Happy New Year!

Posted on November 8, 2013

With the opening of the new Student Recreation Center at the University of Louisville, there has been a resurgence of fitness on campus. It seems that everyone has made New Year’s resolutions in the middle of fall.

I am right there with the majority of the student body. I shamefully admit that I hadn’t been to the gym since last school year. But now, after visiting the new rec center last Saturday, I have been five out of the past six days and I feel invigorated.

Tagging along with the new workout kick of the week, I’ve also changed my eating habits and opted for healthier foods at the grocery store. In general, healthy foods have less preservatives, causing them to expire quicker than junky, packaged food. Prior to this week, I saw this as a huge hassle. Why would I buy spinach if it’s just going to be good for three days? Why should I waste money on food I won’t be able to eat?

Then it dawned on me.

Fit it in. Eat more fresh, less junk. Simple enough, right? My food priorities have shifted from what is the quickest thing I can make to what needs to be eaten now before it expires?

This completely changed my eating mindset. I’ve made what I eat everyday into a real-life puzzle. Figuring out when I can eat my apple, banana, salad, eggs, yogurt, sweet potatoes, blueberries, etc. has left me little time to eat processed foods. I just need to fill my diet with more of the healthy and the unhealthy will be squeezed out of my schedule.

Don’t get me wrong- I am a dessert fanatic and an avid pizza eater. I may be on my soap box now, but that doesn’t mean I deny myself chocolate when it comes along or dinner out with friends. But, if the overarching style of the foods I consume changes for the better, I will consider myself a victor.

Happy New Year to me!