"How To"... Avoid the Freshman 15
The Freshman 15…
You’ve probably heard rumors about how all freshman gain weight when they come to college; however, this is definitely avoidable!!!
1. EAT HEALTHY FOOD!
Even though it is tempting to eat pancakes covered in FroYo for breakfast every morning, show a bit of restraint. The Fresh Food Café has super delicious and healthy options. The salad bar is fantastic and the fruit selection is great.
Also, make healthy snack choices. With the addition of Charles Street Market—a small grocery store on campus—it is super easy to get healthier food to snack on. Try the sliced mango, and don't forget to check out the organic food section in the back.
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2. GO TO THE GYM!
The Ralph S. O'Connor Recreation Center has a ton to offer! There is a great workout room stocked full of treadmills, bikes, ellipticals and Stairmasters. Downstairs there is a weight room that boasts both free weights and weight machines. The varsity athletes have their own workout areas, so the athletic center rooms are always available for general use.
There is also an indoor track—great for running when it’s snowing outside. Downstairs there are basketball courts and squash courts. It is really easy to checkout equipment for both of these activities
You alway have the chance to take fitness classes at the Gym; classes like Sunrise Yoga, Strippercize and Spinning. You can buy a semester long pass for only 25$ and the classes are really fun and get your heart rate up.
Don't forget to also learn to Rock Climb! The Rec. Center has a HUGE climbing wall and cave. Climbing is super fun and a great workout—it’s like doing cardio and weights at once.
3. PLAY A (NEW) SPORT
Ever wanted to try Tae Kwon Do? Fencing? Crew? Well you can—and you should. Hopkins has a ton of club sports from the classics like Soccer and Lacrosse to Capoeira and Brazilian Jujitsu.
You should also consider playing Intramurals. Traditionally the most popular is Innertube Water Polo. They are really fun and a great way to bond with your floor, house, sorority or fraternity, or a general group of friends.
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4. SPEND A WEEKEND ON A JHOC or OP TRIP!
Hiking, Kayaking, Canoeing and climbing are ALL great workouts and really fun ways to meet new people. There are day trips and weekend long trips--you can be a beginner and trips are fun and really easy to sign up for. Both groups will give you gear if you don't have your own. Special perk of Johns Hopkins Outdoor Club trips is that all their trips are free!
Essentially, it's pretty easy to keep from gaining the Freshman 15. Just make sure that you don't load up on chips and ice cream and try to do something active at least a few times a week. Have fun and try new things -- that's what college is for!
Now Enjoy this special Top Ten List Top Ten:
Nifty Spots to Exercise On-Campus: Getting creative is good, especially when it comes to exercise. Here are 10 nifty spots to exercise on campus.
- Obviously, the Rec. Center
- Walking to class (or running to class when you are 15 minutes late)
- Typing a paper
- The workout room in Charles Commons
- The stairs in Gilman
- The lacrosse field (cheering and playing are both exhilarating)
- Sports practice
- Running around campus
- Playing on the Upper Quad
- Ultimate Frisbee on the Freshman Quad at midnight