10 Ways to Fight the Freshman Fifteen
By, Julia Hepfer, Yoga Teacher, Holistic
Health Coach
www.innerglow-ct.com on twitter at @JuliaHepfer
With mid-August
upon us, it’s impossible to ignore the back to school advertisements and the
rush on backpacks. Most kids dread the back to school movement, as it
represents an end to their long summer days and their relaxed sense of
freedom. College students may have a
different take on the situation. For many kids returning to college, they are
leaving behind their parents’ rules and returning to the freedom of college
life. With these freedoms come a different routine, different schedule,
different eating habits, different sleeping habits, and perhaps complete chaos!
It is no surprise that when the young,
impressionable freshman students enter into this new world, they make choices
that result in the legendary “Freshman 15”.
So
here are 10 Ways to Fight the Freshman Fifteen:
1. Limit the amount of alcohol you consume.
Of course, if you’re not 21 years old, you shouldn’t be drinking at all,
but besides the law, alcohol has negative health effects on the physical body
including weight gain. Even casual drinking can have an impact on the blood
sugar levels, food allergy/intolerances, liver function, hormone function, and
yes, your weight. Lay off the extra
calories in beer & alcohol and spare yourself the beer belly!
2. Get a good night sleep. Teens who average 7 – 9 ½ hours
of sleep per night not only perform better on standard tests, they are better
able to make healthy choices and their bodies are more balanced . According to
usnews.com, “researchers have found that lack of sleep causes a decrease in the
hormone leptin (which tells the brain when you're full) and an increase in the
hormone ghrelin (which stimulates appetite).”
So grab a few extra hours of sleep on a regular basis to keep extra
pounds away.
3. Keep playing You may feel all grown up now
that you’re on your way to college, but don’t lose your childlike spirit and
desire to have fun! Remember all the fun games, sports, and athletics you’ve
been into all along, and keep it going. You may not be interested in playing
college level sports, but join a recreational team or find a movement oriented
club (ski club, dance team, pick-up soccer)- keep moving & have fun! Exercise is pivotal in maintaining a healthy physique.
4. Eat your greens Did you grow up hiding your peas under your potatoes? Have you managed
to dodge eating vegetables all these years? Well, get real! And the real truth
is that fit, healthy bodies are overflowing with green food! That’s right, green
vegetables are probably the best thing you can put into your body to keep you
looking and feeling great!
5. Skip the “break-up” pint of ice-cream College can be very dramatic at
times. The opportunity to fall in and out of love happens on a daily basis for
some people. When you find yourself
going through a break-up, make sure you have some coping mechanisms in place.
It’s easy to drown your broken heart sorrows in a pint of ice-cream, but you’d
be better served going for a healthy, heart pumping run!
6. Limit processed foods Between tight budgets and
all-night study sessions, it’s easy to maintain a diet of ramen noodles and
tortilla chips. If what you’re really hoping for is a svelte body or some
rocking muscles, you need to limit the amount of processed foods you eat (which
are typically void of any nutritional value). Instead, find some healthy
alternatives like cucumbers with hummus or a homemade trail mix with almonds.
Feed your body & mind with good nutrition.
7. Drink more water Avoid the effects of dehydrations
(exhaustion, dry skin, thirst, headache, constipation, and dry mouth) by
staying properly hydrated. How can you determine the proper amount of water to
consume? For the average, healthy individual, divide your body weight in half
and consume that many ounces of water each day.
Keep in mind that how much water you need to drink also depends on your
age, activity level, and the environment.
8. Manage Stress When we are stressed out, we are
more likely to make unhealthy choices. “How so?”, you ask. Simple, we choose
comfort foods like French toast, grilled cheese, and cinnamon buns to help us
feel good. Comfort foods bring us back to an “everything feels ok” state of
being. Other people choose to over
indulge in alcohol to “ease the pain” of stress. Learn new coping skills to
help you manage stress, some healthier options are exercise,
mindfulness/meditation, or get a massage. My favorite stress buster is to lie
down in a comfortable position and review in my mind all the things I’m
grateful for. Suddenly the stress disappears and I’m feeling calm.
9. Have a strong network of friends When stress kicks in, it’s
important to have some friends nearby for support. If you’re in a new school away
from friends and family, make sure you have those long time best buds available
for a quick, reassuring text or call. Then start making new friends to create a
fun and healthy support circle in your new environment. Reach out to create
friends who have similar interests or you find fun and interesting to hang-out
with during your free time.
10.
Create a schedule
for success Suddenly on your own, you’re now responsible for
waking up in time for class, feeding yourself, doing your laundry, and don’t
forget all that SCHOOL WORK! This new level of freedom with lots of
responsibilities can be overwhelming. Sit down and create a manageable schedule
for yourself. Be sure to include all of your scheduled classes, then allocate
time for studying, exercising, eating, and all of those little
responsibilities.
