Staying fit in college can be challenging. When you’re living in the dorms, it’s super easy to make a late night cup of noodles or grab an extra dessert in the dining hall. But it is possible to get in shape and make healthy decisions. Here are some simple ways to incorporate exercise and a healthy diet into your daily life.

1. Don’t count calories or follow fad diets.

Rather than counting all of the calories you put into your body, you should ensure that you are eating the correct amount of servings in each food category. What sounds better, eating 1,200 calories worth of fruits, veggies, and healthy carbs, or 1,200 calories from a fattening dessert and sodium saturated ramen?

Which option will fill you up the most>?

2. Keep healthy snacks in your dorm to so you can only make healthy decisions when the late night cravings kick in.

Here is a list of some of my favorite foods that I like to keep in my mini fridge in my dorm:

-Fruit (bananas, apples, and oranges are great options)

-Carrots and Celery...and some hummus to dip them in :)

-Eggs

-Plain Yogurt

-Organic crackers and chips (I love sweet potato chips and kale chips!)

-Peanut Butter

-Trail Mix

-Quinoa (check out my easy quinoa recipe here... only takes 2 minutes to make!)

3. Take a PE class!

If you’re anything like me, you need to have an established daily routine in order to stay on top of classwork and extracurriculars. If you take a PE class at college, you’ll be required to workout and you’ll earn credit for it! It's a win-win situation! Most colleges have unique classes too, rather than your typical, boring gym class, try and sign up for something new like a yoga class or an underwater running class (both options at my college & are super fun!)

Also, yoga clothing is SO cute and comfy!

4. Wear a fitness tracker and get 10,000 steps per day.

I have a Fitbit and I absolutely love it because it pushes me to walk more and get my step count up. While you’re walking around your college to get to and from classes, it shouldn’t be too difficult to reach 10,000 steps. If your step count is low, you should try and take the long way to class and the dining hall… you might even discover a part of your school you’ve never seen before! As a collegiate athlete, I usually walk and run an insane amount of steps every day. A few days ago, I reached 30,000 steps from having three practices in one day!

5. On lazy days when you are hanging out in your dorm, squeeze in a quick workout that doesn’t require much space.

I have an article here with a 15-minute ab workout that doesn’t require any equipment and will keep your stomach looking strong! You can also stretch and practice different yoga positions while watching Netflix or binging on YouTube videos!

6. Always carry a water bottle and never grab a soda when you’re eating in the dining hall.

This one is pretty self-explanatory. You need to stay hydrated and drinking 6 bottles of water a day will help you feel full and energized. And soda is just downright awful for you! It contains zero nutritional value and will fill your body with unhealthy sugars.

My final tip for staying fit in college is to set a fitness goal and start today. It is so easy to push exercise aside while at school, but if you start soon and create healthy habits, your body and mind will reward you in the end.