Wrong.

I have never fit that description but for 6 months I somehow adhered to veganism, an experience that proved to be much different than I ever thought it would be. So how did I transition from a lifestyle wrought with skim milk and Hamburger Helper to one without any foods from animal sources? Well, by now we all know that college has some very strange effects on the mind . . .

Just before I started college, I cleaned up my eating habits quite a bit. Once there, I stood in line with my plastic tray in hand, standing on tiptoes to see what was waiting behind the sneeze protectors. It dawned on me that I didn’t want to touch any of the meat in the dining hall. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing tastier than a well-stuffed pork chop, but where in the world was this meat coming from? Were the animals coming from a place that would gross me out if I had seen it in person? I couldn’t be sure, and so I decided to bypass traveling tacos and mystery meat until further notice.

Around the same time, I was (unfairly) blaming the dining hall food for the terrible cramps and bloating I had begun experiencing. I talked to a good friend and health food guru about it. “I don’t think it’s the food that’s bothering you,” she insisted. “It’s dairy. You know that stuff’s no good for you. Don’t have any for 2 weeks and see how you feel.”

What? My parents practically poured milk down my throat as a child because of how essential it is to “strong bones and teeth.” Surely, you’ve heard the same as me. Not to mention that everyone insists drinking skim milk promotes weight loss.  How could this wonder drink be bad? I was startled to realize that a huge debate is brewing that says milk might not be healthy at all.  After hearing so many horror stories about dairy, I decided that it might be the cause of my indigestion after all. So I ditched it for the recommended 2 weeks. No soft serve (!!), no yogurt parfaits, no milk and cereal. More than that, any baked goods, soups, breads, or anything else that contained milk or eggs was out of the picture. I just about went into withdrawals, literally.

You see, I’m certainly not a chemistry major, so I had to learn from experience that milk contains some proteins that give it an addictive quality (Which must be why I guiltlessly annihilate half-gallons of ice cream with a spoon). For those 2 weeks, I felt anything but better. All I did was crave everything I couldn’t eat. But after those 14 days, I had defeated my demon and my tummy was considerably happier without milk.

It was time to make a decision about whether or not to actually live life as a vegan.

Disgusting factory farms produce meat.
Dairy is pretty much riddled with opioids and can actually cause calcium deprivation.

My head was spinning. If animal-based foods are this gross, should I be vegan?
After much deliberation, I realized the answer for me was no.

Even though I have met many happy vegans, I suspended my foray into veganism after half a  year. Though lightening up on dairy products made my stomach troubles cease, my energy was completely zapped; I didn’t feel as robust and alert as before. My verve was missing, and for me it was no coincidence that my yogurt cups were, too. I let a moderate amount of dairy back into my life, and I felt whole again.

So what now? I eat meat, but I try to do so consciously. I aim for certified organic meat, and I love when I am able to find good meat close to home. Basically, I want to know the animals I am eating lived a good life and were handled by knowledgeable people. I still pass by meat entrees in the dining hall, and when I pay $8 a pack for respectable hot dogs you know I’m not grilling too many this summer. But it works for me. I still drink milk in moderation, and that too is organic.

The war is still waging about whether or not there is any benefit to dairy. While I can’t offer any concrete scientific evidence that milk is healthy, I know it’s healthy for me because of what it gives to me. I can’t say that it works for everyone. The most important message I got out of my eating experiments is that everyone has to find their own food philosophy. We all can’t be omnivores. We all can’t be vegetarians. We can only do what works for our bodies and minds. At this stage of my life, I am turning veganism down. I’m still deciding, though, if I would turn down a Prius or not . . .

Unfortunately, if you spend all your time in a sedentary position, snacking to kill boredom and keep yourself awake, you’re body will have no choice but to store the extra caloric energy as fat. When it comes to weight gain, all you need to worry about is whether the number of calories you expend is greater than the number of calories you ingest. In order to not gain weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat.

Making sure you hit the gym a couple of times a week (4-5 times would be ideal) for at least a half hour is a great way to jumpstart your metabolism and burn some extra calories. But when you can’t make it to the gym there are ways to make sure you’re still being active and moving around—even on the busiest of schedules.

1. Take 10,000 Steps A Day. Invest in a $5 pedometer (a little clip-on beeper that measures how many steps you take in a day) and track yourself. You’re probably only hitting between the 2,000 and 4,000 mark. Every week, increase this number by 2,000 until you reach the 10,000 per day goal. Then maintain, and watch the lean muscle build and the pounds drop. A good way to increase the number of steps you take is to take opportunities to go out of your way: walk your errands, use a bathroom on a different floor, make multiple trips to get your laundry.

