Staying healthy at school may seem like a daunting task with all-you-can-eat buffet style dining and late-night studying, but there are plenty of options at Iowa State to help keep you healthy and fit. Judy Trumpy, registered dietitian with Theilen Student Health Center, said the biggest mistake incoming students make with concern to their health is “forgetting there are calories and consequences to eating all you care to eat and then not being active.”

ISU dining centers offer many healthy options. Each dining center has a salad bar featuring fresh fruits and vegetables daily. There are also always vegetarian options. Just try to limit those tasty desserts to only a few times a week. Cafes across campus offer fresh and healthy snacks like fruit cups, green tea and low-fat muffins. Trumpy said to use NetNutrition, an online resource that calculates the nutrition information of meals consumed at dining centers on campus.

NetNutrition can be found on ISU dining website. She also suggests planning meals beforehand with menus that can also be found online.

Getting regular exercise not only keeps you looking great, but it can also help will academic performance and energy. Beyer and Lied Recreation facilities are open to all students with a valid ISU ID. There are basketball, volleyball, tennis and racquetball courts available for student use as well. The Forker pool also has free-swim hours for students.

“The best way to stay in shape is to find something you really like, but to find something you’ve got to try a lot of different things. Once you find what you like the most stick with it. It can be really hard to make exercising a part of your daily lifestyle, so do something that forces you to work out on a regular basis, get a trainer or take a fitness or dance class for credit,” said Josh Cunningham, personal trainer.

Intramurals are another great way to stay active and in shape. There are more than 20 different sports offered to participate in. Students can form teams and compete in tournaments with other students throughout the year.

Trumpy’s Top 10 ways for students to avoid drastic changes in their healthy weights:

Eat breakfast every day.

Regularly include fruits and

vegetables.

Dine without distraction.

Look for foods made with

whole grains.

Don’t go on restrictive diets.

Watch for fat content.

Get regular exercise.

Eat healthy snacks.

Drink lots of water.

Avoid the “I paid for it, I’m

eating it all attitude.”