3 Things You Can Do Now to Avoid the Freshman 15

The Freshman Fifteen. We’ve all heard of it. Some of us like to think that it is just another silly rumor about college, but the sad truth is that it does exist, and if you don’t take the necessary steps to avoid it, it will get you. Scary, huh?
When I was in high school, I went to the gym every day for two hours, ate like a rabbit, and took good care of myself. When I went to college for the first time, all of my healthy habits went right out the window and I gained the Freshman 15…and then some. But is there any way to avoid this? Now that I’m way past my freshman year, I have discovered a few tricks of the trade that I will now share with you. You may want to start trying these habits on for size now, so that when your first day of college comes, you’ll be ready for it. Don’t worry, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Move it to lose it. You don’t have to go to the gym and workout with the school athletes to stay in shape. There are plenty of ways to stay active and burn calories on a college campus. You can walk around the campus, run up the stairs at the football stadium, or bike wherever you go instead of driving a car. Just make sure it is something you enjoy doing so that you will stick with it throughout the school year.
2. Pick healthier foods. There will probably be a plethora of food options at your school’s cafeteria, and many of these will be packed full of extra fat and calories that you do not need. So, try to pick the healthier options that are offered to you. For example, if you have the choice between french fries and a baked potato, pick the baked potato. Healthier foods will help your brain function better in class while also help you stay in your high school jeans.
3. Learn to cook. Eating out for every meal will zap your pocketbook pretty quickly, not to mention that you will also end up consuming more calories than you need. Instead, you should learn to cook a few simple meals that you also enjoy eating. There are several cookbooks that you could check out, including Freshman in the Kitchen and The Healthy College Cookbook.