Every incoming freshman has year it before—the legend of the dreaded “Freshman 15.” While it’s completely natural to gain weight during this time of our lives, if you want to work at managing it here are some helpful tips!
Avoid certain sugars.
Sugar: a blessing and a curse. Many Kenyon students get a lot of their sugar from those sweet treats they find in that small corner in Pierce. However, if you look to the left of that small dessert corner, you’ll find plenty of natural sugars in the salad bar. Yes, you read that right: the salad bar. Many vegetables have natural sugars inside of them such as beets and tomatoes. So, one day maybe try and ditch the cookies and cake for some carrots and corn.
Don’t binge-snack.
Sitting in a dorm room filled with snacks is not easy—trust me, I would know. I finished a full bag of Goldfish, Hot Cheetos, Salt and Vinegar chips, and Gummy Worms within my first week here. Aside from my horrible eating habits, it is possible to still eat these snacks and not gain too much weight. Instead of devouring that full bag of Lays chips you have hiding in your closet in a day, try to set aside small portions for you to eat every day until the bag is finished.
Beer belly? More like water belly.
So you want to go to the Old K party this weekend, well when it comes to drinking, be smart. Underage drinking is not something I encourage; however, if you’re going to drink, don’t chug five beers within the same hour. One: it’s disgusting, two: it’s dangerous, and three: you gain weight from binge drinking. Every time you have a beer, wash it down with some water. Additionally, many students gain weight from being dehydrated, so water may just be your saving grace when it comes to avoiding the freshman 15.
Eat three meals a day!
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are essential to attaining that healthy lifestyle we all desire. Everyone always eats lunch and dinner, but many people miss breakfast, believing that the most important meal of the day is a myth. However, breakfast is so important, especially if you have an 8AM math class on Monday morning—you need that extra energy to understand those algorithms! Sleeping in is not a valid reason to miss breakfast, in fact, if you’re in a rush to get to class, grab a granola bar from your room or a coffee from Wiggins to eat/drink on the go. This also works if you’re not a huge breakfast person.
Refrain from late night snacks.
Studying all night? Binge-watching that last season of The Office? Don’t you just feel the need to eat at 2AM? Well, don’t! Eating late at night (or before you go to bed) is not a good idea. Eating before bedtime makes the food settle in your stomach throughout the night giving you a big time food baby as I like to call it. If you feel hungry after dinner, it may be best to eat at least 1 hour before your planned bedtime. Happy snacking!
Portion distortion.
Yes, those chicken quesadillas were so good at Pierce, but let’s face the truth. Grabbing 12 quesadilla slices, along with some other snacks and dessert, is absolutely insane! Paying attention to serving sizes is one of the hardest, if not the hardest, job to do when eating food. It is so easy for us to eat multiple portions instead of one. This makes it even easier for us to gain unnecessary pounds throughout the school year.
Eat slowly.
Okay, I get it. You have to be in class in ten minutes, but please take your time eating your Cocoa Puffs instead of scarfing them down like an animal. The problem with eating quickly is that people often consume too many calories before realizing they’re full. Research says that it takes twenty minutes for your brain to realize you’re full and send a signal of fullness, so take your time!
If you snooze, you lose…extra pounds!
Before we start pulling those all-nighters for projects and papers, let’s think about what a lack of sleep does to our bodies. When you feel tired after a hard day of classes, your brain automatically thinks your body needs sugar and responds strongly to sugary treats and junk food. This all adds to the freshman 15. So the next time you are feeling tired and want to order a large chai tea latte from Wiggins, just remember that is a sign that you need to sleep more.
Friend: “Hey, what’s up?” You: “My stress levels.”
We all hate being stressed, but what many people don’t realize is the effects of stress on our body. Stress makes you hungry and crave sugar. Additionally, it reduces your ability to burn fat and increases the rate at which you store fat, thus increasing belly fat and making your liver fatty.
Exercise!
At Kenyon, there are plenty of intermural sports teams and clubs to help keep you fit. We have the Outdoors Club, intermural soccer, even ballroom dancing! Participating in any of these activities will definitely help you keep your body healthy.
Don’t like running? Take a class at the KAC!
If you’re like me, you hate running. Let’s be real, it’s absolutely exhausting and you feel like you’re about to throw up. But have no fear! The KAC offers many free classes, such as yoga and Zumba, for those who think running is over-rated. Have fun!
Still feeling lazy? Go for a hike at the BFEC!
The BFEC is the perfect place for outdoorsy people to hike. It gets your leg muscles moving and on the bright side: there’s no running involved!
Don’t like hikes? Take a walk down Middle Path!
Many students walk down Middle Path to get to their classes, but how many students do you see just walking for the sake of walking? Not many. With the beautiful weather, taking a stroll on the path is not a bad idea when it comes to exercising in the heat.
When in doubt, dance it out!
Imagine: you’re at the Old K party this week, eating some Domino’s. It’s sweaty, there’s a multitude of people surrounding you at all times, and beer being spilled on your favorite shirt. Instead of standing in one spot scarfing down that pizza slice, go to the dance floor and bust a move. Dancing is a great way of exercise and when you are at a party, dancing does not feel like a chore, but rather a fun activity to do alongside your friends.
Too much homework, no time to exercise?
Studying in your dorm room can get boring, especially when your bed is two feet away from your desk and is calling out to you to take a nap. The solution: get out of your room, walk to another building such as the library or Ascension, climb all of those stairs, sit down on one of the chairs or comfy couches and study. Venturing to the other buildings is an alternative to your average workout. Walking and climbing stairs is more than enough exercise for lazy folks like me.
Remember that all bodies are beautiful and not defined by a number. It’s never ok to shame someone else for their weight gain or loss. These tips are here to help you stay healthy. Remember: a healthy body helps you keep a healthy mind. Good luck during your first year of college!