Fighting the Freshman 15

"The achievement of your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to it"

-Mack Douglas

WEBSITE: http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/college101.html Great alternatives to eat when living in a dorm!

I had a very sweet requests for some Blog requests, which makes me so excited and I really appreciate it! For the next few posts I am going to split up some of the requests to look at...Freshman 15, snacking and food allergies!

Moving out on your own with new friends, new stresses and lots of food. I am a living testimony that the freshman 15 does exist. Living in the dorms lead me to many ordered pizzas and late night ice cream socials. Exercising was placed on the back burner behind studying and getting involved, and as a result my pants got just a little bit tighter.

Food is readily available, and often in excess. There are many cafeterias that offer buffet-style dining complete with fully loaded dessert bars. That mixed with alcohol experimentation and the lack of time for physical activity, those pounds sneak up on many freshman. But does that mean all new students are doomed to this phenomenon? How can we avoid this common weight gain?

For starters, freshman don't typically cook. The dorms aren't kitchen friendly, so they end up eating the majority of their meals outside of the room. At home, mom might have cooked chicken using a low-fat recipe while the dorm cook loads up on the calorie laden oils.

First, a great way to ditch an old habit and save lots of calories is to kick a soda addiction. Many cokes can contain 125-500 calories and little nutritional value. Switching to diet sodas only contain sweetners that have been linked to an increase in cravings. Energy drinks are even worse....higher in sugar and calories. So what can we do for those late night study sessions? Coffee can be an excellent alternative when used sparingly. Green tea contains caffeine and powerful antioxidants. It has also been shown to help with weight loss (an added bonus!). Finally, one of my favorite new finds is Crystal Light Wild Strawberry Energy. At only 10 calories, it can be added to water to give a little jolt of caffeine and helps you increase your water consumption.

Driving to college to move in, my mom got very serious and told me she wanted to talk to me about something. Freaking out that she was going to dump something on my, she proceeded to tell me that freshman weight gain is linked to pop-tarts and warned me to never eat them. A while back I posted Breakfast of Champions, spelling out the health benefits of eating breakfast. A low-fat, high-protein breakfast has enormous benefits for all of our healthy lifestyles, and this doesn't exclude college students. Yes, it is easy to roll out of bed at 7:55 and run out the door in time to make your 8 am, but setting your alarm 10 minutes earlier can be a huge step in the process of avoiding weight gain. Eating protein has been shown to keep you fuller throughout the day and reducing the amount that you eat later on. It also keeps your energy level high and a sharper mental acuity, great for exam day :)

Nutrition often takes a backseat to social engagements. In 4 years of college, I slowly began to realize how many things revolved around food. Meeting up with a friend you haven't seen in a while? Go out to lunch. Long meeting through lunch? Order pizza. Having friends over to study for a final? Pop some popcorn and open a few sodas. It does not need to be a choice to be healthy or hanging out with friends though. It just takes a little bit of effort and a lot of willpower. If you are going out to eat with friends, check out the posts about the various types of foods and how to make them healthy. Look at the menu ahead of time and have a plan. Enjoy the time spent with your friends, instead of focusing on the food in front of you. You do not need to beat yourself up though. If you had a slice of cheese pizza at your meeting, just allow yourself to breathe and make healthy choices throughout the next day.

Studying is a huge time for snacking. Be conscious of what you are consuming. Don't just eat straight out of the bag, but rather pull out a serving on a separate plate. Keep some healthy snacks in your backpack to fight hunger and resist the urge to hit the snack machines.

There is way too much information to cover about alcohol to cover here, but just remember it is a huge calorie bombshell. They don't call it a beer belly for nothing. It is empty calories that is not metabolized correctly. Be conscious of what you consume, and don't kill your healthy lifestyle with wine and beer!

I have mixed feelings about food journaling. No, it is not in itself a bad thing, and can prove to be very useful for many people. It is a great resource to keep you accountable for what you are eating and make you conscious. This can help you to see when it is that you are eating the most or what situations cause the biggest slip-ups. Remember though, there is a big difference between calorie counting and being calorie conscious. I know if I start to truly journal then I can begin to obsess with the number of calories in everything, and this is not a healthy habit. So if you chose to journal, keep an eye on the big picture of remaining healthy as opposed to focusing on each and every little calorie.

Keep a routine. It is so easy to get thrown off of a schedule and you end up eating dinner at midnight. OK so there needs to be some flexibility, but having a general schedule can keep you from big mistakes. Try to eat at the same time everyday when possible.

Stress eating and frothy-coffee drinks aren't the only culprit for this epidemic though. Many students often skip exercise, and in turn expand the waistline. The best thing I did in my healthy lifestyle was to buy a pass for the fitness classes at our college gym (which later became my passion!) There are a couple reasons I support the exercise classes as a means to fight those unwanted pounds. First, when you have to purchase one you feel that your money would be wasted if you don't go. I don't know about our colleges, but I know the one at my college rec costs around $60 for an unlimited pass (or $3.50 for a one-time pass). This seems pricey, but if you attend 2 a week all semester it pays for itself. Now think if you are going 5 or 6 times....huge savings! Second, there is something for everyone. Get in there and try all of the classes. If you hate one instructor or one type, go try something else. For a long time I was terrified to try a cycle class, but when I finally got the courage to go I fell in love with it. Find the few that suit you, if you enjoy it you will be more likely to stick to it. Thirdly, the variety help you to prevent adaptation. There is everything from step to weights to kickboxing. They work all different type of muscles, and allow for a full body workout. Finally, I got to the point where they became a part of my schedule. Having this as just another part of my day kept me consistent and made it so that I knew when I had to attend them. Sold yet??

Remember you pay for your college gym as part of your dues so USE IT! Plain and simple, get yourself to the gym. It is such an awesome way to relieve stress and a productive study break!!

Stay active. This does not have to mean pumping iron at the gym. Use every opportunity to get your heart rate up. Climb those three flights of stairs to get to your psychology class. If you have enough time in between classes, walk instead of riding the bus. Hanging out with friends doesn't always have to be hitting the local Mexican joint. Instead plan a game of ultimate frisbee at a campus park or some touch football.

A big way to avoid the freshman weight gain is by wanting to avoid the freshman weight gain. It will take commitment and a plan, but it can be done. Having a clear plan can keep you accountable. There are many other new students that fear this same thing so talk to friends and get a workout buddy!

Stay active and eat right :)

Megan