As an incoming college freshman, everyone hears about the rumors of the freshman 15. It can be easily defined as majority of your calorie intake being consumed after midnight. Although the freshman 15 is a well known epidemic, many are not aware of its continuation into sophomore year. This outbreak can be referred to as the sophomore 20. It consists of eating typical sorority house meals, like taco Tuesdays and grilled cheese Fridays, or eating out so frequently that you become Chipotle’s No. 1 customer. Despite the difficult factors sophomore year can place on your health, there are some alternatives to avoiding this cycle.
1. Start a Fitness Bandwagon!
Whether you are living in a sorority house with 50 of your best friends or living in an apartment with five, it’s easier to stay fit with a group. Start a fitness trend of making a salad on Taco Tuesday or working out daily. Eating healthy and staying active is so much easier when you have a strong support system.
2. Try to Avoid Eating as a “Social Outing”
The trend of late-night eating in college becomes a huge part of socializing. As much as I wish this trend would die down, it only seems to worsen. Since going out is not as new and exciting as it was freshman year, it’s easy to find yourself watching movies all night and eating way more pizza than needed. In order to avoid the sophomore 20’s try to stay away from social eating.
3. Be More Cautious of What You’re Drinking
It’s no secret that frats buy the worst alcohol and chasers to supply at their parties. To avoid the extra calories from the generic brand pop chasers, start bringing your own. It’s so easy to stock your fridge with zero calorie sparkling ICE and bring them out with you!
4. WALK, WALK, WALK
By the time sophomore year rolls around, it can be pretty common to have a car on campus. Although having cars can make life so much more convenient, it can also contribute to the sophomore 20. It’s simple to ask your friend to drive you to class instead of just walking. In order to steer clear from the weight gain, I would suggest to WALK, WALK, WALK.
5. Stick to a Schedule
As a sophomore, you know how college life works and how to handle balance all of your activities. In order to stay fit, set a daily work out schedule and stick to it! When working out is incorporated into your schedule you’ll find it easier to actually get up and go.
Now that you are aware of college’s health struggles, keep these small tips in mind to help avoid the freshman 15, sophomore 20, or maybe even junior 25!