The following is an interview with Thomas Frank, founder of CollegeInfoGeek.com and fellow exercise/health/wellness nut living in a college setting. Here is what he had to say:
Who is Thomas Frank?
I’m a senior at Iowa State University majoring in Management Information Systems. I run College Info Geek, which is a blog that helps students be awesome at college. I love DDR and can do a handstand for 6 seconds.
Why did you go to Japan?
Just because! Last February, I saw one of my friends posting on his Facebook wall about wanting to go to Japan in the summer, and I said “Let’s do it.” I’d never really been out of the country, and as an anime fan I figured Japan would be an awesome place to start my travels.
We actually landed in Tokyo with literally no plan of what to do – we didn’t even know where we were staying. The entire trip was done in the spirit of discovery and spontaneity, and it was AWESOME.
What were your eating habits like before going to Japan?
Before my trip, my eating habits were all over the place. Growing up in an athletic family, I had always known the importance of eating healthy, and all through college I’d go through stints of trying to eat super-healthy, and then backsliding.
In the months before the trip, I was living in an apartment I didn’t really like, so I spent most of my time over at my friends’ apartment. Because of that, I rarely ever cooked. Instead, I used meal plans and often at burgers and deli sandwiches for every meal. On top of that, I had a serious energy drink addiction, and a less-serious addiction to mint chocolate chip ice cream.
While I stayed pretty active that semester, I could tell that my habits were negatively affecting me. My complexion was back to the mess it was in high school, and I also gained a bit of weight.
What changed in Japan that caused the loss in weight?
I’ll be honest: for me, it was my complexion rather than my weight that motivated me the most to get healthy. Unlike most people my age, I still get acne – and it gets worse when I eat bad food. I was frustrated that every photo of me from the trip looked bad because of it.
However, it was also the culture in Japan that made me want to be healthy. Everyone there walks multiple miles a day in between train stations and their destinations. People also eat much better food for the most part. Yes, there are fast food joints and convenience shops with junk food around every corner; however, most of what people eat is much more nutritious than our standard fare here in the states. Immersing myself in a culture like that had a profound effect on me. I wrote a big post on Japan’s healthy culture that you can check out if you want more detail.
Would you say you are primal, paleo, caveman, or something else?
I’m college-primal. What that means is that I try to eat mainly primal; however, I know that it’s hard to be perfect and allow myself to be content with a “good enough” approach. This is the approach I recommended in my NerdFitness post, as the life of a college student can be pretty hectic.
The reason I consider myself more primal than paleo is that I’m cool with butter and cook pretty much everything in it. I also eat tons and tons of eggs. My main source for nutrition information and inspiration is Mark’s Daily Apple.
How much weight did you lose?
I’m not sure how many actual pounds I lost, but I do know that I went from a very non-impressive, slightly bulging core to this:
To get to this point, I cut all the ice cream and bad drinks, and I also cut almost all grains other than rice. My main nutrition was stir-fry and juiced fruits and vegetables. At the same time, I got addicted to Fitocracy and was exercising quite a lot. I’m sure I could have gotten to this point without all the workouts, but it would have taken longer.
Can the same techniques you used in Japan for losing weight be used on a college meal plan?
Yes, but you’ll have to modify your diet based on what your circumstances are. My NerdFitness post (linked above) goes over most of the situations college students often find themselves in.
What are some tips that you have for college students who want to stay healthy at school?
First and foremost, don’t try to be perfect. Being a perfectionist only sets you up for disappointment, so right up front you should make sure you can deal with the occasional cheat meal. It’ll happen. Focus on making the majority of your meals good.
Focus on getting lots of vegetables and protein into your diet. If you do that, you usually won’t have room for junk food!
Lastly, try to hang out with people who also want to be healthy, or find a buddy who can keep you accountable. It’s a lot easier than going it alone.
What is College Info Geek?
College Info Geek is a blog that helps students be awesome at college. Right now, my main focus is helping students build their personal brand through things like networking, building a personal website, using social media effectively, etc. I also write about lots of other topics relevant to students – productivity, study hacks, health – basically whatever I do in my own life to get closer to my goals.
What is the coolest thing you have ever done/ ever want to do?
Going to Japan was the coolest thing I’ve ever done, though skydiving was a close second. My next goal is to run a Tough Mudder!
