Bodybuilding in College - Eating on Campus at the Cafeteria

Here are a few basic guidelines to follow when eating at your schools' cafeteria.

Chicken Breast

Giving you around 25 grams of protein and only 4 grams of fat per chicken breast, it is always a great choice. Make sure you are looking for sources of chicken that are broiled, grilled, sautéed...basically anything but fried chicken, or chicken that has too much "mystery" sauce on it (you know you have seen that chicken) . You want to be looking for the plainest looking chicken breast. A lot of cafeterias actually have a grill section where you can get a plain grilled chicken breast. Also if you wish to add any flavor to the chicken, try some low-fat healthy condiments such as lemon juice and pepper, ketchup or barbeque sauce. Avoid dipping your chicken in ranch dressing (yes I have seen people do this, which on another note, don't dip your pizza in it either). It will simply make you fat, not muscular.

Eggs

Ok, so with eggs it is pretty simple. Avoid too many scrambled eggs and fried eggs. Although the yolk of the egg is high in proteins and nutrients, it is also very high in saturated fats. That said if you get an omelet made only with egg whites you have a lot of protein with a lot less fat, compared to an omelet with whole yolks in them. Typically, I will reach for the hard boiled eggs. First, they are not cooked in any time of oil, second I can grab about eight of them take the yolks out and eat just the egg white. Note, I do not want to say the yolk is bad because it is not since it is also rich in protein and nutrients, but if I am already eating fats from other sources such as milk or meats, I will not need any more. So balance out, eat some egg yolks but maybe drop the whole milk.

Red Meats

Hamburgers in college are amazing. They are delicious. However, although I won't say not to eat them, because even I do, just keep in mind that most colleges typically use 20% fat meat in their hamburgers, so one will provide you with a whole lot of saturated fats. Try and choose white meats such as chicken and fish, but also cheat in a hamburger every once in a while so you can stay sane and add some extra calories those days when you really need them. Another suggestion is that if you are going for the hamburgers maybe get a few, but lose the buns and eat them with some brown rice or potatoes.

Steak is a great option in the cafeteria, since it will typically be leaner than the hamburgers. And it wont come with all the nummy cheese and bread that make it much less healthy.

Salads

Salads can be a great source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. You can never eat too many vegetables. This is one thing that many college people forget. When you are consuming more food than regular trying to build mass, you also need to eat more vegetables maintain an alkaline body state as well as to get that very needed fiber to help in the digestion of all those proteins and carbs you will be eating. So when reaching for salads just remember the greener the better (spinach! I'm a big fan) and avoid fatty dressings like ranch, Italian, etc. Use vinegar dressings or olive oil, low-fat dressings are ok just look at how much fat is in the other food you plan to eat, every gram adds up.

Cereals, Breads, other Cabs

Try and choose unprocessed cereals and breads such as bran cereal or whole wheat bread. This way you can lessen unneeded insulin spikes, although after workout you may want to reach for the white bread and the Rice Krispies for a change. For breakfast, oatmeal is also a good alternative to sugary cereals (I like my oatmeal with cinnamon, honey and flax meal).

Because you are going to be pounding heavy a** weights in the gym everyday, make sure you are getting a good amount of healthy carbs into your diet. Colleges typically serve carbs in the forms of french fries and pizza.Try to avoid these most the time because of their high concentration of "bad" fats. Choose things like rice, baked yams or potatoes, and pasta. These will give you the fuel much needed without the loaded fat.

Conclusion

Follow these basic tips and you'll be in good shape to start packing on some good size and keeping your fat deposits low. Visit Bodybuilding at College to read more articles and buy your favorite supplements and good prices.

Alexander C.

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