The Dreaded Freshman 15!

So I'm a freshman in college, and I know exactly why I gained my freshman fifteen.  What I want to do now is get rid of it.  Even if I don't lose all of it, I'd at least like to get rid of some unsightly inches around my belly and back.  I'm not anorexic or wish to achieve an unhealthy weight for myself.  I'd just like to be able to wear a bikini and not have to worry about whether or not the straps are digging into my back fat and whether or not my rolls are showing.  Do you have any tips for getting rid of extra inches?

Diet and exercise.

Make use of the campus gym.

I'd say walk to your classes instead of taking the bus, and limit your beer consumption.  For me, the weight I put on at the beginning of university was from all the drinking and not so much eating unhealthy foods.  Walking to class instead of being lazy and waiting for the bus helped control my weight well when I was at university.  I definitely agree with birdy22 that you should make use of your school gym, especially since usually it's free when you're a student there.  They often have some interesting sports or aerobics classes that should make working out more enjoyable.  Also, my school had a lot of different clubs/associations that you could join that could help control your waistline such as salsa dancing, swing dancing, breakdancing, karate, fencing, snowboarding, paintball, etc.  So keep that in mind for next year.  It's also a good way to meet new people.

One thing that really screwed me up was not eating consistently.  I'd be running around all day like a mad thing, and not eat until dinner.  Not on purpose, just busy.  Always keep little snacky things in your bag, like nuts, celery, or a protein bar.

hey kaylopod.

I too gained the freshman 15, or at least 7 or 8, last semester. I talked myself into believing that it was because the food was too fattening in our cafeteria, but that was untrue. I was the problem, jumping from bar to bar and getting pizza, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes.....ew...

So mid december I decided I was not going to do that to myself. I began using the amazing gym at our school, that was completely FREE, and began eating better. I had to start small of course. First cutting out the daily sugar cookies I grabbed on the way out of the caf until I could cut sweets altogether. I replaced the easy mac, candy, and frozen pizza bites in our room with smart ones meals (which can actually be good, mind you), dark chocolate (my new love), and bottled water.

I have lost the gained weight and lost 12 more since 3 months ago. I am pretty darn proud of myself.

I am addicted to Whole Foods. Find one close to you. They make every food you could ever crave at a more healthy option. (I highly recommend the pesto pizza snacks in the frozen section....amazing....)

I let myself have cheat meals on weekends. When my friends went out for margeritas or when my boyfriend took me to my fav. restaurant I would have anything I wanted. Eating bad one day will never kill eating healthy, as long as you stay on track with portion sizes.

Hope this wasn't too long, I just know exactly how you feel. You can do it!!!

Hey!   

I had that problem too when I was in college, and to be honest I didn't lose it until I was a senior and I really wanted to change my habits.  My worst was mindless eating in class, at home when doing work, and just any time I saw someone else eating.  I am only 5'5 inches, with a curvy body, so any weight I gain, REALLY shows.  My freshmen year I went up to 140 (from 120).  I was very athletic before college but stopped when I got to college.  I ate anytime my friends ate.  I lost about 10 of the pounds after the first year, but I still struggled, because I didn't work out.  Here is what finally helped me and got back down to 125 for the last two years! :)

1. Eat only when you are really hungry
2. Set your mind to really wanting to lose weight
3. Record everything you eat, that will help if you mindlessly eat like me.
4. Try to walk anywhere you can.
5. Lift even just two times helps.

Hope this helps!  I still have to follow this to keep my weight.

hey!

i too am a freshman in college who accidently gained about 15 pounds this year. ah! i'm hoping to loose enough to not be completely repulsed in my bikini this summer, but i have so much trouble sticking to a diet! i exercise a lot, but with the way i eat, it doesn't really matter. anyway, i guess i am just posting this to say i understand... hopefully the end of this semester will be different for both of us! i am so determined- christinalauren, you are such an inspiration!

 

Well I started counting cals before college and am so obsessed with it that it is kind of hard for me to gain the freshman 15. It was a worry for me but I realized that 1) I live at home and don't have to buy crappy food or eat at a cafetereia and 2) I do not drink alcohol. I haven't lost any weight, just stayed the same.

apparently the freshman 15 is partly due to the newfound freedom to be able to eat what you want when you want, but luckily i've been at boarding school for the past 6 years where I have been able to do that anyways, so that won't be a shock to my system, and i gained my 'freshman 15' when I was about 15, and i've lost it all plus more now, and eat relatively healthily. And I don't drink. Hopefully I'm safe....

ive gained the freshman 15 as well, but i know exactly why i gained it...alcohol!!

i recently discovered how many calories i consume from drinking. it's ridiculous and disgusting. i drink heavily 2 nights a week, and i consume at least 1000 calories due to drinking (this takes into account food i eat while/after drinking). so 2000+ calories every week adds up.

while i cant give up drinking (hehe), im going to try and cut back. im considering only drinking one night a week, and the other night only drinking 5 drinks, or something like that. 

and beware of the dining hall.