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The first year of college comes with various challenges since one is still finding their footing and getting comfortable in the new environment. The looming doom of adding 15 pounds can also be stressful. Nobody gains precisely 15 pounds, but according to several studies, first-year students often gain between one to five pounds. While these numbers are not as big the fifteen pounds, most first-year students still experience weight gain. The weight is usually because of changes in diet and reduced activity. However, you can beat the freshman15 belief and maintain your desired weight by practicing healthy habits. Let’s go through some ways you can defy the freshman 15 notions.
Be Prepared
You need to be aware that you can quickly access a lot of food in college, whether unhealthy or healthy, and the bark stops with you. Freedom in college allows you to eat what you want, where you want, and at any time you want, especially since you will also have some pocket money. Therefore, you need to be prepared to make healthy choices. One way you can be prepared is by packing healthy snacks in your bag and room for any time you are hungry so that you don’t go for unhealthy fast foods. Also, you should consciously avoid processed sugar, drink water, and eat more fruits and vegetables.
Manage Stress
The college has many stress factors; thus, you should learn different coping mechanisms. Beating assignment deadlines, catching up with concepts you have not understood, and keeping your social life in check can be a lot to handle. Some students may feel pressured to the point where they buy an essay to ease the burden off their shoulders.
We all love the freedom of college, but the responsibilities can sometimes be overwhelming. When you feel overwhelmed, you should find different ways to handle the stress. You can try out mechanisms such as yoga, meditation, sleeping, and much more, whichever works for you; implement it when you feel like you are in a low mood. Protecting your mental health will boost your productivity even in class and help you build healthy relationships.
Eat All Your Meals
Skipping meals means that, at some point, you will be forced to eat the balance. So you need to observe meal time and watch your portions. Before leaving for class in the morning, ensure you have a healthy breakfast so you don’t have to take high-calorie food from your college convenience store. Whichever breakfast option you are comfortable with, ensure it’s balanced. For example, you can have high-fiber cereals and fruits or nuts.
Be More Active
Sometimes individuals gain weight due to inactivity; therefore, you need to add workouts to your schedule. Working out doesn’t necessarily mean going to the gym; you can perform some stretches in your room. Additionally, you can join sports teams in college to be fitter. If your school is around where you live, you can purpose to walk to and from school daily. That way, you’ll burn a good amount of calories daily.
Make Friends
It’s normal to feel lonely in a new environment. However, it would be best if you tried forming new connections with your fellow first-year college students. Come up with daily activities such as exploring different campus areas or working out together. By creating connections, you’ll avoid staying in your room the whole day and be more active.
Sleep
A lot of factors contribute to your health, including sleep. So as you watch your diet and exercise, ensure you also get enough sleep. Sleeping will leave you relaxed and ready to take on the day. Fatigue, on the hand, can lead to depression, and you may find yourself binge eating to cope with the tension. Therefore, you should get at least eight hours of sleep daily. If you struggle with insomnia, you can practice sleep hygiene to ensure you get quality sleep.
Final Take
Adding up to fifteen pounds in your first months as a first-year in college may be a myth, but there is a probability that you may gain weight in college if you fail to practice healthy habits. Maintaining your desired weight in college is simple since you only have to watch what you eat and strive to be more active. Once you get into the habit of taking a healthy diet and exercising, it will take time to deviate from it. Therefore, from the first day of college, embrace the habits mentioned above, and you’ll beat the notion of freshman 15.
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