It seems like everywhere I go, people are chattering about the freshman 15. It probably doesn’t help that I’m part of the Freshman Class of 2015, but either way, I’m sure every class deals with it, even if my class happens to be bestowed with the least fortunate class title in a century. “We are the Freshman ’15”—imagine chanting that one. Everyone is preoccupied not just with the lifestyle change of leaving home, but a dreaded potential outcome of our ascent to halls of higher education– weight gain.
Ladies, I’m not going to pretend to be a Kate Moss. Most of us just aren’t built like that, and there is nothing wrong with that. So let’s get real. Let’s not focus on the number and the weight. Let’s focus on how to deal with this huge lifestyle change in ways that won’t negatively impact our health.
- Join some active clubs. Though many of us are athletically inclined, once you’re out on your own, it’s pretty easy to feel less motivated about an early morning run. Or, if you’re like me, the thought of “running for fun” makes you dizzy and gives you horrible gym class flashbacks—but your campus probably has excellent ways to stay fit that are fun enough to keep you going! You may decide to try getting involved in clubs like ballroom dance, salsa, Quidditch, karate, or even synchronized swimming! Plus, you’ll make some great friends so you don’t have to eat your feelings about being away from your high school pals.
- Leave your Playstation at home! Given that we’re going to spend plenty of time on our tushes studying, taking notes, and researching for our classes, we should probably avoid bringing other items that are going to have us glued to a sofa for 4 hours in an epic video-gaming tournament. Besides, you can probably play with a friend’s system from time to time together.
- Think about your meal options. When you have a meal plan, especially one that allows for buffet-style dining within a given time frame, it is way too easy to pack on extra calories that you’re not going to burn, so be smart about what you put on your plate. There is a reason why people don’t eat at buffet three times a day! For a simple tip, try eating one or two salads a day. They don’t have to be your whole meal, but a good side dish. Those tasty greens fill you up with much better stuff than the same amount of cheese fries.
- Don’t worry about calories and fat. When we focus on what we can’t have, it’s a lot harder to enjoy the things we can. Don’t focus on your weight, your size, or your fat intake. Just do what’s good for you. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that four cookies are not going to satisfy you as well as a good ol’ ham and cheese. Putting our delectables down into numbers makes most of us feel very limited.
- Stay hydrated. This is a biggie for more reasons than just your weight—your whole body needs water to look, feel, and work right. The thirst mechanism in your brain often reads as hunger—this means we sometimes down chips when our body is really just griping for some juice. So before you hit a vending machine for some Red Vines, try some water and see if that helps.
- Make friends. This is pretty much the easiest way to keep yourself from hitting the snack bar too hard. Two of the biggest factors in unnecessary eating for a lot of us are boredom and stress. Friends are a cure for both.
- Find little breaks to be active in. During your spare moments between loads of laundry, try to stay off your donk and enjoy a private 5-minute dance party, take a stroll around the building, or have a personal aerobics jam session in an empty stairwell.
- Find clothes that work for you. It’s a lot easier to forget about weight-related fears when you feel that the body you’re in is just as awesome as the person you are. Ditch the magazines that focus on one or two body shapes and start looking for style soul-sisters who know how to work a body like yours. You’ll find that anyone can look good—even on a budget!
- Don’t party too hard. Alcohol and party snacks can really take a toll on us, so when you party, make sure you take care of your body, too. Pace yourself on the munchies and drinks and always have a friend around who won’t mind getting between you and a bad situation.
- Don’t feel guilty about eating! I know far too many girls who have skipped their afternoon snack only to eat huge amounts at dinner, with little time to burn the calories off before bed. We all need food. If you’re hungry, you’re hungry, and you’re not doing yourself any favors by pretending that you aren’t. Remember though that you’ll feel more energetic after quelling that grumbling with a filling snack with protein and or fiber (like some nuts, string cheese, a yogurt, or some toast with peanut butter), than if you toss a Little Debbie down the hatch.
The most important thing to remember, though, is that your weight isn’t everything. Being heavy doesn’t make you any less wonderful, and being thinner won’t automatically work wonders for your life either. Gaining a couple pounds is no big deal, and once you adjust to campus life, it’ll be much easier to figure out how to stay healthy. When you’re in a new situation the stress can make it harder to burn fat at the rate you normally do, and when you have a roommate and a whole new schedule, it can be hard to fit in your work-out time. So if your weight fluctuates a little bit after move-in, don’t sweat it.