Moving away from home can be a mix of emotions, everything from the exhilarating feeling of freedom to the frightening realization that you’re truly becoming an adult. Not to mention you are balancing a new mixture of academics, friends, extracurricular activities and getting adjusted. When we enter college we tend to become so focused on these outside pressures that we forget about taking care of the most important asset…OURSELVES. We let a little weight gain slide here and sooner than we realize we’re investing in a whole new and larger wardrobe. So let me give you a few easy and non-gym related tips on avoiding the all too common Freshman 15.
Tip #1: DRINK WATER
Water is your best friend. You literally cannot live without it, your body is over 70% made up of the stuff. Therefore, it only makes sense to drink it and drink a lot. Water flushes our bodies of toxins and build up. Plus a glass of water wills actually clench your thirst unlike the opposite effect of juices and sodas. Pro tip, drink a glass of water before every meal and you’ll likely eat less.
Tip #2: Food is NOT an Award
Everyone needs a little outside motivation sometimes but food is not the answer. We need to eat to nourish our bodies, so putting a value on it like acing a test, getting through midterms or giving a speech actually negatively affects our outlook on food. Eat food that’s good for you and indulge (sparingly) when you really want, not because you “earned it.” Instead set motivation like getting your nails done, having a facial, or buying a new outfit.
Tip #3: Be Caf Smart
Those unlimited swipes are a tricky business. That’s someone’s hard earned money so you don’t want to waste it but there are so many unhealthy traps once you get there: butter, oils, white carbs, and that Coca Cola machine. First things first, if it looks like butter, smells like butter, or acts like butter I, IT’S BUTTER. Try to pick dishes that aren’t swimming in the stuff and if you’re unsure don’t be afraid to ask, the staff is a friendly bunch. Secondly, visit the salad bar and get creative but choose a vinaigrette of some sort to keep it healthy, there’s no point in eating vegetables drenched in Ranch. Thirdly, take advantage of the sandwich bar and pick a wheat bread over white then add at least three vegetables on your creation. Furthermore, don’t go back for seconds until you’ve let your first serving settle (at lesast 20 minutes) otherwise you’ll likely eat more than you need. Lastly, choose water. The drink machine seems to have endless options but nothing will help you curb your appetite and satisfy your thirst quite like good old H2O (see Tip #1).
Tip #4: Wear Real Pants
I love running pants as much as the next girl, seriously who doesn’t they are comfortable and cute. The only problem is that they’re really quite forgiving so if I packed on a couple extra pounds that elastic wouldn’t tell me until they were WAY too tight. Same goes for sweats and leggings. So try to actually wear real pants with buttons on occasion to make sure you aren’t packing any unnecessary pounds. Trust me our jeans are a way more reliable source to check if our bodies are changing than any scale could be. Bonus: you look way more pulled together in a nice pair of jeans than in sweats, leggings or running pants.
Tip #5: Dance in Your Room
Traditional workouts like running and weightlifting aren’t for everyone, but you have to move your body. One easy and fun way is to dance in your room. Exercise not only helps us get fit but it helps memory, fatigue, and endorphin levels (see mood enhancing). So get a high paced Pandora station going and let loose. For added fun invite your friends to join you and you won’t realize you’re working out at all.
Tip #6: Get Your Beauty Rest
One of the best things about college is that all of your friends are literally RIGHT there. In fact your best friends may even live in the same room or hall as you. So it can be so tempting to stay up all night gabbing or going out to the promenade all week long. Then there’s the weekends, since you don’t have anyone to answer to anymore you can come back any time you please. The only problem is these late night adventures can wreak serious havoc on your body. One issue is that the less rested you are the slower your metabolism is and so you burn less calories throughout the day. Another is that vamping tends to lead us to eat late (usually unhealthy snacks) which also causes the pounds to pack on. By no means do I think you should completely ditch all-nighters (you only do college once) but try not to make it an everyday thing. I promise there’s nothing wrong with missing an occasional Tuesday night on the promenade in exchange for some quality Z’s.
Avoiding the Freshman 15 is more about your inner health than your outer appearance. Your weight will probably fluctuate and that’s okay, still make healthy decisions. After all “if you don’t take care of your body where will you live?”