How to Lose the Freshman 15
The Freshman 15 –It’s something that can happen to any student. And it has nothing to do with timed essay questions or complex mathematical equations.
Ben Greenfield
How to Lose The Freshman 15
So what can you do to rescue your body from the Freshman 15? Here are 4 Quick & Dirty Tips to keep you trim and fit in college:
1. Exercise
At least 2 times per week, do The Best Workout for Fat Loss, which involves a series of resistance training exercises, followed by a 30-60 second bout of high intensity cardio. Try to stand whenever possible, walk or bike to your classes, and avoid sitting for long periods of time.
2. Eat Healthy
Rather than completely re-inventing the wheel, I am going to instead recommend that you check out two episodes from the Nutrition Diva: Healthy Eating Tips for College Kids and More Healthy Eating Tips For College Kids. Both of these articles give you everything you need to know to make the right choices at the cafeteria and on a budget. In addition to these tips, try to drink high amounts of caffeine or energy drinks only when absolutely necessary, such as a series of all-nighters during finals week. If you’re already out of college, able to eat healthy, and want to get rid of the Freshman 15, try rebooting your body by taking 2 months to cut down on all your college staples, such as processed food from packages, starches and refined sugars, alcohol, and caffeine.
3. Control Stress
During classes, practice breathing deeply through your nose, and then breathing out through slightly pursed lips. When you feel overloaded with homework, try breaking it down into small, achievable portions. And when you experience stressful social situations, try venting to a friend, or simply in your own personal diary. If you’re living a high-stress, post-collegiate life, you may actually have the time to add a weekly or bi-weekly yoga class.
4. Optimize Sleep
Read the House Call Doctor‘s great episode on getting better sleep. While you will almost never have ideal sleep patterns during busy school life, take advantage of the days that are lighter to catch up on sleep or get an extra nap, and try to avoid partying for multiple days in a row whenever possible. If you have more questions about the Freshman 15 and what you can do about it, share them below in Comments and on the Get-Fit Guy Facebook page!
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