College Life: How to not gain the freshman 15

Me in the middle...sophomore year of college

So my college boyfriend posted this throwback pic the other day. I said, "Wow! Is that me?" LOL I'm not sure what semester this was, but I think it was sophomore year for a number of reasons.

Anyway, I have not been my college size in a long time. One of my friends calls it putting on grown woman weight... It was more like a lifestyle change...LOL

That being said, I didn't gain weight my freshman year of college. I think I actually lost weight when I got to college being a little homesick and what not. When I started college I was extra slim with wiry arms. By sophomore year I actually gained muscle. I used to do three hundred crunches every night before bed and a hundred before I left for class. 

With a lot of folks heading to college for the first time, I wanted to share with you how to not gain the freshman 15...

1. Move more than you eat.
2. Try to add some veggies and fruit to your burgers, fries, shakes and pizzas. 
3. Get out of your room.
4. Drink tons of water.
5. Walk everywhere.
6. Make friends and go play with them.
7. Join a team. (Most colleges have intramural teams.)
8. Dance... Dance I said!
9. Take fitness classes as electives.
10. Find a physician and have annual physicals. 

My friends and I were constantly on the go in college. Don't get me wrong, we ate like piglets, but sweat everything off. We walked to class, danced four or five nights a week until we were drenched in sweat. Oh and we shopped. LOL

Shopping kept us cognizant of our sizes...(Okay...I'm lying...I just got bit by the shopping bug...don't do that...and stay away from the credit card peddlers!!!) 

I realize I gained weight after school because I continued to eat the same types of food, without keeping up with the same type of movement. It is kind of hard to do when you're working at a desk for eight plus hours a day. 

I have gained and lost weight a few times after school, but reached my highest weight in my final year of law school. Law school is stressful and if you don't keep up with a regular workout regimen, the weight will creep up on you.

There are a myriad of reasons why you should watch what you consume and maintain an active life. Once you get to my age it gets harder and your life has so many responsibilities that you can make fitness last on the list of priorities. 

Starting out with a healthy lifestyle when you have a lot of freedom (college gives you a lot of freedom) is great for laying a healthy foundation. You get to focus on your future while having fun. So college is not all about preparing for a career. It is about preparing for life. 

Have fun, make friends, but also make good decisions!  

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