How To Avoid The Dreaded Freshman 15

I saw this book, The Dorm Room Diet, in my school's bookstore last year and skimmed through it. I thought, "Yeah I should get this..." but I didn't. And, while I haven't gotten "fat", I have seen my weight fluctuate and change. This of course is expected; New environment, new people.

On our school's meal plan the cost of one meal point in the cafeteria is "all-you-can-eat", ie: I can fill my plate with food and continue to go back until I am full/satisfied. And at first, this can be awesome. One can try a little bit of all the fare or one could eat just a meal of french fries. Sounds awesome, right? (You remember we are talking about weight, don't you?) Eating without restrictions of your parents and encouragement of this all-you-can-eat style is a sure sign that you will come in contact with that Freshman 15.

I already knew what I should and shouldn't adapt as healthy eating habits, but that doesn't mean that the temptation wasn't there... Cause trust me, it was (and still is!) But with portion control and some exercise, you can keep off a few pounds from your waistline, or wherever you collect extra weight.

Here are some tips and tricks to help you out:

1. Indulge only in the treats you will really enjoy: Savor the homemade brownie, skip the store-bought one.

2. Keep stress in check! Swap massages with your buddies and boyfriends, go for a walk.

3. Snack smart with foods containing fiber and fat to keep up your energy. Almonds and pears are great choices.

4. Go easy on late-night and early-morning sweets: The carbs can disrupt your sleep and mess with blood sugar.

5. Vary your workouts with a mix of cardio, weightlifting, and yoga or Pilate's.

6. Keep your immune system strong with a daily multivitamin, good hygiene and low stress.

7. Work out with friends, or take group fitness classes to stay motivated and get to the gym.

I think that this year I will buy this book. It's not just good for the dorm room; soon you will be getting a place of your own, right? And you will still be on a tight budget, right? Yeah so maybe you should go out and get this too ;-)

Here is a synopsis of Daphne Oz's book, The Dorm Room Diet: "The transition to college life presents a golden opportunity to seize control of your health for good—and now the secrets of Daphne’s success are available to you in The Dorm Room Diet. This national bestseller written by Dr. Oz’s daughter, Daphne, speaks to college students by a college student who avoided the Freshman 15 with her own healthy lifestyle plan. The Dorm Room Diet will empower you to use your new found independence to create a healthy lifestyle while in college–and for the rest of your life."