Avoiding the Freshmen 15- Part 2

Are you packed yet for school?  Got the workout clothes in your suitcase?  Working on setting your overall goals for the new semester?

I recently asked current college students that I know did a great job keeping off the freshmen 15 how they did such a good job. .  To be honest I think they maybe in better shape than when they started the first semester.  Following their quotes will be information on how to start/keep eating healthy at the dining hall. Please share this post with all your friends.  It is much easier to keep healthy habits when your friends are too.

“As freshman year of college began, I made sure to stay focused on working out whenever I could.  I made sure to balance myself between classes and free time.  I involved myself in intramural volleyball both the women’s league and co-ed and I joined the women’s rugby team as well.  I also made sure that I wasn’t eating junkfood like crazy, just because I had the opportunity to go down to the dining hall and get food at 12 at night didn’t mean I had to do it.  I’ve always been involved in sports so I made sure to continue that when I got to college.  I maintained a healthy diet, took advantage of the campus gym as well as athletic activities on campus and together that helped me stay in shape and live healthy.”

Sharyn, Kutztown University, PA

“Well I definitely think I was able to avoid the freshmen 15 by going out for the lacrosse team.  I went in as a walk on and wound up doing pretty well and making the team. I obviously had to stay in shape for lacrosse and the schedule we had was pretty intense with practice everyday for 2 hours and 6AMs two days a week on top of that.  But if I wasn’t on the lacrosse team. I feel like I’d go to the gym a lot just because it is so close. It literally takes me 5 minutes to walk there, not even.  So instead of always having to wake up and drive to the gym like at home at school I can just decide whenever I want to go and walk.  Having the gym so close and available makes it easier to go and helps me keep in shape.”

Krystine, Kutztown University, PA

“I took advantage of the gym as well because it was so close and was included in the tuition fees.  If you are not a gym person, they had classes and a rock climbing wall as well as a basketball court all inside the rec center.  I also really took advantage of the salad and fruit bars at school. And of course I walked to all of my classes which adds up at the end of everyday!”

Jackie, Miami University, OH

“Yeah I’m with you guys, track helped a lot but I still go to the gym two or three times a week to do extra core stuff that the team doesn’t do. Its not bad once your in a routine. I stay away from the burgers, grilled cheese, soda, etc at lunch and dinner and I have omelets in the dining hall in the morning. Eat healthy, definitely don’t skip breakfast and set some sort of a routine.”

Matt, Kutztown University, PA

Awesome advice there for ya !

Now it’s a nice late August day.  You are with your awesome roommate and new friends all walking to the dining hall together.  There is a frisbee game going on. Maybe a little hacky sack is being played. You go inside and check in with the lovely dining hall employee.  Into the dining room you go where there is quite a few choices for you.  What are you in the mood for?  Here is some help with making the better choices.

- Try to eat veggies and fruit at EVERY meal. Throughout the day try to eat every color of the rainbow in fruit and veggies, especially the green veggies.

- Stay away from the sugary cereals and artificial coloring.

- Stick to what you can find in nature.  Windex blue will not be  in the food in the earth’s nature food sources.

- Drink a small amount of juice. Water, green tea, herbal tea, coffee is better.  You may want to do extra research on caffeine. Don’t drink sweet teas and soda. There are lots of extra calories in them that you don’t need.

- One of your daily meals should be a huge salad. Use minimal dressing though.  You can add protein with beans, nuts, hard boiled eggs, grilled chicken. Learn to like salad.

- Keep to a minimum the fried food, ice cream, burgers, pizza, hot dogs, and the make your own waffle station.  Just because it is offered doesn’t mean you should eat it.  Have this stuff once or twice a semester.

- Take some fruit with you to eat during the day/night.  Beware though I don’t think the staff would appreciate you filling up your backpack with all their apples.