The freshman 15 is real. It creeps up on you like an 8 a.m. class, like the Math Web-assigns I always forget to do. The beer/vodka/whiskey/wine/ gut is real, too (to my Gamecock friends, you can't spell Busch without USC). Or, maybe, you are like me -- always been the husky friend, the chunky funky, who decided that college was the time to lose that weight. Here are some tips and guidelines I have started using.
The first step is you have to eat and drink right. If you put crap into your body, you're gonna start looking like it. You are what you eat. Don't be a cheeseburger, be a salad. Listen, I know eating right is hard. We are college students. We are mostly poor until mom blesses us with more money. My advice? Go to the grovery store and hope they have a sale. If they do, stock up! If they don't, call Mom. The best thing? If you are still on a meal plan, eat some fruits and vegetables -- you don't need pizza every day.
Another tool to help you fight off the weight is a health app. Use that FitBit Grandma got you, it's worth it. Lay off the alcohol. Nothing will make you gain weight like that 24-pack of Bud Light you have in your refrigerator. Anything in moderation is fine, but too much of something can have consequences. So lay off the booze; your liver will thank you (so will your bank account)!
My next tip is simple, but boy did it help me. Walk, walk, walk. You don't need to Uber to class. Lucky for us State students, the classes always seem to be five miles from our dorms. So put on those Ugg boots, break out the new Patagonia, and walk. Throw in some headphones so people know you are serious. Don't forget that Camelbak with 45 stickers you have -- don't want you to get dehydrated!
My last tip? Get some friends to join you on your quest for a healthy you. A good support group never hurt anyone.
Listen, I know losing weight can be hard, and it's even harder when you're in college. I've lost 40 pounds this year. You can, too.
