<p>Did you gain weight during your freshman year? What tips do you have for incoming freshmen who want to avoid this?</p>
<p>(Can we be serious, please? I can already see someone saying not to eat too much. I've got that.)</p>
<p>I actually lost 15 pounds my freshman year. Count your calories and exercise everyday or every other day, and you won't gain anything.</p>
<p>I didn't gain a pound my freshman year...it's completely possible.</p>
<p>1) Don't drink beer, or mixed drinks at parties. That's probably my number one piece of advice, because I saw so many girls succumb to the party scene and before they knew it they were going to the gym everyday trying to work it off. If you do decide to drink, mix with things like fresca or something, and avoid late-night trips to the vending machine/McDonald's/a late-night Mexican food joint. It's hard, especially if all your friends are doing it, but rest-assured you will gain the freshman 15 if this is a part of your weekend routine:)</p>
<p>2) Exercise portion control and know what you're eating. I know my college has premade sandwiches and loads them with cheese and sauces. If possible I avoid sauce, and try and take the cheese off. When I eat at a place like our dining hall, I give myself smaller portions and do not let myself go back for seconds...I learned when I was hungry and when I wasn't. When possible customize your food to how you like...we have Subway on campus so that's always a good option for me. Just seek out healthier opportunities, but don't be afraid to have one day when you just eat what you want or something.</p>
<p>3) Avoid vending machine food. When you're sitting around waiting for class to start it's easy to just grab something just because you're bored and now hungry. Try your best not to unless your stomach is truly rumbling.</p>
<p>4) Avoid soda, if you can. I know, I know, caffeine. If you must, drink diet!</p>
<p>5) Take advantage of the gym/fitness classes/anything your school offers and you'll keep in shape. Just don't go overboard like many people do once they get to college, out of fear of the freshman 15.</p>
<p>5) Don't think it's over freshman year...I've seen sophomores AND juniors all gain a few pounds in school!</p>
<p>So, to sum it up, know what you're eating and know how to eat healthy. Don't drink high calorie beverages/beer/mixed drinks often. Work out. Just do what you do at home and you'll be FINE:)</p>
<p>Same as grandpa, but I only lost 10. My family always kept junk food around, and now that I actually had to buy everything I just never got any. Also, I walked to class and exercised more. Of course I've put it back on over this summer...</p>
<p>I would actually suggest that you not count your calories, unless you really need to lose weight. You're going for a lifestyle change here. The biggest tip that I can give you is to put your food somewhere that is not easily reachable. You're less likely to grab a snack if you have to get up and stand on a chair to get it than if you keep it right next to your desk. Also, replace the occasional lunch with a salad. Run instead of eat as a stress reliever.</p>
<p>^^^
Many good points. Especially avoiding drunk eating and not drinking soda. Don't even drink diet soda though. Luckily I hate the taste of the stuff anyway, but it's all horrible for you.</p>
<p>Mixed drinks are better for you than beer though. Shots are best. From a weight standpoint. :)</p>
<p>I tend to eat light meals and snack when I can, so I actually lost a little weight because I didn't stock my shelves with potato chips. Therefore, the only eating I did was during the two times I went to the dining hall (lunch and dinner). If I was hungry late at night, then I had to just deal with it, whereas at home, I would've gone to the pantry to get a bite. That, plus easy access to the gym meant that I got a bit fitter in my freshman year. And while I certainly drank, I did so moderately and never went on unnecessary beer binges that racked up the calories. My best friend ballooned in college because of all the drinking he did.</p>
<p>So the best way to stay fit is to visit the gym regularly. Most schools give you easy access almost 24/7 and have excellent equipment. And don't drink... too much.</p>
<p>Just make it a point to hit the gym at least two times per week, possibly three. My weight basically stayed the same freshman year and I went out on the weekends and what not. Avoid late night binges (they can be tough) and try to eat a solid breakfast every morning (to start up your metabolism) and you'll be fine.</p>
<p>i got the freshman 30....all muscle baby</p>
<p>I lost 70 lbs freshman year haha. </p>
<p>I never ate in the dining hall though, everything I ate I cooked myself, but I know that's not an option at most schools. Walk everywhere that's possible, work out if your school has a gym/fitness facility. Watch your drinking (most everyone i know that gained weight it was from alcohol). I'm also a dance major, so exersize is kind of default.</p>
<p>damn good job you must have been huge</p>
<p>That's a very... odd... compliment to give someone. Haha.</p>
<p>I lost like 5 pounds...my campus is HUGE, so I got a lot of exercise getting my late butt to class.</p>
<p>I lost like 10 pounds, but I'm not sure how. I'm just naturally thin I guess.</p>
<p>But going to the gym regularly is definitely good advice.</p>
<p>^^^
Wow, Congrats Treble Thespian.</p>
