Going to college for the first time can be a very stressful change in a person’s life. It is usually the first time he or she is allowed to do things without parental consent, and there are so many new things to experience besides classes that regular diet and exercise seem to get in the way. Every year magazines and websites promote the best ways to keep fit during your first year of college and beyond, but do the tips they suggest actually work? Here are four tips that will help guide you through that first year.
1. Make time for meals. Eating three meals a day is important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It also helps you concentrate better in classes. A study by the American Dietetic Association in 2009 suggested that most young adults, ages 18-25, enjoyed sitting down to a healthy meal for the social aspect it provides, but 42 percent of females and 35 percent of males lacked the time to actually sit and eat. College students are always on the run and your eating habits usually reflect your class schedule. Making time for healthy meals and snacks can really help you throughout a busy day.
2. Walk or bike to class, and everything else. If you live on campus you really don’t have much choice but to walk or ride your bike to classes, but walking or biking to sporting events and other school sponsored activities will help you keep the pounds off. In a study by the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers found that the closer the cafeteria was the more food students would eat. Making a point to walk to the cafeteria farther from you will help you not eat as much.
3. Stay hydrated. Drinking water is very important, especially during the summer months when temperatures can get fairly high. Many studies suggest that drinking water everyday will help you lose weight as well as keep you hydrated. Our bodies are made up of approximately 60-70 percent water, so every time we sweat we lose part of that, drinking more water helps us maintain a healthy body.
4. Check out your college gym. Keeping a regular exercise plan is also very important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle during college. Many universities and colleges have gyms that students are welcome to use. Fees for the usage of the gyms are usually added to tuition or other fees so that all students can have access to the exercise equipment and exercise space.
Having fun in college is also part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but making sure that you keep yourself physically fit will ensure that you can focus and do well in everything that you do.