How to Avoid the Infamous Freshman 15

By Elizabeth Morris on February 4, 2017

All college students have heard of and fear its infamous name. There are even entire Instagram accounts dedicated to its seemingly inescapable effects. In college, without nagging encouragements from parents to eat healthy food or the required athletic activities of high school, it is easy to yield to the temptations of the Freshman 15.

If you are looking to avoid the Freshman 15, here are some helpful tips.

Eat Healthy at the Dining Hall

First thing’s first, learn which dining hall has the healthiest options. At USC, the dining hall with by far the best and healthiest food is Cafe 84. If you are vegetarian or vegan, do not worry about finding food to eat. All USC dining halls have at least a few vegetarian and/or vegan options every meal, and all the dishes are labeled as such.

Image via Sodanie Chea from flickr.com

Most freshmen will eat the majority of their meals in the dining halls. If you rush into the dining hall starving and blinded by hunger, you are more likely to gravitate towards sweets or other unhealthy options. To avoid poor, spontaneous food choices, plan your meals. If you plan your meals at a time when you are not hungry, you will have a clear mind to make logical and healthy decisions. At USC, there is an app with each dining hall’s weekly menu. Check out the day’s menu, and you can become your own personal nutritionist.

All USC dining halls have an area dedicated to desserts. Whether it’s the crepe bar at Cafe 84 or the famous Everybody’s Kitchen cookies, desserts are ever-present and can easily contribute to the Freshman 15. Therefore, avoid the dessert tables. Whatever it takes — sitting at a table on the opposite side of the dining hall, forcing yourself to look away, telling a friend to restrain you at all costs, or eating more dinner food — learn to practice self-control.

Stay Active

The other key way to avoid the Freshman 15 is to stay active. Consider joining athletic clubs, especially if you were heavily involved with sports in high school. If you are not quite ready to completely give up your high school sport, college clubs are a great way to be involved without the same high-level training and intensity.

If there was ever a sport that you wanted to try but never had the time or chance to, join the college club team. Most USC clubs have a one to two week period at the beginning of each semester where perspective members can try the first few practices without committing to the team or paying dues, so take advantage of the opportunity to experiment. It’s not too late to discover that you have a previously unknown talent for badminton.

If you have some weight room experience, then hit the gym. Pick a realistic number of times a week you want to do a workout and stick to your goal. Additionally, having a workout partner could make the trip to the gym more entertaining, and help keep you motivated, focused and working towards achieving your goals.

Image via Gabriel Porras from flickr.com

If you find the gym scene sweaty and boring, there are other ways to get exercise. Consider taking an exercise class. USC has a variety of physical education classes, such as yoga, weight training, surfing, self-defense, and dance. Since the courses are only one to two units and only meet once or twice a week, they can easily fit into a busy schedule.

No matter your method, there are a variety of ways to not lose sight of a healthy lifestyle. Choose a routine that works best with your schedule and you will be well on your way to avoiding the Freshman 15.

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