Freshman 15

Whether it’s Pizza in the Grove, tailgate food, or even those late night snacks we all sneak into Club Richter; college is an eating experience that’s new to freshmen. You’re on your own for the first time and you can do, and eat, whatever you want. However, this newfound freedom comes with a price – The Freshman 15.

Contrary to popular belief, the Freshman 15 is not just an urban legend. There are many factors that can affect your eating habits and cause weight gain. According to Ashley Falcon, assistant director of wellness at the Wellness Center, hectic schedules, buffet-style dining, emotional or stress eating, lack of sleep and alcohol are all factors that can result in weight gain.

The Hurricane has compiled some tips to help all students against the Freshman 15

Unlimited Charties is not your friend—just because you can have unlimited grilled cheese and fries doesn’t mean you should. Give the salad bar a try, and don’t skip the veggies. Stir fry with cooking spray instead of oil is another healthy choice, and try to cut back on the soda, a regular coke with every meal will add up to tons of empty calories.

Eat Breakfast—breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, and as you’ll quickly learn, Chartie’s best. Grab an egg white omelet for a great start to the school day. If you don’t have time to go to the dining hall grab a granola bar. Eating breakfast will help spark your metabolism and keep you from being too hungry during the day.

Walk when you can—walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise you can have on this campus. The campus is small enough that you can walk to all of your classes, and the surrounding area is full of walk able restaurants and shops. You can even track your on-campus walking with the school program, Walking Counts. The walking counts campaign calculates popular routes on campus. Add up your daily routes and you can easily walk up to two miles a day.

Use the Wellness Center- The wellness center is a great resource on campus to help manage your weight. In addition to the machines and weights there are also fitness classes, healthy cooking classes, and the free CHAMP assessment, which measures your fitness level.

Go Easy on the Booze- beer bellies often start freshman year, so go easy on the alcohol. Not every football game and weekend should be a blackout mess. Start to learn self control, your waistline, and your liver, will thank you.

Start your college career off right by developing the right habits, right now. Indulging in sweets and fats is ok every once in a while, but it’s important to remember you’re in a transition phase. What better time to develop a healthy eating regiment? The first step is the most important. Enjoy your college career and worry about the things that need to be worried about. Eating healthy is not something to fret over. At the end of the day a little discipline can go a long way.