The transition to a college lifestyle can be overwhelming to say the least. Between all of the new found freedoms, classes, papers, tests, and all of the individual responsibilities, it is no surprise that college freshmen regularly gain a few pounds by the end of their first year. Their regular at home diet is often replaced by cafeteria food three times a day and pizza on the weekends. But maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding the dreaded freshman 15 can be done with a few simple steps.
1) Put a cap on is the amount of daily caffeine. This is a chemical which is easy to rely on when a five page paper is due in the morning or studying late for an exam. All of the soda and coffee can really add up in terms of calories.
2) Get enough sleep. At least eight hours of good sleep is needed to think clearly.
Another big problem is the lack of kitchen and home cooked meals. If you are living in a dorm room, most likely you will have to rely on the school cafeteria for the majority of your food. Do your best to fit in some fruit and vegetables. Most cafeterias have a selection of fresh fruits like apples, oranges and bananas that are always available to students. These are obviously a healthy choice and often more appealing than an overcooked vegetable medley mush!
Sleeping in until the very last minute before class is tempting, but starting off the day right by eating breakfast gives you energy to get you through the day. A bowl of cereal with skim milk or with yogurt can keep your stomach from grumbling half way through a lecture period or a test. Try to stay away from doughnuts and bagels; ironically they are the most likely to blame for a few of those fifteen extra pounds.
If you are allowed to, try to make a space in your dorm room for your own little kitchenette. A mini-fridge, microwave, hot plate, and toaster oven tucked into a corner can make a huge difference to your eating habits. Try to stock your fridge with easy snacks like yogurt and carrot sticks. This way you are less likely to run out for a bag of chips from the vending machine when you need a study break. Ramen noodles are a staple college food, but full of salt! To cut back, don’t use the entire flavor packet or leave it out all together and add your own spices instead.
Finally, take out food also takes a lot of blame for the extra weight gain during freshmen year. Nobody wants to miss out on Friday night pizza and with some diet and fitness changes, you shouldn’t have to! Stay away from fast food as much as possible, or at least add a salad instead of fries. Make these types of high calorie and high fat foods a treat rather than a part of your daily diet. Take your health seriously and be aware of what you stick in your mouth.