Avoiding the Freshman 15
Freshman 15 might be one of the most infamous pieces of the college experience. You may be wondering “how hard can it be to stay healthy?!” Well, actually pretty hard! Speaking from firsthand experience, it doesn’t take very long for a few poor health choices to add up. You can take my word for it, I had frozen yogurt for dinner last night because I was too tired and out of creativity to make dinner after practice.
It can be easy to get caught up in the hype of one swipe for all of the food you can eat in the Hickey Dining Hall. A full stocked freezer of ice cream, dessert bar, tacked onto the fact that this school loves a good time and that the weekend ALWAYS starts on Thursdays; It’s easy to see where the influx of calories and unhealthy choices can start to tack on.
In my many (3) years of college experience, I have grown to be much wiser (LOL, just kidding), but I have picked up a few tips along the way that don’t require much thought. However, they can have a big payoff in reducing temptation and keeping you less stressed. Ultimately, your health and wellness should be something that makes you happy and feel good, not something that stresses you out!
For starters, I always go by the rule of not grocery shopping when I am hungry. Even as a freshmen with an unlimited meal plan, you still like to keep snacks in your room. Shopping after you’ve already eaten will help you stay on track to buy what you actually need rather than everything that sounds appetizing for your grumbling stomach. Bonus points for shopping after you’ve had a body wellness encouraging experience, such as a good balanced meal, or having a kick-butt workout. You’ll feel good about yourself for being in shape and are more likely to continue making choices that fall in line with being healthy. If you don’t buy the really unhealthy food for your room, you wont be able to eat it, especially when those drunchies or midnight snack cravings kick in.
Speaking of drunchies, midnight snacking is something that can really hit at anytime. Maybe you couldn’t fall asleep and it’s hours later, or you just got home at 1 a.m. from a Saturday night out. Either way if you have food on the mind, make sure you prepare yourself ahead of time. Make the healthiest food options your most accessible ones. The easier it is to reach for those, the more likely you are to eat them. However, let’s not be unrealistic. Sometimes all you need is a bag of potato chips to yourself. In that case, try to make smarter choices. For example, buying baked potato chips, or lightly salted popcorn. These are some mindless munchies that you won’t feel too bad about if you wake up the next day to a completely demolished bag.
However, waking up with regrets-the-weekend-wakeup, a hangover is unfortunately most likely included. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying your nights out. In fact, for many, having a night out is a great way to unwind from a stressful week. There’s really no way to avoid drinking the empty calories of alcohol if that’s your prerogative, but your add-ins give you an opportunity to easily skip out on excess calories, sugar and carbs! Try using tonic water or diet versions of cranberry juice or sodas to lighten the load of what you’re drinking! I have also found that the less sugar I have the night before, the less intense the hangover is the next day.
The day after drinking is usually the day of the week you want to experience the least, nonetheless exercise during it. However, something as simple as going for a long walk either outside, or on the track at the gym during snowy winter months at Bona’s, it’s a great way to reset your body after a crazy weekend.
The easiest way to get yourself to the gym during the week is to plan ahead! This way it is a part of your schedule, the time is set aside and you have fewer excuses. I have also found that buying yourself a new piece of gym clothing can make going a bit more exciting. Maybe a cute pair of yoga pants or a new sports bra. Bonus points if you find a gym buddy. Every time you skip you’re holding yourself accountable to someone else rather than just yourself (your secret of skipping the gym isn’t safe anymore).
There are tons of ways to stay healthy and avoid those freshmen (or sophomore, junior, even senior) 15. Fitness and eating right is something that should make you excited and feel good, and not feel like a chore. Sure, you are going to have days where you don’t feel like going to the gym and that’s fine! As long as more days than not you get yourself there anyways. Fueling your body with the right foods is the most important piece. Going to eat a piece of fruit for something sweet rather than a cupcake or starting with just one day a week at the gym will slowly create a habit. Sometimes that’s all it takes, a few baby steps, for you to reach your goal!
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