Can you believe I’m finally off campus? Things are sweet here in apartment living land. I can keep Amstel Light in the fridge without fear of a surprise inspection from a CA and quiet hours are only when the neighbors call the cops. But I’ve noticed there is one downside to parting ways with on-campus living: There’s no dining hall just across the street where I can regularly go to eat food other people have cooked for me.
And that’s actually the hardest part. It might not be so bad if I was sharing a pad with some health-conscious girls; instead, I’m buying groceries for and sharing a kitchen with guys who think “low-cal” is a level in Wii Tennis. Why, just the other day at the supermarket I was wandering by my lonesome in the produce section while my comrades were trying to decide which brand of hot dog to buy. I find myself living in the land of whole milk, Easy Mac and bread that is 120 calories a slice. It looks like this school year may be my greatest challenge in maintaining my weight loss.
One thing that helps me keep a healthy frame of mind while food shopping is to stick to the outside perimeters of the grocery store. This is a tried and true tip from diet books of yesteryear that still holds. Why? The freshest food is always on the sides of the store because fresh food needs to be restocked more often. For this reason, the freshest food will be close to the doors. The processed (and yes, I’ll admit, delicious) snack foods are on the inside because those Cheetos will last through a nuclear holocaust.
I also try to pick up some healthy low-cal snacks like string cheese, Wasa crackers, sugar-free Jello, tuna, carrot sticks, hummus, oatmeal and – you’ll laugh, but here goes nothing – Gerber Graduates Fruit Puffs and Veggie Puffs are fantastic to snack on. They’ll fill you up at 25 calories per 88 pieces. Talk about your caloric bargains.
Now, once my gang of he-men and I get back to the apartment, the problem becomes that we share food storage space. In this home, I banish the boys’ snack food to the topmost shelf. That way, if I ever get a craving I have to get on my tippy toes and really think about how much effort I’m willing to put in to get my hands on those Oreos. Are they worth it? Perhaps. If I have to ask one of my roomies to get it for me, it definitely isn’t. So yes, out of sight equals out of mind when it comes to junk food.
I also like to follow the rule that if I’m in the mood for something sweet, I go out and get it. I make a trip out of it so that I only eat the item once. After all, one Frappucino might not be the best, but sitting down with a whole 12-pack of those bottles sitting in the fridge looking oh-so-tasty is much worse.
Living with boys keeps me on my toes. As long as I remember to put some grapes in the freezer along with the Eggo Waffles, I can strike a balance that will let me keep my health – and my sanity.