The Freshman 15. We all say “oh, it won’t happen to me.” However, it’s easier to achieve than we think. Between cupcake Tuesday, Campus Deli after a long night at Darby’s, and the Cab serving chicken fingers and fries until 1 AM, it’s easy to pack on pounds. As much as we all want to come home for breaks with bodies like Alexis Ren, it’s difficult to even maintain our move-in-day bodies. In this article, we’ll share with you what we’ve been doing in efforts to stay healthy.
1. Working out
Every day we go to the gym. Our favorite time to go is right when it opens, or right after our 8 AMs. Working out is an amazing way to start the day and after doing so, we feel energized and ready for the long day ahead. Sometimes, we even go twice a day. In the morning, we like to get our more intense workout out of the way. At night, it’s nice to run on the treadmill or the elliptical for 30 minutes or so just to burn stubborn calories. We try to combine both cardio and weights, and end each workout with a core routine. Working out with a friend and wearing cute workout clothes is a great way to self motivate.
2. Eating healthy
Will power is a quality we all wish we had. Unfortunately, most of the time, we don’t. But it’s okay! It’s all about moderation and balance. Lately, we’ve been very consistent with our meals. For me (Haley) personally, I like to start my day with either wheat toast with peanut butter and banana, or oatmeal with raisins, peanut butter, and banana. When I have the patience, an omelette never fails. I like to eat a breakfast packed with fiber and protein so I feel full for a while. For lunch, I typically get a salad with spinach, cucumber, tomato, craisins, chicken, and balsamic dressing. If there’s anything good at the protein bar, I’ll top off my salad with that. For dinner, my choices vary. I usually get whatever they have at the main food bar. Every night, we indulge in a cookie to appease our sweet-tooth–it’s all about moderation! For snacks, I like to eat yogurt and granola, bananas, and fiber one bars.
3. Some tips and tricks
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Sounds cliche, but drink lots of water! Half the time when you think you’re hungry, you’re really just dehydrated. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water each day is so important.
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Green tea with honey is a healthy alternative to desserts when having a sweet tooth.
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Cutting out sugary drinks is an easy way to avoid the freshman 15.
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Snacking late at night in our dorms is what gets the best of us. Stock up on healthy snacks like granola bars, dried fruit, nuts, trail mix, or anything you like.
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Don’t deprive yourself! It’s so important to treat yourself in moderation. One cookie or one piece of pizza won’t kill you.