I’m excited to share Part II of my “100 Ways To Stay Healthy This School Year” series! Check it out below and be sure to read Part 1 here for more tips!

34. Stay organized. Keep all your activities and notes on a schedule.

35. Clean. Don’t allow your dorm or bedroom to get out of control and messy. Your surroundings reflect your moods. Cleaning and disinfecting can play a huge role in your health.

36. Put your eating and snacking on a schedule. This works for me because I am a mindless snacker at night. I don’t eat between 9 pm and 6 am. That cut off time helps me from eating mindlessly. Food schedules can train your body when to be hungry and when to be full.

37. Keep smart appliances in your dorm room. Living in a dorm is tricky when you don’t have a large fridge, oven, or stove. Ask for appliances for graduation. Air pop popcorn maker, coffee maker, indoor grill, rice steamer, blender, or juicer.

38. Give up fast food. If you have to have it, educate yourself on what fast food options are healthy. You may think it’s cheaper but it is not. If you find yourself too busy to make meals, start food prepping on the weekends.

39. Instead of gift cards to places like Olive Garden, McDonalds or other chain restaurants; request gift cards for places like: Whole Foods, you local grocery store, the movie theater, clothing stores, or Target.

40. Learn how to eat healthier while dining out with friends. During the school year, you’ll face a lot of restaurants with friends. Learn how to make smart choices like: dressing on the side, grilled never fried, veggies over fries, etc. Hopefully you’ve found my blog helpful with this. Here is a page that might help you with dining out. You can find most nutritional menus for restaurants online. So plan ahead.

41. Introduce more healthy fats (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and omega-3) into your diet. (Almonds, avocado, nut butters, coconut, etc.) Healthy fats can play a role in improving your moods, your brain performance, your weight, and they keep you energetic.

42. Listen to your stomach. Don’t confuse your cravings with boredom. Drink some tea or water and go find something to keep you busy. Eat when your body tells you to.

43. Replace sugary treats with fresh fruits. Instead of curing your sweet tooth with brownies, cookies, or ice cream; have apples and peanut butter, peaches and cottage cheese or blueberries and pistachios.

44. Make healthy study snacks. Don’t mindlessly snack on chips, candy, or chocolate. Choose air popped popcorn, vegetables, or Greek yogurt.

45. Eat Eggs! Eggs contain the nutrient choline, a nutrient with the nickname “the memory vitamin”. They’re also super cheap.

46. Stay away from the vending machines. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything healthy in the vending machine. It is full of crash foods and unhealthy fats.

47. If you are eating three meals a day and find yourself hungry more often, break those three meals into six little meals. With an active day at school, eating frequently may help your energy levels and hunger.

48. Invest in blue. I keep hearing that eating from blue plates will curb your appetite. Red and yellow will increase your appetite. (hello McDonalds) If you are looking for amazing lunch boxes, check out laptoplunches.com. They will change your life!

49. Don’t study or do your homework in the kitchen. Close yourself off in your bedroom, the library, or an outside sitting area.

50. Choose your coffee drinks wisely. I’m a coffee drinker. I get that it is almost impossible to give up. It’s easy to grab a latte at the gas station or frappe at Starbucks, but before you do; check out the nutrition label. Most of those drinks have more sugar than you should consume in one week. Instead of diving into the syrupy drinks, choose: coffee with almond milk, latte’s with skim milk, iced coffee, hot tea, or an Americano.

51. Stay away from energy drinks. Those sugary energy drinks will leave you hungry and crashing within an hour. Get your boost with a cup of coffee, tea or healthy fats.

52. Don’t fall for diet pills. They are dangerous. If you want a REAL weight loss, do it the natural way. If you need a boost of energy, look to coffee, food, or a 25 minute nap.

53. Write out a year plan. Write down all the things you’d like to improve on when it comes to your health. How fast you’d like to run your mile, how many miles you’d like to run, or which foods you’d like to try. Create a game plan to accomplish your goals.

54. Start a blog or diary. It helps to see your progress and express how you are feeling. You can make it private or public. This will help you hold yourself accountable for your actions.

55. Weigh yourself, but don’t get obsessed with the scale. If you are lifting weights and working out hard, you might be losing inches rather than pounds. Measure yourself as well. Do this once a month. If you have an addiction with the scale, tell your support team to hide it.

56. Find support. Talk to your family and friends about your goals. Let them know how they can support and help your new lifestyle. You can’t expect a support team if you don’t build one.

57. If your goal is to lose weight, burn an extra 500 calories a day. Don’t rush your weight loss by cutting calories and burning 3,500 a day. You’ll gradually lose real weight if you burn an extra 500 calories a day.

58. Buy yourself a goal outfit. Hang it up in the front of your closet. Goal outfits keep you motivated each day.

59. Don’t hide your healthy lifestyle. Embrace it. If you embrace it, people may support and help you reach your goals. You will also inspire others to do the same. If my roommate was on a healthy meal plan, I’d be more inspired to do the same and keep the junk out of the dorm.

60. Keep track of your miles. If you go over your miles in your shoes, you can form an injury like: runners knee, shin splints, or achilles tendinitis. You already have a stress full year, an injury will make it worse.

61. Be confident and happy. If you are positive and show confidence you will have more success in your healthy lifestyle. Laughing reduces stress and aids in weight loss.

62. Be patient. Healthy progress happens slowly. It’s unhealthy to make changes fast. Don’t be discouraged with the time. Be happy that you are sticking to something.

63. Reward yourself. If you complete a goal, reward yourself. That’s what makes goals so much fun. If you finally run a mile without stopping, treat yourself with new shoes or a pedicure.

64. Practice portion control on pizza nights. Don’t give it up completely. You’re more likely to keep a healthy lifestyle if you treat yourself. Have a slice or two of pizza and pair it with fresh produce. Plus, you’ll have leftovers, and morning pizza is better!

65. Don’t be afraid to take a break. School can wear you out! If you don’t give your body a rest day, then you’ll never recover. Your body needs a break and so does your brain. Spend the day at the movies or lounging around the house.

66. Practice yoga. Yoga is very calming and helps you take control of things. School can feel out of control now and then.

*This post was originally published on Taralynn’s website, Simply Taralynn. For more from Taralynn visit www.simplytaralynn.com.