Have You Heard of the freshman 15?

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

The Freshman 15 refers to the weight gain phenomenon that happens to students in their freshman year at college. These are pounds students' gain due to excess, stress and workload in their first year at the college level. Many University dining halls are all you can eat and many freshmen are caught up in the novelty of being away from home, flooded by new classes and learning to balance their needs versus their stress and desires.

How to Cope with the freshman 15

First and foremost, freshmen need to learn to moderate their eating habits. Don't just grab the first thing you see that looks good. Remember to maintain healthy dietary considerations. Don't forgo exercise just because you are away at school. In fact, during the stress of college, you need exercise more than ever. Try to get in 20 to 40 minutes of vigorous exercise every day.

It takes a lot of discipline not to get swept away by the excesses of college, but it can be done. You can help yourself or your freshman by doing the following:

• Buy a scale and keep it in your dorm room or apartment - keep track of your weight on a week to week basis
• Buy a mini fridge for your dorm room
• Purchase healthy snacks that you can keep in your dorm room, avoid junk foods and soda
• Check out the all you can eat dining hall and identify the healthy portion sizes so that you can eat what you need; don't skip breakfast, remember - eating healthy means eating four to six small, but frequent meals throughout the day
• Skip the alcohol - large or small parties will likely have alcohol available - forgo it and keep to water or non-alcoholic beverages
• Exercise daily, whether it's walking around the quad, going for a run or getting together with others to play a round of basketball or volleyball

The freshman 15 happens, but you don't have to fall into the cliché if you plan ahead for it and maintain a healthier lifestyle to begin with. When you get to college you should be focusing on your studies and your grades - not your weight.

Have you ever had to cope with the freshman 15?

Related Articles:

Keeping the Freshman 15 Off

Balancing Our Lives

How Much Is Too Much?

On Eating Well

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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