We have all heard of the infamous freshmen 15 and every single person says, “That won’t ever happen to me!” The harsh reality is while it may not be 15 pounds, some weight is gained your freshmen year. Between all the stress, delicious places to eat on campus and lack of proper foods, it seems almost impossible to not gain weight. Well here I stand, a proud freshmen 15 (that’s an exaggeration, more like eight) survivor. If I can do it, so can you! To avoid this altogether, just do the basics.
1. Go to the gym!
It’s so easy to make excuses that there’s enough time in the day. However, this is probably the only time in your life where you will have access to a “free” gym… USE IT! If you are anxious about going to the gym, it doesn’t hurt to walk some laps around the track. Doing something is always better than doing nothing.
2. Try to avoid unhealthy foods.
It seems so hard to say no when all your friends want to go out to eat or binge eat a pizza. I’m not saying don’t do these things, just be smart about how much you are eating. There are always healthier options, no need to eat Toppers Sticks every day (I fell victim to this my first week of freshman year). After coming in from a night out, nothing sounds more appealing than ordering Taco Bell or Jimmy Johns. DON’T DO IT! First off, your wallet will thank you. Second, there is nothing worse than going to bed with an overly full stomach.
3. Stress
Stress can be a huge factor to weight gain as well. If you are anything like me, when you’re stressed all you do is eat even when you aren’t hungry, it’s the worst! Plus when you stay up late studying, heating up leftover Chipotle always sounds like the most appetizing option. Eat a small snack, not a huge meal when you are pulling an all-nighter or staying up late. Trust me your body will thank you!
This being said, it is your freshmen year. You need to enjoy it as much as possible. Having three slices of pizza won’t be the end of the world. Just be smart with your choices and maybe you can proudly stand before as proud statistic of those who have not gained the freshmen 15.