Independence in College: So Long, Freshman Fifteen!

Young people are often given their first taste of freedom when they enter college. There are a lot of fun and exciting things to do when a person first gets to college, but one of the most universal characteristics of individuals new to college and living on their own is that they will gain weight.

Affectionately referred to as the freshman fifteen, it is averaged out that the individuals at college who gain weight when first going off to college gain about fifteen pounds.

There are a number of reasons as to why individuals may gain this weight. By understanding the reasons and ways in which an individual might gain this weight, people can make better decisions in order to help them lose the weight that they put on since attending college or some people can even avoid gaining weight all together.

Cafeterias on campus are often open 24/7 or very near to it. As a result, students can get as much food as they want, virtually any time that they want. There are also lots of restaurants and diners conveniently located to the school because the owners of restaurants understand that they can get a great deal of patrons since there are so many students available. By making smart choices when it comes to food, individuals can help to combat the freshman fifteen.

This does not mean that a person should not have the foods that they like or that they should starve themselves. It simply means that students need to be careful about moderating what they eat and eating when they are hungry – not when they are bored or just looking for something to do to pass the time between classes.

Healthy eating should also be a priority. Even when the individual is still living with their parents, they should be able to identify what is a healthy meal and what a person should eat in order to stay healthy. Some individuals can fight off the weight simply by eating a balanced meal. By being aware of healthy foods and snacks, individuals who are used to practicing healthy eating habits are less likely to become overwhelmed by the fattening and sugary choices made available to them by the cafeteria or nearby businesses.

Alcohol is on campus. There are many individuals who have experienced and tried alcohol before and a fair number of individuals who have not. It is important to be careful when it comes to alcohol not just because many people who begin drinking are not legally permitted to do so, but alcohol is fattening and can make many people gain weight. One single alcoholic beverage can actually contain more than 200 calories. In addition, individuals who are hung over are far less likely to be active the next day, which helps to cut into exercise time and other healthy activities.

By being realistic and educated when it comes to alcohol, individuals can help to understand how alcohol can affect them from a nutritional standpoint. As a result, individuals can help to stay at a healthy weight.

Share the Burden and Lose the Weight

Anyone who has ever been on a diet can tell you that they are not easy to stick with and unfortunately, many people give up before they actually notice the beneficial results. Instead of trying to take the task of loosing weight on by yourself, feel free to share the load. There can be different meanings for the expression of sharing the load.

You can take this to mean sharing the load with someone else that is trying to loose weight as well. When you know another person who wants to shed pounds, you can work together and do many things such as planning meals, taking walks, joining the gym or anything else that will help you to stick to your diet.

It is easy to give in to the temptation of candy and other high calorie treats as well as to skip any planned exercise. If you have someone right there beside you to share your load, you can offer one another the necessary motivation to stay on task.

Famous people that you can think of tend to have a personal advisor or trainer that gives him or her the encouragement that they need to keep working towards their personal weight loss goals.

Therefore, the person that you choose to help you share your diet load is in an essence like your own personal trainer. They will offer you the pep talks that you may need time and again to keep going on your diet.

Another good way to share your load is by joining a support group that meets weekly. When you are a part of a group where everyone involved is attempting to loose weight will allow you to see the results and how you are progressing.

A group also lets you see that you are not alone in your quest for better health. If you have a moment where you feel like giving up or do not want to exercise or eat well, the other people in your group can support you. Perhaps they can go for a walk with you or offer to lend you an encouraging ear.

Family can be another wonderful source of support when you need someone to share your load with. Let your family know that it is very important to you to lose weight and become healthy.

You can let your family know that they can support your diet by all eating the same healthy foods that you are, or by offering you support in any way that you may possibly need.

One reason that many people gain weight is because they find themselves under stress. Therefore, it can be tough to stick to a diet when you find yourself in a stressful situation. If you share your load with your family, they can help to keep you out of situations where you may end up feeling stressed and tempted to cheat on your diet.

Women are very prone to eating when they find themselves feeling burdened and stressed out. Share your load to prevent this from happening whenever possible.

Time constraints can also make it hard to eat healthy and exercise. You could find yourself thinking that if there were more hours in the day that you could actually take in a healthy diet. It is important to understand that eating healthy foods is essential when you want to loose and then maintain a healthy weight.

Instead of trying to do it all yourself, find someone that you can share your load with. You are far more apt to be successful in your weight loss quest and to keep the weight off in the future. Keep in mind that when you share your load, it is far less for you to carry all on your own.