Students going off to college often gain weight their first year away from home. This weight gain is commonly referred to as the “freshman 15.” Freedom is a new experience for many of these students. Cafeteria buffets, late night snacking, lack of exercise, and emotional eating, all combine to create the perfect atmosphere for weight gain.
This freshmen weight gain doesn’t have to be a foregone conclusion. Being aware of the possibility and taking the necessary steps to avoid it can help students end the school year as healthy as when they began. Let’s examine some of these necessary steps.
It’s understandable that many college students aren’t going to wake up in time to walk to the cafeteria for a healthy breakfast prior to their first class. If that’s the case, have healthy breakfast items in your dorm room that you can grab on your way out. Breakfast is the meal that wakes up your metabolism for the day and gets it working. It’s imperative to eat something first thing in the morning.
You can avoid the “freshman 15″ by making healthy food choices the majority of the time. Buffets can be potential minefields, but colleges are offering healthier choices than they used to. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains. Select meat from the carving station, without high-caloric sauces. Save the macaroni and cheese or the dessert for one indulgence per week.
Be just as diligent with your beverage consumption as you are with your food. Soft drinks and other sweet drinks slow weight loss and provide no nutritional value to your diet. Water should be your main beverage. Not only does it help keep you full, but it boosts your metabolism as well. Drink skim milk with your meals. Diets rich in calcium burn more fat!
Another good tip is to avoid snacking late at night. Stop eating several hours before bedtime so that excess calories won’t be so easily stored as fat. Have healthy snacks available for those times when you know you’re going to need them. Chewing sugarless gum often helps take the place of snacks.
The last tip we’ll discuss here for avoiding the “freshman 15″ is to exercise regularly. It will be easy in the dorm to find an exercise buddy. Schedule regular workouts and take advantage of the college facilities for variety. You should be able to lift weights, walk or run, swim, play tennis and racquetball, play basketball, etc.
If you follow these easy steps you can avoid this problem and take care of your “freshman 15″ before it turns into permanent baggage! It all boils down to making wise and healthy food choices. You can indulge a little but you can’t indulge often!
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