by Rhea Wood

Created on: November 29, 2009   Last Updated: November 30, 2009

The "Freshman 15:" the dreaded fifteen pounds of weight gain commonly experienced in the first year of college, caused by poor eating habits, stress, and lack of adequate sleep and exercise. While most students don't gain exactly fifteen pounds, many do gain at least a little weight due to the rapid change of lifestyle inherent in the start of college life. Although this experience is common, it can be avoided. These three easy tips will help you stave off unwanted weight gain your freshman year, and if you've already gained your Freshman 15, any of these steps can also be implemented to help you lose the extra weight.

1. Eat Healthy

This is the most difficult step to follow for many students. College cafeterias are not known for wide selections of fresh, healthy foods, and the vending machines found on every floor of the average college dorm don't help. When what a hardworking student needs most is nutritious food, the campus environment seems to have nothing but junk food. To avoid the Freshman 15, however, you have to try your hardest to choose the healthiest foods available to you. Eat a salad with your lunch instead of a slice of cake, choose baked chicken instead of fried, and have a serving of fruits or vegetables with each meal. For breakfast, use skim milk with your cereal instead of whole, and choose low-fat yogurt instead of regular. Choose low-sugar foods whenever possible. By making smart choices, you will cut down on the amount of empty calories you eat, and that will help a great deal when it comes to managing your weight.

2. Stay Active

On most college campuses, it's easy to become something of a couch potato. Most of a student's time is spend sitting; sitting in class, sitting in the library, sitting at home. Many dorms have elevators, and I can't tell you how many times I've seen my own classmates take the elevator to the second floor instead of walking up a flight of stairs. Simple choices such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator make a huge difference in your overall activity level and the number of calories you burn a day. Try running or speed walking to class instead of walking your normal pace, lift your books a few extra times for some quick weight training during the day, and get up for five minutes every hour you spend studying to stretch and do a few jumping jacks. Not only will these extra bursts of activity keep you at your normal weight, but they will help you stay awake and focused and sleep better at night.

3. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is vital for every student, for a multitude of reasons. Lack of sleep can make you less able to deal with stress, and being overly stressed can contribute to weight gain. Lack of sleep can also affect your appetite, making you less able to tell when you're full, and thus making you eat more at meals. Getting enough sleep will help you feel less stressed and will help your body regulate its food intake, both important things if you want to avoid the Freshman 15.

These three steps are tried and true. In my own experience as a college student, I have seen that those who follow these steps tend to be healthier and have steadier weights than those who do not. I hope that these steps will help you avoid the Freshman 15, as well.

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