<p>I expect to lose a lot of weight when I go to college because there is no way that I can eat worse than I do at home now. All of my meals are unhealthy and 2 out of 3 of my daily meals everyday are from a fast food restaurant, or the equivalent. I am a doughnut fiend, and I also never work out.</p>
<p>I won't have the money or the time to sustain that eating lifestyle and my dining hall has a lot more healthy choices than I have ever had at home so I know I'm going to eat healthy. </p>
<p>I was at my college for a program that lasted a week and I tried to eat the same as I did at home (because there are also a lot of unhealthy choices to choose from) and that only lasted 2 days. Those first two days I felt like I was dying. I had an energy high for a couple of hours and then I crashed harder than a head on collision. I had no energy to support all of the reading, walking(I go to Michigan State so there is ALOT of walking, campus is ridiculously huge), and other activities I was doing. At the end of the day I felt sick and violated and couldn't even stay up to conversate with people. I just went right to sleep.</p>
<p>I was wondering why I felt so bad until it occurred to me the second night of the week that it might be my eating that was doing that to me. So the next morning instead of doughnuts I had yogurt with granola and raisins mixed in. Instead of cookies (I was actually eating this stuff for breakfast the previous 2days) I got a big bowl and put in strawberries slices, pineapple chunks, cantaloupe chunks, and melon chunks. Instead of pepsi or root beer I drank orange juice and milk. And instead of waffles drenched in syrup I had eggs with sausage.</p>
<p>I felt like a totally different person! I was not short of energy at all and I survived the whole day with enough energy to sit up and talk with people well into the night that time. For lunch and dinner I also replaced Ice Cream and Fried Chicken, with grilled chicken, brown rice, and vegetables, along with other things.</p>
<p>I realized that I had only been eating that junk out of habit and that it was severely hindering my ability to do any activities with all of the energy I need. I didn't miss the junk food, and ate like that the rest of week, and I had no more problems, and I felt better than ever. Even though I have kinda started eating bad again since I got home, I also bum around all day so I don't feel the effects of it. When I go to college I have to treat my body like a machine that only gets what it needs to function. And that probably what you should do too.</p>
<p>At my college it is easy because they have huge multiple dining halls that are all you can eat buffet style that always have tons of healthy and unhealthy items at all times, they stay open until midnight, and because of my meal plan I can go into any dining hall as many times as I feel like it, and whenever I feel like it, and eat. I can go in to just get a glass of orange juice, or I could literally sit in there for the whole day and just eat. So my options to how I want to eat are pretty open. You may not have that many options, so tailor it to what your school does and offers.</p>
<p>One guy I met said a lot of people when they go to college either balloon or lose like 50 to 80 pounds like the person above. He told me of a friend of his that was a soccer star in high school, but when he got to my college all he would do is binge drink, eat late at night, and eat whatever he felt like. Not even by the end of the year was he 55 pounds heavier. He also told me about someone that just got on their grind and made it a goal not to have the same college experience as he did his high school experience, because in high school he was always made fun of because of his weight(he was around 320 pounds), people constantly would grab his breast because he was fat and had breasts(his knickname was Tits), and he couldn't get a date even if he tried. He lost 80 pounds by the end of the year by eating right and using the abundant and cheap or sometimes free at different colleges workout facilities(at my college most of them you have to pay a cheap fee for, but there are also free nice workout facilities in the dorms), and now he looks like a TOTALLY different person (really good-looking guy underneath all the fat from what I hear), and he gets more ass than a toilet seat. You'll be surprised how fat ruins your facial features and makes you look like a totally different person. </p>
<p>You either can drink too much beer(huge contributer to weight gain), and eat late night pizza 4 days out of the week or you can use college to make a lifestyle change. Its all up to you. Getting a 4.0 in college also has a lot with stamina and hard work, and it will only make it harder to accomplish those two things if you don't have the energy. </p>
<p>I am so surprised that I haven't ballooned into an unrecognizable monster. Its probably because I'm always going through growth spurts, and I have a decent metabolism. I am 6'4" and 225 pounds, I have a little bit of pudge, but definitely no rolls.</p>
<p>I lost 10-15lbs. I went to the gym a few times a week for 30min or so, but nothing major at all. I think I lost weight due to a few things:</p>
<p>1) I walked everywhere. The only time I would take the bus is if I needed to go the off-campus Math Emporium, or if it was raining/crummy weather. And trust me, when you need to do a 10min walk in 5min, and you have to hustle, you burn calories really quickly.
