It might seem unconscionable that you could gain 15 or more pounds in your freshmen year of college, but this phenomenon seems to hit most students entering college in the same way. Being in a new environment away from home, where you are perpetually left strapped for time and other resources can lead you to slowly gain the pounds until it reaches double digits. The Freshmen 15 hits ADN to MSN online students just as strongly as it affects incoming political science majors. On college campuses across the world, new students are gaining weight at an accelerated rate, with most not noticing until their pants no longer can be buttoned. If you want to avoid gaining a substantial amount of weight when you go to school for the first time, here are the tips that you should follow.
Finding Time to Exercise
You’re going to be studying, and in your spare time you’re going to want to do a lot of socializing. If you live on campus, you might find everything that you need in close proximity but you should still do your fair share of exercising. No gym membership necessary, walking 20 minutes a day is all that you need to do to prevent your metabolism from slowing down. Regularly exercising can and will help you to avoid the Freshmen 15, and you will become motivated to work out even more when you start to see the pounds dropping off the scale.
Avoiding Unhealthy Snack Foods
When you’re in college during your Freshmen year, you’re going to want to do everything that is non-essential as quickly as possible. This means an excessive amount of fast food can find a way to creep its way into your diet. Unhealthy snacks are just as bad as instant, prepackaged meals with poor nutritional value. Taking an online RN to MSN program may give you additional time to prepare more of your daily meals, but ultimately you have to find a way to eat more healthy foods no matter how busy your schedule gets during school.
Just Say No to Alcohol
Not all incoming Freshmen drink alcohol in excess, but a large number partake in alcoholic beverages more often than they really should. Although sodas can contribute to weight gain, alcohol generally contains even more sugar and fattening ingredients that will surely have you feeling bloated. If you don’t want to put yourself on target to gain an alarming amount of weight while you are in your first year of college, control your alcohol consumption and look for low calories spirits when you do occasionally imbibe.
Even if you have had no trouble in the past maintaining your weight, entering your freshmen year of college may cause you to experience substantial weight gain if you are not careful. Being sedentary can slow your metabolism, while indulging in high calorie fast foods and snacks will certainly cause you to pack on the pounds. Try to eat unhealthy foods in moderation, keep your alcohol consumption to a bare minimum and exercise regularly to avoid the dreaded Freshmen 15.
