Ah, the Freshman 15—we’ve all been there, right, upperclassmen? As sad as it may be, the freshman 15 can be something very hard (but not impossible!) to avoid in Ann Arbor, a city that is known for its wide variety of delicious food joints. For those new to the school and the city, here are some tips that will help with dodging, or at least minimizing the effects of, the freshman 15.
Exercise and Explore
Of course, the most obvious tip to dieting is exercising more, which makes the CCRB the most obvious place to recommend in Michigan. The CCRB, as well as the NCRB and the IM Building, has all the workout equipments and facilities one would want in a gym, which can make your workout routine more fun and interesting. The treadmill is great, but can get tedious and tiring. If this is the case for you, try switching up your workout routine by going on the elliptical, play squash, or swimming. The possibilities are endless.
Now for the less obvious and more fun way to burn some calories—explore the town! Ann Arbor is full of interesting and fun places to visit, and walking around city can be an easy way to avoid the Freshman 15. Try going to places you’ve never been in Ann Arbor before: Kerrytown, Main Street, Nichol’s Arboretum, North Campus… Kerrytown is my personal favorite place in the Ann Arbor area because of the many shops, stores and markets there. Take a tour around the Farmer’s Market, stop by Zingerman’s for a cup of coffee or snack, and explore the jewelry, home décor and even toy stores. Who knows, maybe your “workout” will turn into a shopping trip! It can’t get any better than that.
Options for Eating Healthy
As mentioned before, Ann Arbor has a very wide variety of really great food joints, and this makes the decision-making process of what to eat rather difficult. Here’s a guideline for smarter and better choices you can make in the many different areas of Ann Arbor.
In the Dining Halls
The dining halls, although delicious and convenient, is definitely one of the main factors that lead to your Freshman 15. These buffet-style cafeterias can be very dangerous for obvious reasons, but as long as you know what to reach for and what to avoid, you surely can dodge the weight gain.
Here’s an obvious tip: use the salad bar! The salad bars at each dining hall provide a great variety of healthy and delicious ingredients. It not only has the typical vegetables like lettuce, diced tomatoes and baby carrots, but it also allows you to have a little fun with your salad with the option of adding raisins, sliced almonds and raspberry vinaigrette. One thing to be careful here is to not let the non-veggie ingredients overpower the veggies—it’s not much of a healthy salad if you have a bowl full of bacon bits and croutons with a few pieces of lettuce.
One more obvious tip: minimize your trips to the dessert station. This, for me, is the hardest part about eating in the dining halls—the desserts are simply too good to pass up! If you have an immense sweet tooth like I do, here’s a piece of advice: try substituting whatever you’re eyeing at the dessert station for a small bowl of yogurt or cereal. In my attempt to lose my Freshman 15 during my sophomore year, I allowed myself a trip to the dessert station only once or twice a week. For the days when I tried to resist the desserts, I resorted to a bowl of Special K cereal with a splash of skim milk or a scoop of low-fat vanilla yogurt with a tiny bit of blueberry or strawberry topping. It worked! It satisfied my sweet tooth and cut my calorie intake in half.
In the Union/Michigan League/Pierpont Commons
The commons at Michigan like the Union, the League and Pierpont are great places for studying and grabbing a quick bite. These commons provide many great options for food, which is why you must be careful on choosing what to eat.
If you’re at the Union, look past Panda Express and Wendy’s (though it may be difficult to do so), and go for a six-inch sub from Subway or a salad from Amer’s. At the League, the smartest choices would be a salad or a sandwich from Beanster’s Café—avoid the Taco Bell and Wendy’s downstairs. And lastly, Pierpont also has a Beanster’s, as well as a Quizno’s, for those who want healthier meals.
Out and About
There really are endless possibilities for what you can eat in Ann Arbor. The streets of South University, South State, South Main and others are packed with great places for food, but if you want to maintain your weight, you must think twice before devouring a half-pound burger from Charley’s. The following are a couple (out of WAY more) healthy and recommendable restaurants near the two main streets on campus.
Seva
Being a “hipster town” with a sizeable population of vegetarians and vegans, Ann Arbor proudly holds Seva, a vegetarian restaurant located on East Liberty Street. Though it seems to specifically cater for vegetarians and vegans, Seva is a very big hit for all people, including meat lovers. And because of its vegetarian dishes, the restaurant is also great for those who want to eat a healthier diet. Their Hummus Plate would be a great appetizer, and the North American Couscous would make a great entrée. They also have a wide selection of salads and sandwiches, as well as a brunch menu and healthier side options. Though they’re famous for their yam fries, you may want to skip out on that if you’re looking to keep the pounds off.
Mia Za’s Café
Mia Za’s is also another popular food place located on South University Avenue, perfect for those who want a quick, cheap and delicious Italian meal. With its huge menu, Za’s has many different dishes for pasta, salads, paninis and pizzas. The salads here are great and healthfully suitable for lunch and dinner—the Traditional Greek, Gorgonzola Apple Crunch and the Sicilian Chicken are only some of many dishes you could choose. As for pasta dishes, you have the Asian Rotini Stir Fry, Tangy Citrus Spaghetti, and the Veggie Multi-grain Rotini. The great thing about the pasta dishes at Za’s is that you can always ask for multi-grain pasta to substitute for the regular starchy kind. You also have the option of ordering it “lite,” which is the smaller portion of the signature dish.
Although it provides you with many healthful options, Za’s also has some items on the menu that you may want to avoid. Take, for example, the garlic bread that comes on the side of each order. Yes, their garlic bread is indeed delicious and fragrant, but it can also ruin your plan on taking off or keeping off the Freshman 15. A side salad or fruit would make good and healthy substitutes. Additionally, the popular restaurant proudly displays the desserts it has available. Their Red Velvet Cheesecake and Tiramisu are amazing, but don’t give in! It’ll save you a few dollars from your wallet, and a few pounds on your body.
Getting the Freshman 15, although it’s a part of college life, can stress you out and lower your self-esteem, and following these tips can help you avoid that stress. But more importantly, I want all Michigan collegiettes to know that even if you don’t dodge the Freshman 15, it’s not the end of the world. So, don’t let it stress you out or overwhelm you to an extent that your academic performance and/or social life are compromised. Stay healthy and positive, and enjoy what you came to college for.