1.0k share SHARE TWEET SMS SEND EMAIL When Dormify asked Daphne Oz – Princeton University grad, , , and daughter of Dr. Mehmet Oz to answer her your health and wellness questions, she was thrilled to have a chance to help real college students. It’s been seven years since Daphne Oz’s freshman year at Princeton University – but she vividly remembers looking at this next chapter as a completely new stage of life –a new environment and new lifestyle. Daphne was overweight in high school and looked at this as the perfect opportunity to take control of her body, health, and diet. Of course, like any other incoming freshman, Daphne had questions and concerns about how to stay healthy and fit while balancing college courses and a more demanding social life. Growing up in a household with well-known doctor Dr. Mehmet Oz as her father and with a mother in the health and wellness field, Daphne was able to get her questions answered. This knowledge base coupled with her own research, gave Daphnethe information that allowed her to begin college life with a healthier lifestyle… and maintain it! Over the course of her four years in college, Daphne was able to lose 30 pounds, healthily, without having to give up her social life, or sacrificing any of the important college experiences. Here are YOUR questions answered by Dormify friend, Daphne Oz. Can you eat healthy without eating organic? I’m living on a college student’s budget, and I can’t afford to spend a lot on groceries! – Alix, University of South Carolina ‘14 Absolutely! There are a couple foods that you should definitely try to buy organic because they are too difficult to clean and are loaded with pesticides and preservatives that can be very damaging to your health; they’re called the “Dirty Dozen” and you can check them out . However, for most fruits and veggies, you can buy an inexpensive produce wash—like this to clean your conventional produce so that you get the health benefits without the unnecessary price tag.I’m working on a double major, working a part-time job on weekends, and I am rush chair for my sorority, leaving NO time for exercise. How can I stay toned when I feel like I don’t even have time to sleep?! Heather, Penn State University ‘13 The most important thing to remember is that exercise does not need to take place in a gym. Even if it’s just a ten-minute break while you’re studying to run stairs, or going to a bathroom on a different floor, or walking your errands, getting more activity in your day will keep your metabolism running high. Sounds like you have a ton on your plate, so I’m not worried about you being too sedentary. Your legs will get plenty of tone from walking around everywhere, but to take advantage of study time or any other time when you are sitting still, invest in light 3lb weights and do high repetitions to target your triceps and biceps. And don’t forget to take time to stretch—it will keep your blood moving, relax you, and help build long, lean muscles. Atmy school, the social scene is all about the frat parties, and the only drink options are beer, which I hate, and the endless vats of “jungle juice” and I can’t even begin to guess how many calories that mess of juice and liquor could have. Any good tips for how I can party hard without blowing up? – Faith, Virginia Tech University ’14 You definitely want to stay far away from the Jungle Juice! You’re absolutely right, there could be a Thanksgiving’s worth of calories in that concoction. If you want to prepare yourself a drink before heading to the party, I would go for either a glass of wine or a shot of vodka or tequila with soda water and some fresh lime juice. Once you get to the party, I would try pouring yourself half a glass of beer and then watering it down to dilute the flavor, so at least you have something in your hand while you’re at the party—you probably won’t be tempted to drink a whole bunch of it if you’re not a real fan of the taste, but it’s nice to have something tosip while you’re out. The dining hall food does not agree with my stomach––or my digestive system––but I can’t starve myself! Any tips for navigating the dining hall without sticking to cereal only? – Reisha, Indiana University ’14 I wonder if maybe you have some kind of undiagnosed allergy, like a gluten- or lactose-intolerance that could be affecting your stomach after you eat at the dining hall? I would try an elimination diet and see how you feel—rule out dairy for a week, then rule our breads and cereals for a week, and just see how your stomach reacts. In general, starting any dining hall meal with a big salad filled with crunchy veggies and some good veggie protein—like beans, chickpeas, or even hummus—is a great way to fill up, and then you can enjoy small tastes or side dishes of the meal items that you might enjoy the taste of but that don’t make you feel great, if you don’t want to cut them out altogether. Also, a great way to cut down on processed sugars and tons ofunnecessary salt and fat is to make your own salad dressing. I like a mixture of 2 parts balsamic vinegar to 1 part olive oil, a dash of soy sauce and honey, and a little spoon of Dijon mustard to taste. You can also add orange juice in place of the honey for a citrus