Blog by a college student page

[Youngcaveman]

I started Paleo at College in late August of 2011 in hopes of reaching out to more of my age group. I usually end up talking to someone about Paleo everyday, but no one really has actually been successful in keeping with it for more than a week.

Does the community here have any tips about how to address my younger population?

[ppham27]

Thinking back on college, I know there's no way I could do 100% Paleo alone. There's simply not enough time to cook and go to the grocery store and farmer's market. Also, there's a cost factor since grass-fed beef is expensive. In college, it really needs to be a group effort.

Think about starting a Paleo club on campus. That way, the shopping, cooking, and cleaning duties can be split among you. Heck, you might even be able to get some money from your school to bring in speakers and buy food. If you could somehow arrange to live with other Paleo people, that would be optimal. Moreover, the social element helps with accountability and not missing workouts.

[apple]

I think you'd want to emphasize the 80% rule a LOT. Students want to have fun. Introduce the idea that if they are 100% Mon-Fri with nothing out of line, they can do 2 or so social meals and a few drinks over the weekend and still hit 80%. You probably aren't going to convert the ones who live to party, so don't bother unless they are already open to it, obviously.

My college had an online nutritional facts/ingredients list for all the food in the dining halls, which was AMAZINGLY helpful. If yours doesn't already have that, start a petition to get them to offer that information at all times online, using the "we all want to take care of ourselves" type argument. If you do have that, make a list of the foods that are primal/paleo and distribute it when people become interested. They may find that they have longer lasting success with a menu to choose from.

Again, support and social involvement are going to be key. If you get a small group going, see if you can work out after class and then go to dinner together. You're in college, so you're allowed to go out to eat in sweaty gym clothes. Embrace it while you can! College is the easiest place to make friends and influence each other, so it should be easier to find or generate interest.

[Youngcaveman]

A couple months have passed since you have last seen it, and it has completely changed. My goal is to become to go-to site for college students that are either trying to start the paleo diet or are already on it.

Feedback is much appreciated. I took the advice of apple and ppham27 and started a facebook page that provides paleo options at the dining hall. What I do is look at the menu online and then post the paleo friendly foods for each day. Blog: College Paleo and the facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/PaleoSolutions