Skip to main content

AVOIDING THAT FRESHMAN 15

College is all fun and games, that is, until your pants don’t fit anymore. In a country like United States, where fast food sells like water, it is no surprise that Freshman 15is a real thing. For those of you wondering, Freshman 15 refers to the 15 pounds most freshmen are expected to gain in their first semester. I too thought that I wouldn’t fall victim to this, never realised how wrong I would be.
While it can be hard to manage classes, a social life and health, all at once; it isn’t impossible. There are many ways one can avoid Freshman 15and maybe even lose weight. The biggest factor that not only hinders our metabolism but also our overall performance, is not getting enough sleep. I know it can be a real struggle to get 8 hours of sleep every night but it’s really worth it. If not 8, at least 7 hours of sleep 5 times a week should be your bare minimum. It would also help concentrate better in class and avoid that early morning grumpiness.

Breakfast is another thing that most students skip (myself included). I know we’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but we don’t pay heed to it. It is true though. For one, the calories eaten in the morning our hardly retained and it in fact helps to boost metabolism. Eating breakfast also helps keep us full longer, in turn reducing our intake of unhealthy snacks throughout the day. 

Is your dorm merely 2 feet away from the convenience store? Because mine was and it was the greatest curse. Because the store was right there, I would go every day and be enticed by the unhealthy goodies on display. One trick is to not enter any of the enticing aisles and to instead head straight to the fruit and fresh food section. Try to avoid packaged foods as much as you can and to instead stock up on fruits and healthy snacks. You can also try to make your own food if that’s a plausible option at your housing.

If you have time, visit the gym, but if it’s too far and you cannot be bothered to put in that effort (like me), just walk everywhere. Avoid taking cabs as much as you can and just walk everywhere. This is also a great way to explore the city and meet people, while staying in shape, all at once.

Overall, college can be stressful. With midterms, deadlines and submissions, weight is the least of anyone’s worries. But eating right and leading a healthy lifestyle isn’t only about weight, it’s important for our day-today well-being and helps us maintain a positive outlook in life. There aren’t many things we can control, but a healthy lifestyle is something we can. So it would definitely give great happiness to have control over something and one less setback.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WINTER IS HERE BUT SPRING IS COMING

Ever felt like you could go into hibernation and only pop back up when you can finally see a flower or a ray of sunshine. That’s exactly how it is surviving New England weather, you want to go into hibernation till May but exams and presentations quash your fantasies.  I know what you’re thinking, it can’t be that bad and you’re right, it’s so much worse and it’s not even the weather itself that’s the problem, it’s how inconsistent it is. I remember stepping out of my dorm room in a thick winter coat in the middle of February and get strange looks. I assumed there was probably ketchup on my t-shirt or something in my teeth and honestly I couldn’t be bothered. It wasn’t until I stepped out of my building that the sun’s blinding rays hit me and I finally understood the weird glances I received. What was even more shocking to me was that the day before not only was it snowing heavily, but there was a wind storm. I assumed that everyone around me had made the same mistake and they w...
3 comments
Read more

HELP, I’M OVERWHELMED!

College can be very demanding and can lead to stress and feelings of being overwhelmed. I, for one, find that sometimes in college we put more on our plate than we can manage. With balancing a social life, good grades, being to class on time, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and clubs, college can be stressful. It is important, however, to remember that you’re all in this together and to never ever panic. Ever heard of a midlife crisis? Only instead, I would have a midday crisis every day of the week and I’m just 18. I was new and terrible at managing my time. I learned the hard way though. Doesn't have to be the same for everyone. It is important to keep track of your assignments and deadlines. Doing six assignments with 4 cups of coffee in one night may seem like a good idea on Friday, but when it’s finally Sunday night, you’ll be too tired, the caffeine wouldn't kick in and you’ll probably end up forgetting to set your alarm. Not a great start to the week. Try to brea...
2 comments
Read more

SURVIVING FRESHMAN YEAR

I would be lying if I said this year has been easy. From freshman 15 to late night studying for exams that greatly deflate grades to sleepless nights and unnecessary drama, it’s been an eventful year. I would also be lying if I said I had no regrets. It’s upsetting but I actually have quite a few. I regret going out and partying when I should instead be studying; not visiting the gym as often as I’d like and eating trash food and not speaking up in class as much as I should.  Most of these things I practiced in my freshman year, however, and I believe I’ve come a long way since then. I realized the main reason I’m at college and my entire focus shifted. I started eating better, working out more often, studying more, communicating more and not going out as much. As time progressed, I also learnt how to handle money better and make wiser decisions. Of course my semester wasn’t perfect, I could have handled many things better but for me some progress is better than none. Som...
Post a Comment
Read more