College marks the beginning of your independent self-care journey.
No one is helping you make healthy food choices or scheduling time for you to exercise, so you need to make time for yourself. When the chaos of classes, clubs and social events kicks in, forming healthy habits can be hard to maintain. Read these tips to make you a happier, healthier and more organized student this academic year:
Download healthy lifestyle apps
You always have your phone on you, so let it tell you to get in a workout. If you love yoga but don’t want to pay for classes, download Down Dog, which allows users with all levels of yoga experience to customize their voice-guided yoga session. You can choose the instruction voice, length of class, focus area and type of yoga that best fits your preferences.
Free, available on Google Play and the App Store.
You may be in the mood to hit the gym but don’t want to work out in front of your peers. Luckily, Bodyweight: Your Own Gym is an app that provides users with up to 200 exercises that can be completed in your residence hall room.
$4.99 to download, plus workout packages ranging from $2.99 to $19.99 per month. Available on Google Play and the App Store.
Foodstand is a free healthy habit training app. The app challenges users to take on certain challenges like avoiding processed sugars at breakfast, eating less meat or eating three servings of fruit per day. Users check into the app each day to track their progress and develop more mindful eating habits.
Free, available on Google Play and the App Store.
Make time for workout classes
ClassPass is a monthly membership app and website that allows participants to attend studio classes around the District. You can purchase monthly plans, including a 27 credit plan ($49) that lets you to book up to five classes, a 45 credit plan ($79) that covers up to nine classes and an 85 credit plan ($139) covers up to 17 classes. You can use your credits to book a spot in fitness classes ranging from barre to boxing to cycling.
Locations vary.
Lifestyle, Sport and Physical Activity courses are available to all students with class registration. Students can register for as many LSPA classes as they wish over the course of their four years but will only receive academic credit toward graduation for one course.
Use every last penny of your tuition dollars and register for an LSPA course if you have a spare credit hour. You can sign up for all different types of workouts, including dance conditioning, boxing, barre and weight training. LSPA classes also encourage you to hold yourself accountable because they are pass or fail based on attendance.
Milken Institute School of Public Health, 950 New Hampshire Ave. NW.
Choose nutritious dining partner options
You can make healthy choices at most GW dining partner restaurants, but there are some with the most options for healthy eating and several dining deal options.
For breakfast, head to South Block for a protein smoothie, acai bowl or juice. The joint offers beet hummus or avocado toast with any alkaline water for $8. You can also receive $2 off any cold-pressed juice or $1 off any frozen yogurt.
South Block, 2301 G St. NW. Open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
Beefsteak: salads, veggie bowls and healthy sandwiches
For a mid-day meal, grab Beefsteak’s lunch special – a 16-ounce juice and Beefsteak burger for $6.99. The restaurant serves several vegan and vegetarian eats, including make-your-own salads, veggie bowls and sandwiches customized to your liking.
Beefsteak, 22nd and I streets NW. Open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Flower Child: organic, healthy sit-down meals
For dinner, the newly debuted Flower Child on Pennsylvania Avenue serves everything from hearty salads, avocado toast topped with eggs and light wraps. Flower Child offers students a “Glow bowl” – packed with sweet potato noodles, bok choy, zucchini, onion, coconut milk, sunflower butter and jalapeño – or rice bowl with a 16-ounce tea or lemonade for $11 if you head over for an evening meal.
Flower Child, 2112 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