2. If you literally only have twenty minutes to devote to physical activity, try running stairs in your dorm, or doing a bit of yoga (possible in even the tiniest of dorm rooms). Strenuous cardio wakes you up and gets your blood pumping, giving you a nice flush and allowing your body to burn some of the extra energy it has sitting around. Stretching exercises, like beginner’s yoga and pilates allow your muscles to extend and relax, increasing oxygen flow to your whole body and building lean muscle mass.

3. In the most urgent of scenarios, where you really just have a couple of minutes to do something active, get down on the floor and do situps and pushups. Lifting your own body weight it a great way to get toned without bulking up, and you can adjust your movements to target different areas of your stomach, back, butt, and arms. Take a couple minutes to learn the proper form (you don’t want to hurt your back or neck by doing these moves incorrectly), and you’re all set to go!

[Photo courtesy of flickr.]

Doctors and nutritionists are now saying that the best way to stay energized, full and healthy is to eat 6 small meals a day and not the two huge ones like so many of us do. Note: 6 small meals do not include cupcakes, bags of chips and other fatty snacks.

So, how do you get through the day and not pack on the pounds? Start with some healthier snacking options:

1. Almonds and Laughing Cow Cheese. Portable and protein packed, almonds are one of the best things for your body. Pop a handful in a Ziploc bag with two wedges of Laughing Cow cheese (30 calories each) and, for under 200 calories, you have a healthy, filling snack.

2. 100 Calorie Packs. These are great on the go because they give you a quick low-cal fix and totally ease the cravings for the bad stuff. If you’re really in the mood, grab two bags. If you were to dig your paws into a real bag of Ruffles you’d wind up eating way more than the 200 calories (not to mention all that grease!) in this snack.

3. Trail Mix. No not a store bought one – make your own! Take dried cranberries (excellent for protein, antioxidents, and nutrients), wasabi peas (which give it a nutritional kick with only 2 grams of fat and 120 cals per serving), sliced nuts of your choice (again, almonds are great for you) and some raisins if you want a little somethin’ sweet. The mix of protein and natural sugars will give your body a natural energy and a great boost for those afternoons that seem to drag on and on and on and on…

4. Oatmeal. Not just a breakfast food. It warms and fills your tummy, keeping you full for hours.

5. Rollups. Leave the bread at home: take thinly sliced turkey and fat free cheese and roll the pair together. Throw a few in a Ziploc bag with some carrots and you’ll get a healthy treat for any time of the day.

6. Bagel Chips and Salsa. I don’t know if you’ve looked lately, but salsa is NOT bad for you and tastes fab. What could be better? Dip some bagel chips or baked tortilla chips (or even veggies!) in some salsa and you’ll satisfy your hunger and your carb craving.

7. Veggies and Hummus. Raw veggies like celery, carrots and peppers, are extremely healthy, but can be bland in flavor. A way to spice ‘em up is by dipping them in hummus, which is a great source of iron (from the chick peas) and in general, is not very fattening. If you’re not a fan of hummus, try a low-fat or fat-free veggie dip.

8. Smart Pop. Popcorn is my favorite. Movie popcorn, with the “butter” that you pour on and get all over your hands is my absolute favorite. Too bad it’s bad, bad, bad for you. An alternative? Smart Pop; it’s just as good, but not as buttery or packed with the millions of calories and fat. I like to throw some hot sauce on my Smart Pop to give it a low-fat kick too.

9. Smoothie. If done right (with low-fat or fat free yogurt and FRESH fruit, not that syrupy crap), smoothies are a great source of vitamins, energy and nutrition. Plus they are delish!

10. Cool Whip & Fresh Fruit. Slice up fresh strawberries, blueberries and peaches into a bowl. Throw on some fat-free Cool Whip and you’ll eat this treat right up! Perfect for a hot day when you’re dying for ice cream but don’t want the calories.

What are some of your favorite low-fat snacks?

[Photo courtesy of naturalpath.com]

Yum.

Well, Dr. Oz has a daughter and she is awesome. She also happens to be an expert in healthy living in college and shares her expertise with you in her book, “The Dorm Room Diet.”

The Freshman 15 has no chance when you have Daphne Oz on your side.

She will be guest blogging with us this week and sharing great tips for surviving the cafeteria and fitting workouts in between all that partying studying.

If you are struggling with the free ice cream in the caf., stick around – Daphne’s got your back.