During your first year at college, you get to do what you want, when you want. This freedom can come with a cost. If you are not careful, excess calorie intake, stress, and lack of sleep and exercise can all cause weight gain. As you get older, excess alcohol consumption can also cause you to pack on the pounds.
Ordering pizza at 2 a.m. every once in a while is okay; every weekend, on the other hand, is not such a great idea. Unhealthy food choices happen every day, so it is important to know exactly what you are eating. Calories add up quickly without you realizing it, and knowing correct serving sizes can help you win this battle. A simple reference to serving sizes is your hand; this is always with you and allows you to measure out your food correctly. A cupped handful is the serving size for snacks such as pretzels and chips. The palm of your hand (minus your fingers) is the serving size of meat. So next time you are at Dorrill Dining Hall (D-Hall), you can pull your hands out and make sure you are having a correct serving. Also, when entering D-Hall there is a kiosk in the lobby that gives you the nutritional breakdown of the foods served and different nutritional facts posted when entering the dining area; this is a great way to find out the serving sizes and nutritional content in the food at D-Hall.
When dining out at restaurant or fast food places, you can check their web sites beforehand to find the best food options. If you have a smart phone, there are also applications you can download that have serving sizes and nutritional information for all foods. Some great applications are MyFitnessPal, MyFood, Nutrition Tips, Restaurants, and Fooducate.
Being active is an important part of being healthy and maintaining a healthy weight. Being active doesn't mean just running. The High Bridge Trail runs right through Farmville and has over 35 miles of trail ideal for walking, biking, or running. Some great ways to break the same old routine and add in more exercise could be things such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther away from your car, riding your bike to class, and taking the long way to different places. Being active can help you reduce stress and you will be able to learn more in class as a result.
Since stress is a huge problem in college, it will help if you begin studying for tests in advance-- don't save it until the night before. If you find yourself unable to focus, take a break and go for a brisk walk around campus. Studies have shown exercise breaks will help you retain more information. Also, it is important to begin assignments early so you have plenty of time to ask the professor questions.
For those who consume alcohol, you must remember alcohol has a high caloric content and calories add up more quickly than you think. It has also been proven that while drinking alcohol, people are more likely to make poor food choices, such as that 2 a.m. pizza. Be aware of how much alcohol you are in taking and what foods you are eating to avoid weight gain.
There you have it; avoiding college weight gain is not hard, you just have to be aware of what you are doing. Utilizing the gym, High Bridge Trail, the Avenues, the Longwood Golf Course, and other methods of exercise is a great way to ward off those college pounds. Studying and completing assignments ahead of time will allow you to relax and not stress. You'll see it is simpler than you think!
