How do I balance eating well, school and exercise?
By Christine Saah | Guest Blogger
I blinked and summer was gone. I anticipated the beginning of the school year, but nothing really prepared me for the whole ordeal that unfolds the first day of classes. I assume it’s like that for most students. We all pack absolutely everything we need and then some into our boxes and have our parents and friends move us in. After you are barely settled in and probably not unpacked because you spent time catching up with friends, you have to go to class. You also have to add/drop some classes, because you changed your mind. On top of that you have work-study and meetings for the various clubs you are involved in. You might even try to hit up the gym, pray and go to mass. Sound about right? I thought so.
Maybe your life isn’t exactly like mine, but I am sure you still have way too many things you have to plan for. I know for a fact that many of you are also recovering from abuse, an eating disorder, or another addiction. It seems impossible to work on continuing recovery or even starting a recovery process on a college campus. My college used to be a place for my eating disorder to thrive, but all of that changed. How did it change? I made first things first. This meant that no matter what was happening in my life I needed to work on recovery daily. For example, it is completely acceptable to continue therapy even though school starts. School is a high stress situation so therapy is probably even more necessary. It doesn’t mean you are weak or a failure for “needing” therapy. In fact, everyone needs to work on something. You should be proud of yourself for seeking to thrive and heal. A lot of colleges have counseling services. You could also go through your insurance. Sit down and try to figure out your options with people who care about you. You are worth it.
In addition to therapy, I was very careful in what I obligated myself to. We are all over achievers, and are constantly adding to our resumes. This is a wonderful thing, but as you continue to aim to accomplish more your standard of what’s acceptable is elevated. This can lead to a tremendous amount of pressure and it happens so easily. I see what I am capable of by finding time to do all of my homework, work 10 plus hours a week, go to mass, pray daily and even work out most days. Some days I get too excited and realize that I am worn out. I realized this my first weekend at school and made myself take a day of rest on Sunday. It wasn’t as scary as I thought it was. I ended up feeling more refreshed when I went to work and class on Monday. I even had a more enjoyable workout. Basically, take care of yourself first. You are worth it.
Something I struggle with is finding time to eat and figuring out what to eat. It is so easy to get too busy to eat. My friends have apartments with no meal plans and they find it hard to cook for themselves between all the other things they are doing. Honestly, you just need to schedule your meal times. Make sure you always have a friend to eat with and if you find yourself alone try to find someone you know who might be eating at the same time as you. A lot of times I find myself eating breakfast at my morning work shift, eating lunch in my noon class and trying to grab dinner before my night class. I admit I have struggled with planning, but I keep it on my mind each day to manage my time better. It is all a work in progress and we can all get better at it together as we work towards recovery.
Going to the gym is another challenge for me. I need to make sure I don’t spend so much time there that it conflicts with the things that I need to keep a priority. Having a busy schedule actually helps me control my gym time and keep it at a moderate level. Sometimes I only have time for a 40 minute run, and that’s okay. I don’t know if I am the best at helping with this area, but I do know you need to do what’s best for your recovery. Going to the gym may not be the best thing for some of you. It just means you have more time to work on counseling, school work, faith life and to try new things.
This new school year is a chance for you, and me, to learn about new interests. You can use this year to see and experience all that your school has to offer. Live it up and enjoy it! Don’t let an eating disorder keep you from living ever again. You are in control, and it can stay that way!
P.S. You are enough.
