As finals week creeps closer on to campus, it once again means late nights geared towards studying. Often lost in the shuffle during the finals week grind, is a regard for eating healthy. The State News talked with Nutrition Program Coordinator at Student Services, Anne Buffington for tips for eating well through the stresses of finals week.
“The main thing that I always try to stress — and that I think is most important — is for students to have a plan to make sure they’re eating regularly throughout the day,” Buffington said.
In terms of ideas for snacks and meals simple seemed to be the better option for having lasting energy.
“It can be as simple as having eggs with toast, it could be a peanut butter sandwich with jelly, it could be any combination of yogurt and granola and a piece of fruit,” Buffington said.
When it comes to study sessions, often times nutrition is at the back of students minds and wanting just to eat is a stronger feeling than wanting to eat well. Furthermore the pattern of eating is thrown out of whack.
“Most students are not eating regularly throughout the day and having a plan or supporting yourself with food that is one of the most supportive things you can do,” Buffington said.
Even more so students should eat every few hours and during study breaks — when they can — to help sustain energy and keep their food intake up or at normal rates
“If you can every few hours take advantage of that time and use that time to grab a meal or a snack to nourish your mind and body, that is what’s really going to help you get through that next phase of your studying,” Buffington said.
Hunger distraction is another thing to watch for Buffington said. Expounding on that she said skipping a meal can be really distracting and a regular eating schedule will keep you focused on your studying or project.
On plans for successful regular eating Buffington mention knowing where dining halls are, carrying money for buying food and having portable foods on hand.
“We’ve all kinda been in that situation too where we haven;t planned very well and then we’re really hungry and then we’re really depleted of energy at that time too,” Buffington said.
Added energy can often come in the form of caffeine, especially from coffee but it might not be as good an idea as planned.
When it comes to caffeine intake for studying boosts, Buffington said she wouldn’t recommend students drinking coffee if they’re not used to drinking coffee because non-coffee drinkers won't necessarily know how caffeine with affect them.
Energy drinks are not something she recommends either saying it’s hard to really know how much caffeine is in the drink.
For hydration Buffington recommends drinking plenty of water and juice and milk at meals. Also keeping a water bottle handy throughout the day will help hydration.
When late night sessions creep into the predawn hours Buffington says “there is no time after which we cannot eat.”
“We just have to accept that finals week is going to disrupt our normal routine,” Buffington said. “The thing about your eating is that it can be flexible.”
Students with questions about nutrition or those wanting nutrition counseling can call 517-353-4660.
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