How to Avoid the Freshman Fifteen

College is a great new experience that is certainly life changing. People go away to college and come back with more knowledge, friends, and unfortunately for some, extra weight. The “Freshman Fifteen” is a curse that leaves many feeling wounded, but luckily, it is completely preventable! With these tips, you can get your degree without going up a dress size.

Don’t Eat Fast Food

Trust me, I know how tempting it is to go to Taco Bell and McDonalds whenever you’re hungry and you need a quick snack between classes, but you need to avoid fast food at all costs! Not only will it help you avoid the freshman fifteen, but fast food is incredibly unhealthy and cutting it out of your diet is the first step to a healthy lifestyle.

Work Out

Again, I know how hard it is to find motivation to work out when you’re busy with classes, homework, clubs, and new friends, but take out at least a half an hour a day to get active, even something as simple as doing jumping jacks can get your heart rate pumping and help keep off the pounds.

Avoid Late Night Eating

College really messes with your sleeping schedule, which in turn, messes with your eating schedule. When you eat right before bed, your body doesn’t have time to digest the food before you go to sleep, and that can contribute to weight gain. A good rule of thumb is to try not to eat past 8 PM.

Watch Your Snacking Habits

For the longest time, the only way I could study was if I had food in my hands. For some reason, it helped me focus, but it didn’t help me maintain a steady weight. I soon learned that I was better off eating carrots than potato chips, and I was able to keep my study routine and make it healthy! Try to keep healthier snacks around, especially if you have sporadic eating habits like I do!

Hopefully, with these tips, you can keep off the freshman fifteen! Remember, it’s easier to stop the extra weight gain before it happens than it is to lose it!