Article Advise

submitted: Sep 21st 2008 | by: GailM.Davis | Total views: 1 | Word Count: 468 | |

Weight gain is a frequent problem for students when they first go off to college. This "freshman 15" as it is called, is usually a result of many combined factors such as emotional eating, cafeteria choices, lack of exercise, late-night snacking, and fast food availability.

This freshmen weight gain doesn't have to be a foregone conclusion. Being aware of the possibility and taking the necessary steps to avoid it can help students end the school year as healthy as when they began. Let's examine some of these necessary steps.

Our mothers knew what they were talking about when they told us that breakfast was the healthiest meal of the day. Eating breakfast actually wakes up your metabolism and gets it in working order for the day. Never skip this meal. If you aren't willing to get up early enough to visit the cafeteria, then have healthy options available in your dorm room that you can grab on your way out the door.

You can avoid the "freshman 15" by making healthy food choices the majority of the time. Buffets can be potential minefields, but colleges are offering healthier choices than they used to. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains. Select meat from the carving station, without high-caloric sauces. Save the macaroni and cheese or the dessert for one indulgence per week.

Beverages can be just as important as meals when it comes to stabilizing weight. Sodas and sweet drinks provide no nutritional value to your diet and they slow weight loss. Water should be your most-consumed beverage. Try to get into the habit of drinking skim milk with your meals, as calcium is believed to boost weight loss.

One great tip to avoid extra weight is to limit late night snacking. Stop eating several hours prior to going to bed. This will help keep your excess calories from being stored as fat. Try to avoid snacking but have healthy options available. Sugarless gum is often a good substitute.

The most important and final tip we'll discuss here for avoiding the "freshman 15" is to exercise regularly. It's easy in college to put this at the bottom of your "to do" list, but instead, find a workout buddy in your dorm and make it a priority! Use the college facilities and have an endless variety of exercise options, such as swimming, tennis, weight lifting, and running.

Follow these five simple steps to avoid gaining those unwanted pounds as you go away to college. Ignoring the problem can cause the "freshmen 15" to turn into permanent baggage that you won't want to carry around with you. Being aware that it can happen is essential and enables you to make wiser choices before it's too late.

About the Author

Gail M. Davis provides more tips to help you avoid "the freshman 15." You can locate these along with food and exercise journals, weight loss tips, healthy recipes, and more on her site, Easy Weight Loss Tips.

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