The dreaded “Freshman 15” can creep up on anyone at anytime. This is defined by gaining an average of 15 pounds during your freshman year at college. The challenge is learning how to incorporate healthy eating and exercise into a schedule that is very demanding!
5 TIPS TO AVOID THE FRESHMAN 15
1. Build more muscle to lean out the fat! Perform regular strength workouts.
2. Workout with a buddy. It’s more motivating, fun, & times passes quickly.
3. Avoid stress eating, snacking late at night, & choose healthy snacks.
4. Don’t eat less to drink more! Be sure you’re eating real whole foods daily.
5. Get enough rest! It’s probably safe to say that we’ve all pulled an “all nighter” at some point or another. It’s sometimes needed to get a task completed, however, the next day may be dreadful, leaving you with zero energy to do anything. Resting less could result in storing fat by increasing cortisol levels. Your body tends to go into “go mode” to keep you going. Routine behavior of lacking sleep not only alters your ability to think or retain information, but it also can cause weight to be stored.
WHAT TO DO IF THE FRESHMAN 15 SNEAKS UP ON YOU
If you happen to gain some college weight, don’t freak out. Take a look at your behavioral patterns and make needed changes to get back on track.
College is a new beginning of how you begin to live your everyday life as an adult. It offers many temptations and choices to decide upon. Being on your own allows you the freedom and flexibility to plan your day in a way that benefits you most. This includes being able to eat/ drink what and when you want, schedule time for exercise and extra activities, plan study time, and of course socialization!
The good news is… a healthy diet and effective workout plan can be prioritized while maintaining a busy social and academic lifestyle! If you begin to notice some different behavioral patterns that begin to set your body off focus, it might be time to regroup and get back on track! Try incorporating this 5-step plan to help with your personal goals.
5 Step Plan to Get Back on Track:
1. Recognize a change needs to be made
2. Make a plan to accommodate your behaviors
3. Schedule workouts
4. Eat better (consume ‘real’ foods, no bags, boxes, or cans)
5. Act upon it daily for results to occur
Being in control of your health is a personal choice that delivers a lifetime of benefits to follow. Try to find a happy balance of college fun, while maintaining your own responsibilities of a healthy lifestyle!
THE WEEKLY WORKOUT PLANS
I have created 3 different workouts for you to learn and perform regularly along with your busy schedules. These weekly workouts consist of strength and toning circuits that offer variety for your muscles as well as provide you with 3 different “go to” workouts to do on your college journey.
The 3 weekly workouts at a glance consist of the following:
WEEK1:
DORM DRILLS 101: Strength & Core
• Exercises Circuits you can simply do in your dorm room: 8 moves, 8 mins.
WEEK 2:
CAMPUS DRILLS 101: Strength & Stretching
• Strength exercises, partner drills, & stretching series
WEEK 3:
CAMPUS DRILLS 102: Strength & Yoga
• Strength exercises, partner drills, & yoga series
Once you learn the routines, you can perform these workouts on days you need. A quick calorie-blasting fix or perhaps you begin to create your own routine by incorporating other exercises!
CAMPUS DRILLS 101
The second week of the workout challenge is performed outside and around a college campus! This is a great way to enjoy your campus, get some fresh air, and sweat off stress pounds! The workout is equipment free, maximizes your time, it’s effective for your body, and it’s fun to do with a friend!
Ready to give it a go?!
*Check out the video to see how these exercises are performed.
INSPIRE YOURSELF & OTHERS
- Write out your top 3 reasons why you want to avoid the “freshman 15” and get in great college shape.
- Post it in a visible place you will see daily. (ex: your mirror)
- Use social media to post your efforts and progress for other college students to become motivated and join in a challenge too!
- Use #tags such as: #freshman15, #beatthefreshman15, #freshman15challenge
Stay tuned for next week’s challenges filled with more body weight strength exercises, partner drills, and a yoga flow sequence you can do around any campus!
Stick with a plan to combat this from the start and I guarantee you will be feeling happier and healthier than ever while enjoying the college life!
Best,
Maria
http://www.groovysweat.com
http://www.groovysweatstore.com
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