‘The Freshman Ten’ is something that every new college student should try to avoid at all costs. Leaving home and making your own decisions can be stressful, but there are ways to ensure that your eating habits don’t go south as you adjust to university life. Here are some helpful suggestions to keep in mind from your very first day on campus.

1. The dorm cafeteria is loaded with bad, as well as good, choices. While it may be easier for cooks and students alike to opt for casseroles, fried foods and baked goods to satisfy hunger, these things definitely lead to weight gain. Instead, go straight to the salad bar (and remember not to reach for the creamy dressings). A good rule of thumb when filling your tray is to include food from each of the five food groups: protein, dairy, fruit, vegetables and grains. Another thing to keep in mind is that several stops at the cafeteria a day for small snacks are smarter than loading up for three heavy meals.

2. A small dorm room refrigerator will allow you to store healthy snacks and avoid binge eating. Load it up with yogurt, cottage cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables and sugar-free drinks.

3. Keep the drinking to a minimum. At the very least, be aware of the caloric intake you are imbibing every time you order another round at happy hour. Beer is 150 calories, white wine is 119 and whiskey and Coke is 129. Drinking eight glasses of water is highly suggested, so why not order one in between cocktails throughout the party? It will help keep your bar tab down and your head clear in the process.

4. Increase your physical activity. Sitting in lecture halls and pulling all-nighters at the library don’t exactly burn calories. Make sure that you do more than just walk to class every day. Check out the university gym for free classes or join an intramural sport. It’s not only a great way to meet people, you’ll burn calories and build muscle at the same time.

Remember, you’ll want to meet new people and engage in social activities rather than eat during stressful times. Your first year away at college is full of exciting new challenges. Just make sure that fitting into your jeans isn’t one of them!

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 20th, 2009 at 4:45 am and is filed under fat loss. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.