As an athlete, my health has always been a top priority as it is important to be in the best shape possible so that I can perform the best I can. This semester in flourishing, we learned about portion sizes and what foods are good especially for college students often in a rush. Along with nutrition, we also talked about the importance of sleep, and how much this can affect your overall happiness and productivity. I have compiled a list of tips including what I have learned, what works for me, and what I hope to do better in the future.
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Cook For Yourself:
If you’re an off campus student like we all were at Georgetown last semester, it is crucial to come to the realization that it is healthiest to be cooking for yourself as you can control everything about the meal including ingredients and portion sizes. I definitely got carried away with the many restaurant recommendations in DC at first, but I eventually found that not only is cooking healthier, but also more cost efficient as most college students are living on a budget. A recipe that came easiest to me was eggwhite omelets.
https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/egg-white-omelet-recipe/
Make Cooking Fun:
As someone who is not a natural born chef, I needed ways to make cooking fun in order to actually get it done. Ways I found cooking to be more productive was doing it with roommates, playing music, cook while watching the Food Network, and experimenting with new recipes. I was lucky enough to be living with an extremely talented chef who was a great mentor. My favorite meal this semester is pictured below: sweet potato pasta with breaded chicken, salad, caprese, and vegan mac n cheese.
Sleep:
It is no secret that getting enough sleep in college is extremely difficult for most students. I have never struggled with getting enough sleep as it was always a priority within my academic and athletic schedule, however during these uncertain times where schedules are very different, it was much harder to plan out my sleep.
Sleep Journal:
In Flourishing we were encouraged to keep a sleep journal, which helped a lot with recognizing my sleeping habits. I found that I performed and felt best when I slept 7+ hours per night, which was not always realistic, but I set that as the goal. I found that by having a goal and by making a scheduled sleep routine I become much more productive at night, therefore being able to sleep more and getting more done during the day so I would not have to cram at night.
Electronics:
I struggled a lot with migraines and overall irritability due to the amount of time that this semester made us be on the computer. I found that going for a walk after my classes were over helped soothe my head, much like the nature therapy we talked about and saw in videos in Flourishing class. I became a much happier person when I accepted my screen time and stopped calculating it because that would only make me upset. Instead, I allowed myself to recognize that the screen time is not my choice and I have to go with it and instead limit the screen time I did have control over along with spending my free time training or being outdoors.
Exercise:
As an athlete exercise has never been something I have had to worry about not having enough of. In fact, this semester I had to focus on the opposite, as after taking many months off due to the pandemic I had to make sure that I did not overwork myself trying to get back to training too quickly. I learned that it is important to listen to your body and take care of yourself. Always listen to your aches and pains because that is your body telling you that a change must be made.
