By: Lauren Kate Drewry
Ever since I moved to Ole Miss, I have been trying to find ways to fight the Freshman 15. The Freshman 15 is the weight you gain your Freshman year of college from an unhealthy college student diet. I’ve been here at Ole Miss for three weeks now, and I have found a few good tips to help you stay healthy and possibly even lose weight in your first year of college.Â
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Tip #1: Take advantage of the free gym
Okay. I have to be honest. I have never been to a gym before until I went to the Turner Center here at Ole Miss. My roommate is a health and work out fanatic, and she had to drag me there the second day we moved in. I have been many times since then, and I absolutely love it. The best part about the Turner Center is IT’S FREE! Gym memberships can be super expensive, so take advantage of the gym while you have it. If you’re uncomfortable working out around people, go in the mornings. Any time before 11 is usually super quiet, and there is a lot of equipment available. If you are like me and have no clue how to work out, give my roommate a call. She’ll get you whipped into shape.
Photo Credit: Charlotte Karlsen on UnsplashÂ
Tip #2: Avoid elevators
The second week of school, I was walking to the elevator to go to class and thought, “Hey. I don’t have to take the elevator. I can just start taking the stairs every day and that’ll keep me in shape.” That was when my roommate and I started the fasting elevators. I have to admit, I have cheated a few times and taken the elevator, but taking the stairs became a great way to burn off a few extra calories at the end of the day. It really helps to have someone do it with you to hold you accountable because let’s be honest, It’s not hard to lose motivation in college.
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Tip #3: Make water your “go to”
When the waiter/waitress asks “What would you like to drink?”, what is your go to? Mine used to be sweet tea. It was like an automatic programmed response in my brain every time I heard that question. Bad habits are hard to break, but when you go to college, so many things are changing anyway, so why not your “go to” drink?Â
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Tip #4: No more midnight munchies
I know. I don’t want to delete Insomnia’s number from my phone either, but it’s for the better. I promise. It’s actually a proven fact that eating food late at night causes more weight gain than during the day. If it’s too much of a temptation, I recommend trying to eat a low calorie and low carb snack, but it doesn’t hurt to treat yourself to an Insomnia cookie occasionally after a long night of studying!
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Tip #5: Eat fresh, man
Okay, I’m cringing at the name of this tip, too. (So punny) But the truth is, the Freshmen 15 can really come from eating at all the fast food places on campus. It is so hard to eat healthy when there’s Chick-Fil-A literally down the street from your dorm. I may just be uncultured, but I have never eaten at a Freshii before until I got to Ole Miss. I’m like a little kid when it comes to eating vegetables and healthy foods, but Freshii is a really good alternative to fast food and it’s SO GOOD! Just watch out. It will burn through your flex dollars!Â
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I hope these tips will help you fight your Freshman 15. Good luck to all my fellow first-year college students out there!Â
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