Beat the Freshman 15 With These Pointers

Worried you are doomed to the dreaded Freshman 15? Think again! Here are 10 steps to help keep you in shape your first year at CTX.

Exercise

A healthy body makes for a happy individual. The best kind of exercise is the kind of exercise you enjoy! Love running? Enjoy the beautiful campus, put on your running shoes and tune into Concordia’s Spotify channel. Does the treadmill at the fitness center make you feel like a gerbil? Try the elliptical on for size.

No Stress-Eating

Avoid eating when stressed, while surfing the web and while watching TV. Mindless eating is one of the main weight-gain contributors.

Try not to skip meals!

Although you won’t have your parents waking you up to make sure you eat breakfast, you should try and make sure you consume that most important meal of the day as often as possible. Skipping a meal or two can lead to excessive consumption later in the day as your body tries to overcompensate for the nutrition it lost. Forgoing meals also can lead to metabolism mishaps.

Control Late-Night Snacking

Keep late-night snacking to a minimum. It’s tempting to stuff your face with junk food while involved in a study binge, but the inevitable sugar crash to come is not worth it.

Eat a mix of nutritious foods

Concordia’s dining hall always offers fresh fruit, a healthy salad bar and a Simple Servings Allergens Station. Take advantage of the seasonal menus, featuring fresh and healthy ingredients, many of which are grown by local or regional farmers. Find out more here.

Watch the size of your portions

This can be difficult with an “all you can eat” dining hall, so listen to your body, it knows when it is full.

Drink water

Replace empty-calorie soft drinks with water. Another tip? Drink a full glass of water before each meal. You will be able to better interpret when you are full.

Avoid vending machines and fast food

There are vending machines available all over campus. A plethora of fast food options are within two miles of the university. Resist the temptation.

Monitor your alcohol consumption

Excess drinking leads to health problems, and beer and alcohol are very high in calories and can cause weight gain. Avoid a beer belly by limiting the amount of boozy weekends you endure. Under 21 year old? Do not drink at all!

Get enough sleep

Recent studies have linked getting enough sleep to maintaining a healthy weight. Seven to eight hours a night is a good amount of shut-eye for those in their late teens and twenties.