Coming into freshman year, I had various worries. Would I make friends? Would my courses be too hard? But my biggest worry of them all was something every girl probably considered at one point or another…would I gain the “Freshmen 15?!” My parents raised me to have healthy eating habits, and I had always played sports in high school. However, college throws you into a completely different environment, though. I was no longer able to eat my mom’s yummy, nutritious food, which kind of scared me. I knew Southside provided a lot of options, but I also knew it just wasn’t the same as a home-cooked meal.
This worry of mine didn’t stop growing, so the gym became my new best friend. I made a point to try to go six days a week, which really was not necessary; but, at the time I completely thought it was. Taking a trip to the gym at least three times a week can make a big improvement in your body. If you go with friends, it’s easy to make your workout fun, plus spotting a few cute guys always helps. Also, Mason provides a lot of different ways to stay in shape. Not only do they have three incredible gyms, but also, the Aquatic and Fitness Center offers group workout class, such as Zumba and Cardio Kickboxing. The instructor never makes you go at a pace you aren’t comfortable with and always plays upbeat music. Grab a few of your friends, and I promise you’ll get a good workout and a few laughs.
Girls have to work harder to keep weight off, especially now being older and in college. There are a lot of temptations around, but you can make it a lot easier on yourself. For example, don’t keep unhealthy snacks in the room. It’s hard to find fresh fruit and vegetables around campus; when grocery shopping, stock up on produce instead of chips, which you can get about anywhere on campus.
While you’re avoiding the bag of chips, also avoid the sugary drinks. It was easy for me at home because my parents never kept soda in the house. At school, you can get a Coke just about anywhere, but drinking a lot of water is the key. We all know the benefits of water, but water can benefit you even more at in a college environment because of the great amount of germs you’re exposed to. Soda and juices don’t do much for you when it comes to protecting you from illness, but water can only help. Also, after a long night out, students often find themselves dehydrated, so drinking a bottle of water before bed will give you a little more energy when you wake up the next day.
During these long nights out, it’s common to get hungry around one or two a.m. You might think you owe it to yourself to eat some French toast at Ike’s since you danced all night long, but eating a late-night meal will only give you a lot of unnecessary calories. Even though you’ll probably be craving the plate of fries your best friend is scarfing down next to you, stick to a bowl of cereal or a yogurt instead.
The “Freshmen 15” isn’t impossible to fight. I ended up losing ten pounds my freshman year because I really concentrated on good eating habits and a strict workout schedule. I felt so much better about myself and wondered what I was so worried about in the first place. Be sure to give yourself days off though. Taco Bell calls my name about once a week, and it feels good knowing I deserve that quesadilla.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at George Mason University chapter.