Going off to college can be exciting, terrifying, and stressful all at once. So many new things are happening at one time and with those new things, so many things to be nervous for. One thing, however, is so commonly overlooked; the notorious freshman 15. We’ve all heard of it and we’ve all laughed it off like it could never really happen to us. You never think it would affect you… until it does.
So you just entered college. You’re doing pretty well in your classes so far and have even joined some clubs and made some friends. You’re going to a class in the gym twice a week and not eating crazy unhealthy either. Life is good and the newfound freedom of college is exciting. Then, all of a sudden, your jeans aren’t fitting quite the way they used to, and your favorite shirt doesn’t quite look the same. The seemingly impossible has happened; you have gained the freshman 15.
This is exactly what happened to me. I thought I was working out enough and I certainly didn’t think my diet was out of control. And then late fall/early winter came around the corner and I–not to mention my family–noticed the weight gain. The thing about gaining weight is that it’s not immediate. You don’t wake up one morning weighing an extra 10 pounds. Weight gain is gradual. It is a subtle change that happens over time so that you don’t even notice it has happened until it’s too late.
The months of dieting and exercising just to get back to where you were before are exhausting. All you want is to have your body back to the way it was, and it won’t be easy to get it there. Although it is so easy to gain the freshman 15 without even noticing, you can avoid it. The key is to start paying attention now. Get ahead of the game. Eat healthy, exercise, and just take care of yourself. Of course this is much easier said than done, so here are a few tips that will help.
First off, pay attention to what you are putting in your body. In college it is so easy to eat unhealthy. As you explore your campus dining options you might notice how very little choices you have when it comes to eating healthy. So then you might turn to off campus dining and groceries, but that’ll break the bank for sure. From here you have to find a middle ground. Scope out the healthier options on the menus and do your best to pick from those most of the time. Once you’re tired of the same-old, set a weekly budget to buy groceries to keep in your room. This doesn’t mean that you can never eat pizza again, but just that you should avoid eating it every day.
Pay attention to what you are drinking. It is so incredibly easy to “drink your calories” because you don’t even recognize it as a healthy or unhealthy choice- it’s just what you pick up and drink. Believe me when I say I know the struggle of walking past a Starbucks every morning on your way to class and just dreaming of the frappe waiting for you inside. Once again, you have to find your balance. For instance, allow yourself to get Starbucks maybe twice a week. Drink water as your primary drink throughout the day and switch out juices and sodas with milk or green tea.
All of this is so much easier said than done. There will be so many times when you just cannot resist the chicken tenders and fries from the dining hall or the free pizza at an event, or the ice cream that is just waiting there on the shelf for you. This is what you exercise for. If not for anything else, working out regularly is a lifesaver when it comes to maintaining your weight. It can help make up for all those slip-ups you are bound to have. Just to be clear, I am not saying that every time you have a slice of pizza you need to sprint to the gym to erase your awful mistake, just that having a workout plan as little as 2-3 times a week could really help you out when trying to avoid weight gain. And don’t forget that college is also an amazing opportunity to earn that dream body you’ve always wanted–you have a complete, free, close gym right at your fingertips. Membership is most commonly built into tuition and it is minutes away on foot. Take advantage of that opportunity because there are few, if any, places where you’ll get that kind of deal again.
Along with some of the dos we’ve talked about, here are some don’ts. Don’t jump on the bandwagon for crazy diets. College is stressful enough without feeling tired and malnourished because you’re on a beach body smoothie detox water cleanse. Don’t skip meals or leave yourself hungry. No one in their right mind is going to tell you that skipping dinner to lose weight is healthy in any shape or form; all that can do is damage. Be careful if you decide to count calories. Calorie counting can be very helpful when trying to keep track of what you’re eating, but if done incorrectly it could have an unhealthy effect like making you think you need to skip a meal. It can also be negative due to its ability to make a Reese’s cup look more appealing than a yogurt parfait because it has less calories (believe me I’ve been there).
Lastly, and most importantly, take care of yourself. When all is said and done you know what your body needs. Don’t ignore those needs because an app tells you you’re at your daily max for calories. It’s not always exactly fun trying to be healthy, but it shouldn’t be torture either. Enjoy college. Don’t let unrealistic body images control how you perceive yourself or your experience of college. These are such precious years and they go by so incredibly fast. While it’s important to take care of yourself and your health, it’s also important to focus on school and enjoying this time while it lasts. As long as you take care of yourself and remain body positive everything will work out beautifully.