2) I ate less junk food. At home, there was always a supply of food. At college, it was the few things I had around the room (Goldfish, pretzels, applesauce) or go to the dining hall. Often, I would be too lazy to go to the dining hall (for once, being lazy makes you lose weight!), or when I would go, I would get something to go so i was limited to whatever I bought. Also, I drank juice instead of soda more, which cut out calories.
3) Al a carte/smaller portions/more meals. It's the way to eat, not go to the all-you-can eat all the time. Or just get smaller portions. If you start to eat smaller meals, more frequently, your stomach will actually shrink after awhile (it takes a few weeks, not overnight). Then, your body gets used to functioning off fewer calories after each sitting. Then you cut out the frequency of eating. Eventually, you're eating 3 smaller meals+snack instead of 3 huge meals, and so you can eat less at meals and thus take in fewer calories over the course of the day and yet you're hungry less often.
4) Avoid drinking a ton of beer. Plain and simple. I know so many girls/boys that blew up in college because of drinking. And drinking, then puking doesn't solve the issue. Try to drink lite beer if you're going to drink it, and remember to keep up the exercise.</p>
<p>If you're smart about what you eat, and exercise a bit (30min/5 times a week, but remember, walking to class counts), and don't eat a ton of junk food, definitely don't eat late night food/fast food frequently, or drink a ton of heavy caloried-drinks, you should be fine. People naturally put weight on in college, especially girls. 5lbs is reasonable. Anything more is bad habits. Don't go overboard and starve yourself, or your metabolism will decrease and you'll gain weight more, and don't be one of those people who spend 24/7 at the gym. Just take care of yourself...</p>
<p>I lost like 10 pounds the end of freshman year, and another 15 beginning of sophomore year. (although I ended up gaining about 13/15 back) I just walked alot (my campus is HUGE) and exercised a bit, and there was no way I could eat any worse than I was eating at home. I started getting sandwiches and grilled stuff instead of fried at restaurants/fast food places too. The reason I gained that back is that I got really depressed and started eating/drinking way too much and staying in the bed too much. I could've kept it off had that not happened. (working on getting it back off again)</p>
<p>Just don't eat alot of junk food (only keep healthy snacks around), and eat smaller portions. If you go to a restaurant where the meals are HUGE, split something with a friend instead of trying to eat it all on your own. My mom and I did that last night with pasta and then had room for a nice little desert too. Also, make a point to go to the gym or at least go for a jog 2-3 times a week. That will help a LOT.</p>
<p>If you bulk up(weight training) before you go to college; and then stop weight training, you'll probably lose some weight during freshman year</p>
<p>HELL yes^^ </p>
<p>I weight trained fairly regularly for 2-3 years and suddenly stopped at the end of senior year. I lost soo much weight the 1st year of college due to lack of exercise (which isn't good b/c I have a slim frame to begin w/). I probably dropped from 175 to roughly 160ish over my first two quarters...which at 6'3'' is horribly skinny. I picked up working out again though + eating large meals + LOTS OF WATER (helped my skin a lot too) + protein drinks and I got up to 185 lbs in about 2 months, which for me was probably the healthiest weight for me ever. Also I think it's worth noting that while I break from working out I get sick a LOT and have trouble with proper sleep--so be weary of these ill effect. </p>
<p>Seriously just workout an hour - hour and a half a day and you will be super healthy.</p>
<p>I actually lost a few pounds with all the late nighters. And I never eat anything after 9pm, sometimes I sleep at like 4 or 5am. I guess some people stock up on starch from the dorms. Try to eat more fresh veggies and fruits, and try to eat less during the night.</p>
<p>i lost about 5 pounds in my first year mainly because i was sick for the majority of second semester (lost about 20-25 pounds of which I gained about 20 back)</p>
<p>^^^
DAMN, what did you have that made you lose that much weight.</p>