Weight gain in college has become something to be expected. Most college students seem to think that it is inevitable and there's nothing they can do to stop it. In reality, there are several ways a college student can prevent or fight the "freshman 15".
There are 4 components to fighting the freshman 15; healthy eating, exercise, adequate sleep, and stress/time management. The 3 P's of food, which are portability, practicality, and price, are very important factors in a college student's food choices. Making sure that your food has all the 3 P's AND is healthy will ensure that what you're eating is going to help you, not hurt you, and will be easy to carry around and eat at school.
Exercise goes hand in hand with your diet. The #1 excuse for college students not participating in physical activity is "there's no time". Studies show that "only half of college students meet recommendations for vigorous physical activity". Well, in just 20 minutes a day, college students can reap the benefits of regular exercise and still have enough time to study.
Getting enough sleep is crucial to maintaining a healthy weight. Healthy adults need 7-8 hours, and those college student still in their teen years need upwards of 9 hour a night.
Stress is definitely rampant on college campuses everywhere, and it's a major contributor to college weight gain. Exercise, yoga, stretching, or simply managing your time properly can all help alleviate stress.
College is hard enough already. Practicing these steps will help college students not only in maintaining their weight, but also their success in college.
If you would like to know more about fighting the freshman 15, you can attend one of the upcoming nutrition workshops at TCC Southeast campus.
References
Ebben, W., & Brudzynski, L. (2008 October 5). Motivations and barriers to exercise among college students. American society of exercise physiologists. Retrieved November 6, 2014, from http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/EbbenJEPonlineOctober2008.pdf
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