I think every incoming college student heard from at least one person to “be aware of the Freshman 15” or “everyone gains weight in college.” I know I heard things like that several times while I was preparing to leave for college. This terrified me; I was already trying to get into better shape, and I did NOT want to gain more weight. So I decided to put up my defenses and fight the Freshman 15. Here is the crazy thing: I didn’t just avoid the weight gain, I lost 20 pounds in my first four months of college. So for anyone battling college weight gain, trying to become healthier, or for those of you wanting to lose weight, these are my five tips for fighting the Freshman 15.
1. What You Eat Matters
College students have a reputation for eating cheap, unhealthy foods such as Ramen noodles, pizza, and microwavable mac and cheese. I’ve seen my friends base their diets mostly off these fat-heavy foods and then ask me why they gained weight. Everyone always makes the same excuse for unhealthy eating habits: “It’s just cheaper to eat this way.” I’m going to say something really shocking, so you may want to take a seat: healthy food can be just as affordable as junk food. Switch out one or two unhealthy meals a week for a salad or a bowl or rice and veggies. You will see the difference and feel the difference. I understand it will not be easy to always make healthy choices, but even eliminating a few greasy, fatty meals a week will make a huge difference.
2. Avoid Wag Out
Don’t do it, just don’t do it. EVER. The convenience and late night hours of the Wag Out dining option are especially tempting for freshman, but it is not a smart choice. It is not good for you in any way to consume calorie and fat-heavy foods so late at night. I have probably eaten at Wag Out twice in my time at UNCW, and it was a bad choice both times. I reccomend buying healthier snacks to keep in your dorm for when those late night cravings hit.
3. Plan Your Meals
This is probably the most helpful tip I can give you. If you plan out what/where you will eat for each meal, you are more likely to avoid binge snacking on junk foods. I do this by planning to meet with friends at Dub’s Cafe on Mondays and Wednesdays and using my Teal Meals at Hawk’s Nest on other days. I chose Dub’s over Wag as well, because they offer healthier options.
4. Make Weekly Rec Visits
Now, I understand how difficult it can be to find time to work out with a college student’s schedule. However, it is so beneficial to try to do so at least once or twice a week. The rec center on campus is an amazing resource and offers something for everyone. Even if it is just a few laps around the track or a game of basketball with friends, regular exercise will help you keep off those extra pounds.
5. Avoid Stress Eating
College is a very stressful time for everyone, and people deal with that stress in different ways. However, a very popular method of coping is stress eating. We have all been guilty of this at some point, becoming overwhelmed and stuffing ourselves with snack foods to numb the stress. This is such a negetive stress reduction method. My advice is to find other methods of stress management. A few I personally use are: exercise, studying in thirty-minute increments, taking deep breaths, and making to-do lists to make the tasks seem more manageable.
I hope these tips have been helpful, and I wish you all the best of luck in your avoidance of the Freshman 15!