Why you shouldn’t freak out over the freshmen 15

Hours spent on the elliptical will never measure up to a day on Newbury with your best friend

You hear about it from everyone: “Be careful what you eat. You don’t wanna gain the freshmen 15!”

And of course, these warnings are most often given with good intentions, but they still can overwhelm even the strictest eater. And although it is important to live a healthy lifestyle and take care of your body, you should not let your weight control your entire freshmen year.

Too often, girls and guys alike develop unhealthy obsessions with their weight and their food intake during their freshmen year of college, which only adds to the unavoidable stress of adjusting to college life. Most of these obsessions are heightened in the dining hall, where the cooking processes and the nutrition facts of your meals are complete mysteries.

The small portions never leave you full enough, but you often feel guilty for taking another plate. Something about eating two “meals” seems wrong. And yes, many people are able to see past these concerns. But for some, the little voice in their head is too loud to ignore.

One plate does not have to fill you up

Another problem many new college students face is the worry of consuming “empty calories.” These come from any food (or drink) that does not fill you up but has a ~high~ calorie count. The threat of “empty calories” keeps many people from going out on weekends, from grabbing that fro-yo with a new friend, and from those late-night Pita runs that produce the craziest memories.

On the other hand, this threat of “empty calories” can also lead to unsafe drinking, compromising your education and your health. And though you do not need to party to have a healthy social life, restricted eating habits do force students to opt out of many positive experiences due to food-related anxiety or even exhaustion from under-eating.

Oh noooooo!!!! Empty calories (oh well)

Lastly, you can’t go into college focused on your weight. It will most likely fluctuate, and that’s just an unavoidable side-effect of college life.

You’re on a new schedule, eating new foods, and may not be doing the same workouts as you once did. And while working out is a rewarding and worthwhile pastime, you do not need to spend every moment in the gym.

Hours spent on the elliptical will never measure up to a day out with your best friend.

Everything, including the gym, is fine in moderation

And like previously mentioned, the warnings you get about the freshmen 15 do not come with malintent. But the freshmen 15 shouldn’t be everyone’s main concern.

Incoming freshmen should be given warnings about maintaining body positivity, how to make healthy choices and how to de-stress. They have enough to be nervous about without the fear of what is a normal and okay part of life.

So fab and body positive!!!

It’s not fair that an entire population has to begin their journey into adulthood with the constant fear of weight gain.

College is all about creating a life for yourself and taking the most from the opportunities you are given.

You shouldn’t let a number on a scale dictate the best four years of your life.

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