I could feel the sweat dripping down my face, my calves burning, my feet starting to blister and my breath getting heavier. But with just three miles to go, nothing was going to stop me. Finally, after about two hours of running, I completed my second half marathon.
But I didn’t come into college a runner, and I never thought I would be able to run 13.1 miles. But coming into college I also knew gone were the days of running sprints at soccer practice and sitting down to my mom’s home-cooked, healthy meals.
Before college I heard about it and read about it, but I promised myself the freshman 15 would not happen to me.
Every day is filled with health-conscious decisions. Do you eat the buttery grilled cheese sandwich that makes your mouth water? Or do you stick with the lean turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato? I have to be honest. Right now I have a piece of cookie dough in my hand. Not necessarily the best way to start SELF’s Jump Start Diet, but you have to treat yourself once in a while, right?
My name is Ally Fox. I am a junior at the University of Florida, and I did not put on the freshman 15. However, it was not easy. I am faced with the same difficult decisions every day: grilled cheese or turkey; put on my gym shoes or don’t put on my gym shoes.
Over the next few weeks, I plan on following SELF’s Jump Start Diet, which will help me spice up my workout as well as my food menu.
We all have time-crunched schedules. Between midterms and meetings, sometimes it seems impossible to find time for the gym. One thing that helps me stay on track is I treat the gym like one of my classes. It’s part of my daily schedule. You wouldn’t skip class every day right?
You can avoid the freshman 15 too. And the best part about it is you can still eat dessert. My rule is one sweet thing a day.