10 Ways To Avoid The Freshman 15

If you’re an incoming freshman, you’ve definitely heard about the dreaded freshman 15. And let me tell you, it is real. But, it is totally normal for people to gain a couple pounds during their freshman year of college. So, don’t freak out if you do. However, I don’t know anyone that wants to gain 15 pounds, so here are some ways to avoid it.

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Have some self control

As an incoming freshman, chances are, you’re going to be eating at the dining hall. And this is your chance to exercise self control. It sounds easy, but, it is not. It can be hard to choose salads over pasta, or to eat just one slice of pizza when your heart wants two slices. Paying attention to the serving size is probably one of the hardest things to do. It is so easy to eat multiple portions instead of just one, especially when you’re eating at the dining hall. Which makes it extra easy to gain some pounds without even realizing it. Learning how to eat healthy at the dining hall is a must.

Avoid eating late at night

You’ll eventually find yourself pulling off all-nighters and you’ll get hungry while at it. But just try your hardest to avoid eating late at night, or at least avoid eating unhealthy snacks late at night. Instead of ordering pizza or driving to the nearest McDonald’s, try these 10 healthy snacks.

Eat a balanced diet

This is probably the most obvious way to avoid the freshman 15, but I just had to mention it. I know it is really obvious, but it can be challenging to eat healthy and to know what is healthy. Always check the nutritional labels and be aware of what you’re putting in your body. You should also avoid foods that contain a lot sodium, like canned foods, and food that contain refined sugars.

Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast

Breakfast is something you’ll probably forget, especially if you’re taking 8 a.m. classes. But having classes that early in the morning is not an excuse to skip the most important meal of the day. As, well as waking up late isn’t another excuse, since you could still eat breakfast on the go, or you could make breakfast overnight to save time

Make time to exercise

Exercising is a great way to keep us fit and also to help us relax. So, if you want to avoid the freshman 15 just exercise. I know college can get busy, but learn how to manage your time properly and schedule time to hit the gym. But also, working out at the gym isn’t the only way to exercise. There are also small things that count. For example, you could park your car a little further and walk longer, or you could take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Join a sports club

No, you don’t need to be an athlete to join a sports club. In fact, you can join regardless of whether you’ve played that sport before in your life. Joining a sports club is a great way of exercising at least once a week. And it is also a great alternative to working out at the gym. Another perk is that you’ll have tons of new workout buddies.

You can also look at it as a way of forcing yourself to exercise and move a bit at least once a week. I joined the badminton club as a way of forcing myself to exercise, but I actually never went to any “meeting”. But the intention is what counts, right?

Limit your alcohol consumption

Okay, alcohol consumption is basically the #1 reason why freshmen gain weight. A beer has 150 calories or more, but you know you won’t drink just one during a night out. Those calories will keep adding up. And that’s just beer, so what if you decide to have liquor instead? Well, a shot of vodka has about 96 calories. But what if you decide to have a vodka sprite? And don’t get me started with the jungle juice.

Also, FYI, a can of four lokos has about 660 calories, which is basically almost half of your daily calorie intake, so avoid it at all costs. Four Lokos are NOT worth it!! Not to mention, the aftermath of a night out. I’m pretty sure that after a night of binge drinking you’ll probably head to the nearest fast food place. And the day after, hangover you will be too lazy to go to the gym.

The qucik fix would be to not drink, but let’s be real, we both know that won’t happen. So, be smart and plan ahead. If you’re going out, limit your calorie intake the day before and also workout a little harder. But, please try to control yourself and be safe.

Don’t drink calories

Don’t drink your calories, this goes for both, alcohol and sugary drinks, like soda. Instead of drinking soda, try drinking water. And if you’re craving sugar, try a mint or a small candy. But if you like drinking soda for its energy-boosting effects, you should try coffee or tea instead. I know it can be easier said than done, but each can of soda contains from 150 to 250 calories. And those calories can add up really fast.

As mentioned before, alcohol beverages have a lot of calories. And because I know this won’t stop you from drinking, I advice you to at least try to limit your alcohol consumption. Opt for drinks with less calories and have a glass of water with each glass of liquor or can of beer you have.

Get enough sleep

Yes, college is exciting but it can be really overwhelming sometimes. You’ll have lots of things to do, and managing your time between school work, hitting the gym, getting enough sleep and having a social life, can be challenging. But no matter, how you decide to manage your time, make sure you get enough sleep.

Lack of sleep is a contributor to gaining weight, but it is rarely mentioned. When you don’t sleep enough, the levels of a hunger hormone increase, while the levels of a satiety hormone decrease. Which leads to overeating and to weight gain. So, avoid pulling all nighters. Now you have an excuse to sleep in or to take a nap ;).

Relax

College can be stressful (most of the time). You’ll have assignments to hand in, exams to take, club meetings and other things to do. We all have been stressed and we all hate it. Stress makes us hungry and crave sugar. Not to mention, it decreases our metabolism and increases the rate at which we store fat. And that’s how we can gain weight and why our liver gets fatty.