How To Avoid the Freshman 15

You read all of early Shakespeare, barely passed the calculus final, made the basketball team, gained 15 pounds. The first year of university is filled with highs and lows, gains and losses, but some gains are more welcome than others.

The “freshman fifteen” is a term used to describe the weight gain of students in their freshman year of university or college. Moving away from home and having to feed themselves for the first time, many first-year students often make poor meal choices and don't realize the damage they are doing to themselves until they look at the scale. But you won't have to worry about that if you follow these tips on how to avoid the freshman 15.

Have a mini-fridge in your dorm and fill it up with healthy snacks that you can take with you on your way out the door. This way you won't have to waste your money and buy a fatty meal on the run.

Make an effort to eat six to seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day! This will fill you up with vitamins and keep you away from the chips and chocolate.

Take it easy on the carbs and switch your bread from white to whole grain. Whole grains provide you with great vitamins, fiber and minerals that give you long-term energy. White bread, sodas, pastries, white rice, etc. only put more sugar in your system and that makes it harder to focus and fall asleep.

Avoid cafeteria/pub food! It is often extremely high in fat and calories and isn't worth the money anyways. Instead, opt for the salad bar. It's cheaper and won't have you feeling sluggish all day.

Drink water instead of pop or energy drinks. These sugary drinks are chock full of nothing that's beneficial to you. They are high in calories, bring down your mood and make it difficult for you to focus.

Bring healthy snacks to study groups like fruit and vegetable platters instead of cookies. They have fewer calories so you can eat more and provide way more brainpower!

One of the most important things you can do in your busy post-secondary lifestyle is to make time for exercise at least three times a week! It doesn't necessarily have to be vigorous, but it should get your heart pumping. Doing this will help you sleep well at night, focus on your schoolwork, and be in a good mood. Gyms on campus are usually free for students and it's a great way to blow off some steam!

Don't bring home junk food. Allowing yourself to indulge in a greasy, salty dinner is one of the worst things to do for your body. You will lose all your energy and the look of your skin, hair and teeth will suffer.

Eat smaller meals more frequently instead of three huge meals. This allows your stomach to digest more quickly and use the nutrients in your food more efficiently.