Stress and a Colgate student go hand in hand. Whether it’s while you’re studying for an exam or freaking out about why your boyfriend isn’t calling you back, stress is omnipresent. If you are like me, whenever you get stressed out, you head right for the refrigerator, the dining halls or – my favorite – the candy bins at the C-Store. All of these foods can be quite fattening, and that in itself is worrisome. But, have no fear ladies and gentlemen: the answer to low-fat stress reducers is here!

Stress does not have to send your body out of whack. No need to chow down on all those high-carb foods like chocolate Maltballs and Sour Patch Kids. There are healthier foods that can curb your stress. Prevention magazine gives us a list of seven yummy foods to calm and satiate our bodies

Better Stress-Relieving Foods:

1) Tomato soup

2) Oatmeal

3) Whole-wheat toast with jam

4) Multigrain waffle with light syrup

5) Fresh fruit

6) Sweet or baked potato with light sour cream and chives

7) Lightly sweetened whole grain cereals

Yes, I know what you must be thinking: where am I going to find these foods at midnight? In the late hours of the night into the wee hours of the morning, when all you want to do is devour a family-size bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, I urge you to resist the temptation. Eating something on this list will make you feel better without having to loosen the belt a notch.

Sometime during the day, drive or take the Cruiser to Tops and get a box of multi-grain cereal or fruit. Then, buy some Ziploc bags and head back up the hill.

If you have trouble with moderation, limit yourself to small portions. Fill the bags with a snack-sized quantity of cereal or put aside a bunch of grapes. That way, you can encourage yourself to eat that one bag of cereal instead of mindlessly reaching into the box.

These suggestions can certainly help to calm your nerves. And I guarantee, in hindsight, you will be proud to know you didn’t eat a day’s worth of calories in one sitting. Just knowing you fought the urge can put you in a much better mood, and you’ll be happy to know your thighs won’t be paying for it later.

Between midterms, papers and social drama, stress levels are high enough these days – keep cellulite off the list of things to worry about. Your body will thank you, and you’ll be rewarded later when you can leave that emergency “fat outfit” deep within the depths of your closet. My advice: when the stress levels rise, be sure to indulge in healthy, make-you-feel-good foods.