Everyone warns you about it when you leave for college. It's possibly the scariest thing when venturing into the unknown for the first time....the dreaded freshmen 15. And you know what? It happens to everyone, okay? It just does. I was one of those people who said "Oh I'll never gain weight in college! I'll work out and eat right and I'll come back home better than I left!" I laugh at myself now for that. However, the impossible is possible. We are blessed to be on a campus with a great rec center and a lot of dining options. Although I didn't manage to avoid it, there are ways around the freshmen 15. For my first couple months of college, I actually managed to lose weight. I was blessed to be in a dorm next to Amanda, a CrossFit guru who always encouraged me to go to the gym with her, and ended up becoming one of my best friends. I was a health nut for about 5 minutes and thought thought that I had avoided the inevitable freshmen weight gain. However, Morgantown's never ending winter hit, I got lazy and no longer frequented the gym, became stressed out with classes, and let Chick Fil A call my name one too many times. Whatever, I'm human. You live and you learn, and for any incoming freshmen, there's a few things you need to know.
1. The rec is there for a reason, use it:I know how hard it is to get up on a cold Saturday morning in February to go run on a treadmill when you could stay in bed. Believe me, it's worth it. By the time you are awake and moving you will be more than happy that you went, and you won't feel so bad for the six doughnut holes no one saw you eat but you know you did.
2. The dining halls actually aren't so bad: There are many dining hall options on WVU's campus. The campus dining website provides menus for the week of all the food at all the dining halls for the day. Check each dining hall, there's bound to be something you like.
3. Keep fast food to once a week: I know how tempting it can be to go pick up Burger King or Chick Fil A from the Lair after a long day of classes. This ads up after awhile. Opt for the dining hall's takeout option and include some greens in your meal so that you can eat your waffle fries guilt free later.
4. Late night eating is not your friend: Eating late night and going to bed is a bomb to your diet because your body doesn't process calories when you are asleep. That late night snack just became your worst enemy. I know it's hard not to munch on Poptarts and a jumbo sized Monster during an all night study session (not that I've ever done that), but just remember you could pay for it later.
5. Don't overcomplicate things: Don't feel like you need to diet while it college. It's all about staying healthy and feeling your best. You know how your mom would want you to eat, so use that as a guide to stay on track. College eating is all about not overdoing it. Don't be afraid to splurge every once and awhile, just remember that taking care of yourself it most important.
