It’s not usually a relief to start typing on my laptop. It means I have yet another paper to write, or even more research to do. I’m a second year English and Psychology major at Hollins University, so there is always a paper to write or research to do. Today it’s different. Today my typing is more of a “Good Job Amber!” dance than the usual “Only Four More Hours to Go” drag of defeat. It’s different because today I’ve taken the first steps to lose the weight I’ve put on as a college student: the dreaded, dreadful “Freshman 15”.
As a college student with a double major, the photographer editor of my school’s newspaper and a full-time blogger I’ve got a lot on my plate. Unfortunately that sometimes means putting a lot on my plate. Between all the classes, study groups and superfluous extra curricular activities I tend to go for fast food fixes. When I have five minutes between class and work in the evening I don’t have time to sit down and eat a healthy, well-rounded meal. I go for french fries and chicken fingers that I can eat on the run. Add on the fact that I also tend to spend my extra hours hidden in the depths of the library, instead of in the gym.
Subtract the exercise I used to get riding horses competitively and walking everywhere back home in New York City and it adds up to exactly 15 extra pounds, lingering around my body since freshman year.
Something I’ve learned about college weight gain is that it doesn’t have to be abrupt or drastic for it to have a major impact on your life. Because my friends at school haven’t seen any sudden changes in my body, they are quick to tell me that I’m “freaking out over nothing” when I voice the idea that I want to start getting back into shape. They don’t know me in any other shape! So they tell me I look fine, and I kept my doubts to myself.
So here I am, with “bikini” season fast approaching and inspiring the usual panic in the pit of my gut that comes with the idea of exposing said area on the beach for three months. Only, this time around I’m not going to do the panicky, last minute crash dieting or the painful, restrictive, lettuce only kind of diet or any of the other terrible diet that we have all put ourselves through. This blog is going to follow my journey towards a new, happy, healthy me with the help of SELF magazine’s Jump Start Diet. I won’t crash, I won’t stress, I’m just going to enjoy the healthy food options (you should really check them out, right here!) with a dining hall twist, and follow the exercise regime (which is straightforward enough even for me, and I’m eye/body coordination-challenged).
Today was the beginning of the end of my life with the Freshman 15, because I want it to be, not because other people are telling me I need to lose weight. It’s because I want to make a healthy change in my life and I want to feel good. This change isn’t for anyone else, it’s for me. And if you feel like you want to change, check out Self Magazine, follow Self on twitter and fill your day with positive tips and ideas on how to eat well and live right. Follow me too as I keep track of the sweat and tears,(I don’t foresee any blood being spilt in this process) good times and struggles on the road to losing the Freshman 15!
@