The new year often brings the promise of a new you. One way to help take off that freshman 15, or the senior 60, can be to cut down on the amount of fat in your food, the quantity of food you eat and more thoughtfulness in food choices.

You are what you eat

Your mother wasn’t fooling around when she told you to eat your fruits and vegetables. According to Dr. Elizabeth Schafer, professor of food science and human nutrition here at Iowa State, fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories.

“Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals,” she said. “But, they are the foods college students tend to neglect.”

Schafer said ideally, people should eat a minimum of five servings of fruits or vegetables every day. This goal, she explained, can help keep one’s calorie and fat content “under control.”

“Fruit is nature’s original convenience food,” Schafer said. “Just unwrap (take off the peel), and eat.”

She added that some vegetables are convenient as well because they are available, in salad form, at many fast food restaurants and cafeterias and are “easy to eat.”

That doesn’t mean students on the go have to sacrifice that burger or slice of pizza, though. Schafer said there are ways to dine out without “blowing” the commitment to better eating.

She suggested choosing the smaller size of sandwiches available instead of the “big deluxe” burger. Also, instead of the greasy french fries high in fat and calories, have a salad on the side. And, when it comes to the mainstay of any college student’s diet, pizza, it’s better to have a cheese or veggie than pepperoni or supreme.

Quantity not quality

The answer to cutting down on fat and calories doesn’t always lie in the quality of what you eat, but the quantity as well.

“Don’t worry so much about what you’re eating,” Schafer said. “Instead, worry about how much. Have just one slice of pizza instead of three.”

The other mainstay of many students is alcohol, which can be much harder to restrict for many. Alcohol, which is high in fat and calories, can be more difficult to take in moderation, Schafer said, because people consume more liquids.

It takes two

Another element in weight management is exercise Schafer said. Without one, the other does little good.

“The exercise is just as important,” she said. “Establish good physical activity. Do something you like and think is fun.”

A routine can mean the difference between a pound here and there or a better body.

Schafer said if you set aside a certain time each day to do physical activity, you’re more likely to exercise than if you “do it when you just have time.”

“There is time in your day for everything that’s important,” she said. “Plan well and think about what you’re doing and eating.”