How To Avoid The Freshman 15

If you are a high school student in the college application process, the chances are good that you have heard of the term ‘Freshman 15’ before. It refers to the weight that first-year students tend to put on during their first year at school. This tends to be a result of no longer having parents to watch over what you are eating, among other things. If you are not careful, that extra weight could take years to come off, if it ever does. So, here are some simple yet effective tips to avoid putting on the dreaded Freshman 15.

Schedule Your Workouts

Every college has a free gym for the student body to utilize. You may say you are going to go four times a week, and you may even do that for a few weeks, but unless you block out the time in your schedule for it, your new habit won’t last. When planning out your week, find three one-hour blocks that you can dedicate to going to the gym.

If you currently go to the gym, then this won’t be new to you. However, if this will be the first gym you do to, it’s important to pace yourself. The last thing you want to do is pull a muscle or get hurt during the first week of school. Download a workout app, and be sure to pace yourself. Also, try and find someone in your dorm building to be your workout buddy. This will keep you motivated to go when you’d rather just go back and nap.

Eat Healthy In The Dining Hall

Unhealthy meals are unavoidable when going away to college. There will be plenty of nights where you will have pizza for dinner or even breakfast. It’s okay to be social and go out to eat. However, this must be balanced with healthy meals in the dining hall. When eating on campus, try to eat as healthy and clean as possible.

For breakfast, be sure to load up on eggs and skip the pancakes and waffles. For lunch, try going back and forth between salads and sandwiches. Leave out the fried foods. For dinner, keep track of what you eat each day. Try not to have burgers, pizza, or fries two nights in a row. When possible, eat your vegetables and double down on healthy protein like chicken or steak.

Shop Like Your Parents

One of the biggest reasons new college students put on weight is because they have spent their whole lives eating whatever their parents put in front of them. Most parents avoid stocking up on unhealthy snacks or serving too many unhealthy meals. You may not have realized it, but I am sure there were several times that your parents refused to get take out because they thought you needed a home-cooked meal.

When at the grocery store, ask yourself if your parents would buy that? You can still buy your favorite snack, but limit it to one. More importantly, be sure to purchase the same type of healthy foods your parents used to buy. When in the dining hall, try to recreate the healthy meal your Mom used to serve you. If you can get into the mindset of your parents, you will be able to eat healthier.

Get An Accountability Partner

High achievers in the corporate world often speak about their accountability partners and how they have helped them grow and succeed. Trying to keep weight off at college is a difficult feat and requires support. Luckily for you, you do not have to look too far to find someone who is probably going through the same thing.

Once you agree to be accountability partners, you need to set your own fitness goals and share it with the other person. Then, you need to set a weekly meeting to review the previous week. This includes what you ate, how often you went to the gym, when you made good choices and when you made poor ones. Lastly, you need to agree that you can text each other when you need the motivation to go to the gym or eat healthy at dinner.

Conclusion

Going away to college is one of the most exciting times in your life. You deserve to have fun and not worry about putting on too much weight. While some weight gain might be inevitable, you can limit it by following the advice listed above. By following these tips, you can enjoy college and stay healthy at the same time.

About Kyle

Kyle Grappone is an educational coach helping students prepare for the next steps in life.