Once upon a time, when I was a mere high school senior I heard LC utter the words “Freshman 15.” Little did I know this was not about

the amount of credits I would take on in a semester, nor was it the amount of times I would open a college text book…She was talking about the amount of pounds I was going to gain my freshman year.

At most colleges, such a BSU there are all you can eat buffets, easy to grab burgers, fries…lot of fries and countless desserts. It’s no wonder why college students gain so much weight! Not to mention the amount of free time that is spent lying on your bed catching up on missed episodes of The Bachelor.

Well…with all of my years of wisdom (and my new found fight against laziness attitude) I’m here to provide you with some tips and tricks to beat the unhealthy urges.

Tip 1: I know it will be difficult but don’t wear sweatpants every day. You will thank me! Take it from a chronic sweat-pant wearer. After a while you forget that you can wear jeans, then you go to put them on. And because of the stretchy loveliness of sweat-pant waist bands you don’t realize that you’re favorite jeans that fit you perfectly are now screaming at you and begging you not to wear them.

Tip 2: Cut down to having fries once a day. This includes home fries! I know they may seem healthy but they are fried in grease and filled with air. They really can’t be called potatoes anymore.

Tip 3: Smaller portions. College/all of America is behind on the idea of portion control. One of the things I’ve found with school is that portions seem to be way out of control. Not to mention by the time you get to a dinning hall your are starving and scarf down the entire plate of pasta, even though a quarter of it would’ve been find.

Tip 4: Walk to classes, or ride your bike. You might as well walk while you can, plus the bus smells weird.

Tip 5: Dedicate at least half an hour a day to a physical activity, ie. Going for a long walk, hitting the Gym, going for a swim (we even have a pool on campus!), or joining one of the FREE kick boxing classes we have on campus. After working out you will find you feel better about yourself and have enough energy to finish the paper you’ve been putting off.

Tip 6: Carry a water bottle. I’ve found that when I’m getting food (especially at Crimson) I always opt. to have soda (or ice tea) instead of just water, because I have to pay for the cup I’d rather get something other than water. But if you bring your water bottle you can get a free water cup (about the size of a dixie cup) and  fill up your water bottle with the free cup (since we aren’t supposed to fill our water bottles at the soda fountain.)

Tip 7: Have healthy snacks in your dorm room. I know that the vending machines on the ground floor will sometimes seduce you, but it will be easier to fight those middle of the night cravings if you have things like carrot sticks, unsweetened apple sauce (which is really good!!), Kashi breakfast bars, water, and Cheese stalked in your dorm room.

Tip 8:No time to hit the gym? Find an activity class. There are tons of them offered in the physical education section. Classes range from Tap (which is a lot of fun!) to Aerobics (Where you can meet amazing people) to Badminton! There is an activity class for everyone, and the times fit nicely into your schedule. They are usually only 1 credit and last for half of the semester.

Tip 9: Remember Bagels aren’t the healthiest breakfast foods.. neither are pop tarts or captin’ crunch. Although all are delicious, try to eliminate them from being daily occurrences. Instead try scrambled egg whites, an egg white omelet, or yogurt, granola and wheat toast. All of which will give you the energy you need and fill you up!

Tip 10: Take the stairs! I know what you are thinking…it stinks walking up three flights of stairs in two buildings one after the other. But think of the calories you are burning, and look at it this way…if you weren’t able to take a walk, run, or get to the gym at least you were able to do some sort of physical activity that day.

Always remember that it’s easier to stay healthy with a group of friends! Try a yoga video in the dorm  with your roommates, or make a pledge to eat healthy at least 3 days a week together. This way you can all work together on staying healthy.

How do you stay healthy at school? Do you have any other Tips? What’s your favorite form of exercise?

This is a cross post with the RCC blog. (go check it out and read some amazing posts!)