When I first entered college my biggest fear was gaining the freshman 15 pounds. When I was in high school my brothers’ friends would come back from college and talked about how much people gained weight when they finally got that freedom. I thought that it was destined to happen to me because it happened to everyone. During my senior year I started to focus on health and I have came up with ways you can do to prevent gaining the extra weight, and no you don’t have to eat salads every day. It truly is a balance to what you can eat and drink.
Here are some tips to avoid gaining the freshman 15.
You don’t have to eat salads everyday
Eating salads is not the only way to stay in shape when you get to college. Eating lean meats like chicken can help your source of protein as well as filling up your stomach. There should be protein in every meal and you can pair that protein with a complex carb like brown rice, potatoes, and oatmeal. Both of those things can be completed with vegetables. Broccoli, zucchini, squash, carrots, these are all examples of vegetables you can eat with your meal.
You don’t have to go to the gym everyday
Working out is going to be a supplemental part of staying fit throughout freshman year. Although it may be intimidating, you do not have to go every day. Going to the gym 3 to 4 times a week would be beneficial. 1 hour is only 4% of you day, I know it may seem a lot, but you still have 96% of the day left to do whatever your heart may desire.
Don’t take the shuttle
Walking to classes is a big part of the exercise you are going to get in a day. Passing on the shuttle is just another way to burn some extra calories while heading to and from class.
Don’t need to do cardio to stay healthy
Although going to the gym is a sufficient part to fit lifestyle adjustment to college cardio is not going to handle it all. While cardio does burn more calories, lifting weights will create muscle and burn calories after throughout the day.
Drink responsibly
It is college, so you shouldn’t have to cut alcohol out of your diet. Beer does have a lot of calories compared to different liquors. When you’re going out you can replace Beer with vodka and seltzer water. This would only be 97 calories compared to 200 calories a drink. (This advice is for students who are 21+)
Overall, it is a balance
This whole process is a balance, coming to college it is a new sense of freedom and you’re going to have to learn how to balance that freedom. You do not need to eat lean chicken and vegetables every day for the rest of your life, if you want a big mac once in a while, you go get that big mac! College is learning how to balance, and this is one of those balances.