5 Reasons to Meet With A Nutrition Coach This Semester

By: Emily Tolino ’16, University Health Center Nutrition Peer Educator

As the days get colder and the leaves begin turning colors, it becomes clearer that a new school year is upon us. Whether it’s your first semester in College Park or your last, life at a University can be challenging. Trying to balance homework, group projects, exams, extra-curricular activities, sports, and maintaining a social life can often result in health being sacrificed or overlooked. Luckily, the University Health Center provides a number of services to help students maintain their health easily! This semester, try something new and visit Nutrition Coaching! Here are 5 excellent reasons to take advantage of this service:

1. Learn how to maintain a nutritious life in your new dorm or apartment. Moving into your first dorm room or apartment can be scary. Make it easier on yourself by learning how to include easy, quick, and healthy meal options and snacks in your daily life! Get tips and tricks on how to navigate the dining hall or grocery store. Learn easy techniques for first time cooks. Our knowledgeable coaches will help you live healthy at your home away from home!
2. Learn how to manage food patterns. Many students struggle with eating patterns on campus. Navigating classes all morning and practices or meetings all night, it’s common for students to go all day without eating! This often results in food binges at night. The nutrition coaches will help you find pockets of time throughout the day perfect for a quick snack or meal in order to keep you feeling satisfied all day long!
3. Develop portion management strategies. With the ever growing meal plates at restaurants and fast food establishments, it can be difficult to understand (and stick to) healthy portions. Nutrition coaches will help you regain touch with your body’s hunger and full signals and develop strategies for managing portions.
4. Get free advice from people just like you! The University of Maryland offers a number of free resources for students, faculty, and staff and Nutrition Coaching is one of them! We have a diverse staff of students with experience living in college dorms and on their own in apartments. All Nutrition Coaches are guided by the University Health Center’s Registered Dietitian so you can ensure evidence-based, practical advice.
5. Learn how to incorporate your favorite foods into a healthy diet! At the University Health Center, we want you to have your cake and eat it too! We want to share with you the foods to add to your diet to make it healthier – not take away the foods you love. Nutrition Coaches will help you develop a healthy diet that includes all your favorite foods.

Start the year off the healthy way! Learn how to make the most of your college career and stay healthy at the same time. The Nutrition Coaches will be available throughout the year to meet with you, establish goals, and support you every step of the way. If you are interested in scheduling a meeting with a Nutrition Coach, please email UHC-Nutrition@umd.edu.