Oh, yes, the Freshmen 15 is not a myth. After months of eating whatever you please and staying up until the wee hours in the morning, your favorite shirt might start to get a little tight. It is easy to pack on some extra pounds because of our tendencies to eat when we are bored or stressed. However, here are 10 ways to fight off the Freshmen 15.
1. Drink water
People on average do not drink enough water which leads to dehydration with results in our bodies not functioning as well as they could be. Since the human body is more than 60 percent water, start to think of water as fuel for the body to function. Water also helps the body filter out toxins and other unnecessary substances. A tip to remember: When you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. On average, a person should drink a half gallon of water a day.
2. Put the bottle down
Everyone is excited to finally hit up all those college parties that everyone has been talking about. It is a time to go out have some fun and meet new people. However, there are a lot of reasons why you should drink responsibly. Besides the fact that you might wake up with sharpie doodles on your face, excessive drinking can lead to packing on excess weight. Alcohol is full of empty sugar calories that have no health benefits for the body, therefore, you start to pack on those pounds. Drink responsibly.
3. Treat yourself
It is easy to acquire “sticky fingers” every time you walk by the dessert bar in the cafeteria. However, just like drinking it is easy to eat excessive amounts of sweets which only leads to gaining some extra weight. Be mindful when you eat and do not let your stress get the best of you. Fun fact: when you eat a nutritious diet, your stress levels tend to be lower.
4. Veggies and Fruits
Instead of grabbing a handful of chips to go with that sandwich, grab veggies or a fruit. You would be surprised just how more full you feel after eating veggies and fruits with a meal than chips or other snack foods. It is the little changes like this that will make a noticeable difference.
5. Protein
It is important that you eat enough protein each day. Protein, like chicken, turkey, fish, beans, and nuts, help keep muscles toned which includes your brain. Yes, protein is brain food! Protein will help you feel fuller throughout the day which will prevent you from snacking on junk food. You can find protein calculators online to determine your ideal protein consumption.
6. What are you going to do with all that junk?
Sadly, junk food is cheaper than healthy snacks, but that is only due to the fact that real ingredients cost more than chemicals. Most, if not all, junk food today is flavored with chemicals that are harmful to your body. Not only will you gain weight from these snacks, but you will be putting harmful substances in your body. Junk foods slows down brain function. Ditch that junk for some real substance.
7. 5 meals a day
It has been ingrained into our brains that three meals a day is the way to eat, however, that is not the best way to fuel your body. College students are on the go 24/7 and need to continue to fuel themselves to keep their energy up and their brains functioning. This can be done by eating five nutritious meals a day.
8. Gym
Start to become active! Physical activity not only wards off excessive weight, but will reduce stress. A lot of people stay away from the gym in fear of being judged by others. However, from experience, everyone is either too busy doing their own routines or they respect you for your efforts. Do not be afraid to go to the gym. If you do not like to workout by yourself, then go to your campus fitness center to see if they offer any classes like yoga, Zumba, or spin. If not, suggest that they start a fitness program to encourage others to join. If you do not know where to begin when working out, seek out the athletic trainer or any gym employee for help.
9. Sleep
If you take anything away from this list it should be this one, sleep. Nothing is more important for the body than resting which so happens to be one of the most difficult things to do in college. Lack of sleep will increase stress, slow down brain processing, increase the likelihood of weight gain, and make your body physically exhausted. Eight hours of sleep a night is vital to complete the sleep stages, the most important ones being REM sleep. REM sleep is when the brain processes what you have learned for the day so that you will remember it. Therefore, it is more beneficial to sleep than cram all night for that exam.
10. Routine
Building a daily routine will ensure that you eat well, stay active, and catch some Z’s. Staying organized throughout the week will lead to a healthier lifestyle and put you on the road to success.
