That’s right, the “Freshmen 15” is not a myth. If you’re not familiar to what it is, let the picture above give you an idea. Have you ever had an older sibling go to college and come back home months later with belly fat and rolls? Yep, that’s the one. Most parents who graduated from a university would tell their children right before they attend college, “Please don’t return home with the “Freshmen 15”.
One other thing in college that you should always take care of, other than your education, is your health. Going to college and simply being lazier than usual can make you gain weight if you don’t maintain your body. Universities usually have the tools to make sure you can stay fit such as a gym, track, and time. All students should have the time between or after classes to consume healthy meals or to exercise freely. There shouldn’t be any excuses. However, when students realize how free they are in college, they use their time of being free to be lazy or have fun. The “Freshman 15” can be widespread but it can easily be avoided. Here are four things that you can do to keep yourself fit and trim during your duration at college.
1. Some gym time at least 3 times a week should be mandatory. If you can’t find the time, small exercises by a track, in the dorm, or Student Union could work. This can include push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks and other exercises that don’t require gym equipment.
2. A diet isn’t exactly necessary in order to keep fit, lose weight, or build more muscle when you are already busy with work in college. The best that a student can do is to eat certain unhealthy foods a lot less. For example, eating less breads, dairy-induced food, carbs, fried foods, sugars and sodas can benefit the body well enough to maintain an attainable weight. Having fruits or vegetables would be acceptable as well. Don’t skip breakfast too often and drinking lots of water is the number one thing all young people need to continue doing in order to stay healthy.
3. If you have a car on campus, don’t drive to all of your classes. Do some walking. Walking is an exercise. Walking while carrying a backpack burns a lot of carbs and should be invigorating for the body. If you’re doing this every day, exercising in the gym would be considered extra.
4. Do not get stressed. Mid-terms and Finals can cause some students to cram and lose sleep. Being sleep deprived is not good for your health. So be sure to get at lest 7 hours of sleep every night.
Following at least half of these tips can result in new college students being safe from the “Freshman 15”. Hanging around friends for an entire year who don’t do these steps will show significant proof that the “Freshman 15” is indeed not a myth.