by Joan Inong

Created on: April 02, 2009

The freshman fifteen refers to the weight that freshmen put on during their first year of college. Often, this is due to newly-found stress about school, activities, and social life, but it can also be due to lack of nutritional guidance. However, avoiding the freshman fifteen weight gain is not so difficult as you might think. Here are some easy tips that will help you do so.

Following the Food Guide Pyramid
The Pyramid will be necessary for those who need guidance with their nutrition. And, because the Pyramid has been re-vamped to make it easier to read and understand, students of all ages can use it to their benefit. A serving of fruits and vegetables per day, with a healthful serving of meat or grains or dairy, is a helpful tip that you should duly remember. Not only will you get all the right kinds of food in the right serving amounts, but you can do it in an easy manner. All you have to do is go to the Food Guide Pyramid website and print it out.

Have active days
If you have the free time, ever, use it to your advantage. Certainly, this includes athletic activities or exercises. If you feel up to it, put on your running pants or shorts, grab a bottle of water, and take a jog around your block. Or, if you have the environment, put on your hiking shoes on the weekends and take mile-long hikes. And, if you have the trails to do it on, grab your bicycle and helmet and get pumped up for a five-mile ride. And if you have access to a gym, you might take a look in there once in a while, though I highly recommend free, outdoor activities that will get you breathing some fresh air. Remember to drink plenty of water or something that has electrolytes in it. Electrolytes will keep you energized.

Find ways to de-stress
Because weight gain is very much related to amount of stress, you will want to find some ways, free or not, to de-stress. I suggest exercising as a type of remedy, but if you want to do more, then go ahead and do it. Massage therapy, spas, and de-stressing items (such as those that you squeeze) and breathing exercises all will help you de-stress. However, de-stressing also means that you should schedule and organize your time such that you feel a big sense of relief. Plan your classes, and your schedule, accordingly. When it is nice and sunny out (such as during the spring or summer seasons) I like to have classes whose locations are farther apart. This forces me to spend more time walking and exercising, so if I don't have time later to actually exercise, it's not such a big loss.

Don't give up if you've fallen into the hands of the freshman fifteen. You can do things to help you avoid unnecessary weight gain, which includes planning your nutrition carefully, de-stressing, and staying active. But, the motivation is always up to you.

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