Clean Eating and Exam Stress

Nikki Gillingham  //  December 6, 2011

Hello and Happy December, everyone!

I hope you’re all beginning to enjoy the new (or rekindled) love of fitness we talked about last time! I know it can be tricky getting in a workout when school is so overwhelming and takes up so much time. But, as I mentioned before, if you’re doing something you love, you will have an easier time getting out the door and, I guarantee, you will feel amazing after (and probably less stressed about the schoolwork).

With the end of November just waving goodbye, Christmas exams are coming up, and some of you are likely already studying or getting yourselves organized for this stressful time. But do chips, chocolate, and other comfort foods rack up your grocery bills during this time of the year? Don’t let them! I’m going to tell you how to stay healthy this exam season, why you should say no to those cravings, and most importantly how to say no to them.

We’ve all been there, myself included. Sitting at the desk late at night, trying to cram dreary terms and theories into your head, but all you can think about are the Doritos hanging out in the cupboard, calling your name.

Beyond the plain reason that ‘they just aren’t good for you’, you need to know that indulging in junk food cravings (be it chips, chocolate, McDonalds, or even a glass of Coke), will work directly against the effort you put in at the gym earlier, and will slow you down when you return to your workout regime. For those of you interested in getting a toned physique or ripped muscles, you have to practice clean eating.

All. The. Time.

What is clean eating? Clean eating involves eating whole foods, whole wheats and oats, fresh vegetables and fruit, and healthy sugars and fats (yes, you need some sugar and fat in your diet to be healthy). Clean eating helps you eat fewer calories such as unhealthy fats and sodium for weight loss and improve your overall fitness and health. Eating clean will add new energy to your workouts and athletic ability.  It also helps keep excess water out of your system, keeping bloating at bay. Often, (unfortunately for women especially) there is a thin layer of fat over the abdomen that won’t go away, no matter how many crunches and leg raises you do. Clean eating is the answer, my friends. When you eat clean, you don’t hold on to extra water, and you can let your fabulous abs show!

Yes, “everything in moderation” is a wonderful rule that most people can follow easily and it works. But what is moderation? One sugary treat a day is not moderation. Clean eating is something that you have to embrace as a lifestyle if your goal is to attain that six-pack you’ve always wanted.

So, what do you do when you do get a craving? There are a few different tricks you can try, such as brushing your teeth, or drinking water (a good one, since most of us do not drink enough water anyway). You can also go for a run or hit the gym for your workout if you haven’t done so that day (or if you have, go for a walk – exercise is a light appetite suppressor). But if you really can’t shake that ‘gotta have it’ feeling, figure out what exactly it is you are craving so you can understand what your body needs instead of what your taste buds want If you want chips, maybe it’s energy your body is after. If you’re dying for chocolate, maybe you need some vitamin B (stress is also a vitamin B stealer – look into getting a vitamin supplement).

Personally, I enjoy the crunch of chips more than I do the chips themselves. I recently purchased a large bag of Veggie Straws. Essentially, they are vegetables in chip form. They give you the satisfying crunch and taste of eating chips, but a serving size is a whopping 68 Veggie Straws at only 260 calories. Good old chips, on the other hand, set you back 10 calories PER CHIP! (not to mention all the fat and sodium).

Moral of the day: Embrace clean eating as part of your lifestyle along with your exercise program and you’ll be feeling (and looking) fabulous in no time. But be prepared for the stress and extra cravings that are going to be tapping on your shoulder come exam time. If you don’t purchase unhealthy foods at the store, you won’t have them in your cupboards to tempt you, and if you are getting a craving, try to find out exactly what your body is lacking. Don’t let those chips (or cookies, or chocolate, or pop) ruin your hard work in the gym!

Happy studies, everyone! And as always, email me any questions you’d like to have answered at nikki.gillingham@gmail.com.