The freshman 15, an almost unavoidable weight gain for new college students, isn't a myth. According to a Cornell University study in the "International Journal of Obesity," freshmen average a statistically significant weight gain in the first 12 weeks of college. Eating in all-you-can-eat dining halls and snacking on junk food both contribute significantly to this weight gain.
Identify Your Eating Habits
Once you're conscious of the link between uncontrolled portions, snacking on junk food and weight gain, you can modify your habits accordingly. Consider weighing your food to get an accurate idea of the portion sizes, or recording what you consume in a food diary and calculating how many calories you eat in a day. Anything that isn't burned off by your basal metabolism or exercise ends up on your hips. Keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand to resist the urge to snack on junk food.
Enroll in Active Classes
Many colleges offer active classes like martial arts, weight lifting or dance, and sports like volleyball, tennis or basketball. You don't have to be a competitive athlete to join, and many classes are worth college credit. They're worth pursuing in their own right as a way of making yourself accountable about keeping active, and building physical activity into your regular schedule. You might even find an activity you're so passionate about that it makes it easier to keep active.
Schedule Workouts
Make workouts a part of your regular schedule. Aim to meet the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for healthy adults: To maintain fitness and health, you should do 20 minutes of vigorous cardio, three times a week, or 30 minutes of moderate cardio, five times a week. The ACSM also recommends strength training twice weekly.
Write workout times into your calendar, just as you'd schedule study or class time, then make it a point to keep that appointment with yourself.
Use Student Benefits
You might already be paying for access to a student health center with dietary or fitness counseling, or to fitness facilities, as part of your tuition and fees. Inquire with the enrollment office, or your faculty adviser, to find out what sort of student benefits are available to you---then use them.
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