The
weight gain that many students experience during their first year is called the
freshman 15. Sometimes, it doesn’t stop there. Some students experience the weight
gain each and every year. It is rather easy to do, especially with vending
machines and when the café is open. They have many comfort foods that you can
chose from. The Moose Tracks Café has several healthy choices as well. But let’s
get real, who can’t resist the easy to grab chicken fingers and fries after
smelling it in the air?
Here
are some steps that can help you to avoid the freshman 15:
Evaluate what you are
doing now:
Take
a week to see your level of activity and what you are eating (If you can remember
the last week, by all means, use that information to help you evaluate your
current situation.). What food choices are you making? What activity level are
you in? What has changed since you started college or what do you think will
change when you finally start taking classes?
Make a Plan:
1. Set
a goal for yourself. Do you want to eat healthy, maintain your weight, lose
weight, or even gain weight? (Yes, some people LOSE weight while in college and
that can be unhealthy.) Do you want to
exercise regularly? Make your goal realistic. Write your goals down where you
can see them on a daily basis.
2. What
are you going to do to make the change? If going cold turkey is too drastic for
you, you can make one small change each week. For example, if you want to eat
healthier, replace one snack with a healthier choice such as a vegetable that
you know you will eat.
3. You
can use a free food diary website such as MyFitnessPal to create a realistic
goal and find support from others like you in your journey of avoiding the
Freshman 15.
4. Schedule
your healthy activities right into your calendar so you are making a time block
for your health.
Take Action!
1. Write
down your daily activities and food choices either on paper or a food diary
website. This will help you keep you on track.
2. Do
what you set as a goal for that week.
3. Grab
an accountability buddy. Your chances of winning will increase if you have a
friend that is willing to exercise with you.
4. Don’t
forget to get plenty of rest. Your body needs to recharge!
Evaluate again in a
month:
Did
it work? Did you see any positive changes? Any negative ones? What can you do
differently to help you to reach your goal? It may take a while to see results.
So don’t give up. As long as you are determined, you will reach your goal.
Here
are some free websites to start you with:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ (apps
available on iphone and on android)
http://www.nexercise.com/ (apps available
on iphone and android)
Don’t
be afraid to explore other options. There are websites that you can use that
have some cost but well worth it.