splash. What do I do during pledging when my sorority sisters make me eat fatty foods but I am used to eating healthy? – Kendra, Alabama State University ‘15 This is an excellent question and one I unfortunately don’t have an easy answer to. Either you have to tell your sorority sisters that it’s important for you to eat healthy and you would rather not eat what they’re offering and see what they say, or you have to suffer through the food they want you to eat and then make sure that you are eating well and exercising on your own. Obviously, eating a ton of fatty foods regularly is not great for your health, but it’s good to keep in mind that our bodies actually balance food intake over three days, so if you eat reallywell on Monday and Wednesday but are forced to eat some bad stuff on Tuesday, chances are your body will know how to balance it all out. During summer session at Penn State, I always snacked unhealthily while watching Sunday night TV shows with my friends when they would whip out the chips and salsa. Typically, I wouldn’t eat this way but can’t help it when I’m with them and everyone is munching. What do you suggest? – Blaire, Penn State University ‘15 The best thing to do in group eating situations when you want to be a part of the activity and socializing but don’t want to go overboard with the snacking is to put aside the small portion you are comfortable eating in a bowl or napkin and only eat from that amount. This way, you get to enjoy the foods your friends are without falling prey to eating out of the bag, which is so tempting especially when you’re eating while distracted, like while watching a favorite TV program or chatting with friends. Giving yourself a set portion you arecomfortable with takes the stress away by allowing you to pace yourself and enjoy the social activity rather than focusing on how much food you are eating. Carbs- can’t live with them can’t live without them! What is your take on the dreaded 5 letter word? – Jordanna, George Washington University ‘13 Carbs are absolutely essential to healthy body function—they’re the building blocks that allow for healthy muscle function, blood sugar regulation, and brain communication, so you don’t want to rule them out! That said, making sure to go for complex carbohydrates whenever you can—that is, the ones where you can still see the grains intact, meaning they have fiber encasing the sugar inside so your body has to work harder to digest them—is the best way to enjoy carbs that will keep you full for longer while ensuring you don’t have a blood sugar spike that could leave you in a carb-craving cycle all day. The best choices are whole grain breads, brown rice, barley, lentils and quinoa. We knoweating late is bad, especially “late night eating” after a night of partying. But what’s the best thing to eat late if you’re up studying until 11pm and haven’t had a chance to eat dinner? – Amanda, Washington University ‘13 When it comes to studying, if you know you have a late night ahead of you, the best thing you can do is plan ahead. Stock your dorm room with: -Hard fruits like apples and pears, and some citrus for the great vitamin C that will help you stay away and provide a great immune boost -Soychips for that salty-crunchy craving we all get, with an added dose of healthy protein to help you stay full -A small handful of chocolate chips to hit the sugar craving without going overboard with processed fats and sugars, or too many calories If you’re looking for a late night snack, the general rule of thumb is to go for unprocessed food—your fruits and veggies are the best bet, and you can keep them interesting with fun dips. For savory dips, I liked making a delicious yogurtmixture with dill and garlic salt, and for sweet, try a spread of almond butter, or adding some crushed graham cracker, cinnamon and honey to Greek yogurt for a delicious “cheesecake” dip for fruit. ABOUT THIS SERIES: Dorm, Sweet, Dorm. At, we believe that dorm rooms should be just as fun, hip and fashionable as the college students who live in them. We get it. You want to walk into the white-walled, four-by-four, tiled dorm room that tons of people have lived in before and feel like this space is all you. That’s why our Dormify Style Advisors share so many creative and stylish design tips and tricks, do-it-yourself projects and design solutions with students across the country. But our spirit for style doesn’t end there. We also design fashionable bedding, wall art and other home accessories—created specifically for beautifying dorm rooms. Our imaginative products bring style, comfort and personality to college students everywhere through bold colors, patterns and overall designinnovation. Above all else, we want students to feel at home in their new homes—by feeling inspired to style their space. So read our blogs, listen to our Style Advisors, and be sure to look out for our full e-commerce site launch with a full product line this April. If you like us in real life, you should definitely like us on and you should also follow us on . So read our blogs, listen to our Style Advisors, and be sure to shop for inspiring dorm décor products. , , , , , , 1.0k share SHARE TWEET SMS SEND EMAIL Related Stories Comments
