We've all been heard of the famous "freshman 15" and tales of how freshman, once they get to college, completely indulge on all the dining hall has to offer and in the end gain weight.

First off, I'd like to say that there is nothing wrong with gaining weight. As long as you are happy in your own skin then you're doing fine, but if staying healthy and fit is a stressor that you've been dealing with in your endeavor in college then allow me to give some advice.

This process requires some self-discipline, because I know it's always tempting to go to get a bowl of soft-serve when leaving the dining hall or go get another plate of fries, but hear me out. You have to ask yourself the question "Am I going to feel good later?" Let's talk about breakfast first since it's the most important meal of the day. Think about it, if you eat an entire continental breakfast, with a ton of hash browns and sausage, before heading to your morning class are you really going to be focused in class or are you going to be sluggish from all the food you just ate. Not the mention, being full and in the Arizona heat at the same time is one of the worst feelings. While it's ok to indulge once in a while, my advice is go for something light, but fills you up at the same time, like a bagel with peanut butter, a bowl of fruit, or some yogurt, that way you'll have the energy you need to get through the day.

Another thing is exercise (I know... surprise, surprise), which is actually easier than you think. If you walk to all your classes then congratulations, you get physical exercise. Although, try to go to the gym at least once a week if not more and make sure to diversify your workouts when doing so, and get your blood flowing. Also, going to the gym is a great way to get yourself energized and relieve some stress you might have. So if you're stuck on a Sunday with a heap of homework t do, go to the gym in the morning to get your mind right, and you'll tackle that work no problem!

Sleep is important (yeah, another huge surprise I bet you haven't heard over 1,000 times), but specifically, when sleep deprived, people have trouble metabolizing glucose, which in turn results in our energy levels for the day being low. Also, when asleep your body releases high amounts of anabolic hormones that help with your muscles and tissues build and repair. You can do whatever workout you want at whatever level, but if you're not getting enough rest every night, then you're never going to see the results you desire.

It's completely understandable that trying to fit exercise, watching what you eat, and getting a firm sleep schedule is tough in the college environment. Even I had trouble my first couple weeks getting my routine set, but trust me, it's possible. My advice would be to write out your schedule or create an Excel sheet, of all your classes and other activities and there times, and see at what points during the day can you spare some time to exercise, or what's the earliest you can go to bed that evening. That process of creating and sticking to a schedule forces you to be extremely organized and helps manage stress.