Read How to Avoid the Freshman 15, Part 1
Read How to Avoid the Freshman 15, Part 2
How to combat the Freshman 15
Food Consumption
1. Consume a well balanced diet and decrease the amount of foods you eat. Note: we are not advocating starvation. The point is to be conscious of your eating habits. Living on campus, the dining hall becomes your kitchen. It is very easy to eat cheeseburgers, chicken fingers and french fries everyday—be careful.
2. Document your eating habits. Professional nutritionists advice you keep track of your eating habits (calories, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, etc) daily when trying to make changes to your diet.
3. Look for healthier alternatives. For example, dining halls frequently offer low-fat options of milks, yogurts, and ice creams rather than whole products.
4. Change the way you eat. Americans are notorious for doing things on-the-go. Stop. Sit down and eat your meal with few distractions and take your time. Your stomach needs time for it to “feel” full. Eating food with high dietary fiber content keeps you fuller for longer too. Note: vending machines are usually filled with unhealthy sweets and treats.
5. Drink water. Appropriate daily consumption of water for the college-age group is eight glasses per day. Note: a glass is considered 8-12 oz. Dining hall cups can trick you into drinking more sugary soda drinks with larger cups.
6. Snack frequently and/or eat smaller meal-sizes. This usually results in eating healthier foods throughout the day. Rather than eating fried foods at the dining hall for three meals have salads, granola bars, and fruits and veggies available. Example: bring water, an apple and peanuts (or peanut butter) with you to class as a snack, rather than a soda and a candy bar.
7. When doing food shopping read the labels. Check its nutritional daily value and whether or not it can fit into your diet. Many nutritionists also advocate if there are ingredients in the product you cannot pronounce don’t buy it.
