Ask the Reader: Eating Healthy at Georgia Tech and Avoiding the Freshman 15

Over the first few weeks at Georgia Tech, I have started pondering the dining hall's affects on health. At home, my family eats nutritious meals filled with fruits and vegetables, as we are part of a co-op of ten families that buys in season fruits and vegetables. However, at Tech, there is a wide variety of food available, and I don't usually chose to pass up the other food and fill my diet with the same wholesome food that I used to. I try to supplement my diet with such things as apples and salads, but having an "all you can eat" style dining hall can prove deadly. I can eat, and eat in large quantities.

Lately I've discovered Brittan's soups. I never knew they existed until a week ago, and I've slowly started trying them out--however, the quality is very erratic. For instance, yesterday for lunch I tried their tomato soup, which was surprisingly good--it reminded me of the delectable tomato soup my mother prepares at home. However, for dinner I tried their beef and vegetable soup. Expecting the same success as before, I dipped into the pot and drew a full serving of it, but to disastrous consequences. I'm not a picky eater--my family has taught me to eat what's in front of me, and to eat all of it. This was my first soup to go nearly untouched.

Despite my unreliable soup experience, it's still one of my ways to avoid the pizza, pasta and hamburger diet. Not that they aren't enjoyable (in fact, the pizza is quite tasty), but I have never considered them to be the start of a healthy meal.  Have you, the reader, experienced some of the same issues I'm dealing with? What methods do you use to eat healthy, and how do you not overeat?

Joshua Longenecker