In less than two weeks, college students will be moving back to their dorms and apartments to get ready to tackle the fall semester. Hopefully, GPA's will be rising, but that doesn't mean we have to let our weight rise too. It may seem hard to maintain a healthy diet while we're busy focusing on school. But making a few changes a day will lead you to a successful weight goal, and better lifestyle.

1. Drink more water

This is the primary rule for any person trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Cut out soda, sweet tea, artificial water sweetener packets, and milk. Water is your best friend now. Water is essential to weight loss, and most people don't get enough. By drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, you have already started your trek into a healthy lifestyle. Start filling up a water bottle before class every day, and go from there.

2. Try to avoid too many dining hall trips

The dining hall is a great way to avoid spending extra money on groceries. But, sometimes the dining hall can be lead to bad temptations. Yes, dining halls have salad bars and vegan counters, but they also have pizza and fries every day. If you know you are strong enough to avoid unhealthy options, then go for it. But if you aren't strong enough, then buy some of your own groceries to avoid too many trips.

If you are afraid of wasting money on a dining plan, then buy a meal plan that prevents you from going too many times. USF has tons of options that will help you restrict yourself from food binging.

3. Don't put off the gym

Almost every college in America has an on campus gym, so there's no reason to put it off. Don't tell yourself, "I'll go tomorrow," because odds are, you'll keep telling yourself that for months. Take that one day and go, and make it a habit. After a few weeks, you will see results, and that urge to work out will become stronger.

4. Hungry? Try a glass of water first

Not as in a way to starve yourself, think of it as a way to ask yourself, "Am I eating because I'm bored?" By drinking water when feeling hungry during the day, you are making sure that you are actually hungry. Most of the time, a glass of water as a "snack" is something to not put more calories in your body just because your stomach thinks it's hungry when it actually doesn't need food. Sometimes a glass of water will fill you up, and prevent you from choosing to eat anything unhealthy.

5. Avoid eating out

This can be the toughest task in college. Because eating out is something college students do all the time. However, if you do go out with friends, make sure you eat something that you know won't interfere with your healthy eating. The most important thing is to not go to any fast food restaurants because even the salads there can be a few hundred calories.

Following these tips won't make you lose dramatic amounts of weight. However, it's a good start on trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle.