “freshman 15” came from, which everyone wants to avoid when they start college.
After the realization that my diet consisted of mainly over-processed food, I began to research different diets that would improve my eating habits, help me feel better and have more energy.
There are so many alternative diets to choose from: Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian; the list seems infinite.
I decided to start slowly by cutting down on processed foods and eating more fresh produce, which eventually led to committing to a fully vegetarian diet.
Cutting out meat from your diet isn’t easy, and it definitely isn’t for everyone.
Living in a city so close to foods like Memphis barbecue, which I crave more than I’d like to admit, adds to that difficulty.
It takes quite a bit of willpower sometimes, but for me the benefits outweigh the cravings.
My new lifestyle prevents me from driving to get a cheeseburger, because now I have to plan my meals for the week and make sure I have enough groceries on hand to make nutritious meals.
Making regular trips to the grocery store and planning meals may not seem like the most productive use of time when you’re a full-time college student, but it doesn’t have to be a drawn-out process.
It only takes a few minutes to put ingredients into a slow cooker to have a meal ready when you finish with classes and work for the day, or prepare a sack lunch the night before a busy day.
Changing your eating habits can also be fun; you can find new recipes on websites such as Pinterest.com that you can make with your roommates, or you can try foods that you may not have thought of before, such as tempeh or tofu.
Grocery stores in Jackson are adding to the ease of committing to a healthy lifestyle.
Kroger has been expanding its organic food section and carrying brands such as Amy’s and So Delicious, which provide organic vegetarian and vegan foods that are not over-processed or filled with additives.
Even Barefoots Joe is offering vegan and gluten-free food bars for students who have specific dietary needs.
Alternative diets are a great way to pay attention to what you eat. Whether you are trying to add more produce to your diet or take a more drastic route by removing animal products, you should strive for a healthier lifestyle.
So now the question stands, how will you eat this year?
