I started college in pretty good shape.
I had always enjoyed outdoor activities, playing YMCA soccer as a kid, and I was a natural for the track team in high school, participating all four years. But like most college freshmen, I faced a host of distractions, from classes to clubs to parties and dating. I just didn’t have time to devote to physical fitness or nutrition. It wasn’t long before I started to notice a change, in my body and in myself. My poor diet and lack of exercise and sleep began to take their toll. I began to put on weight and I suffered from feelings of fatigue and disorder. By the time I finished out my freshman year I had gained more than the fabled freshman fifteen and going home for the summer was a prospect that filled me with dread. I was embarrassed by how I had let myself go.
I went through all kinds of rationalizations for not taking care of myself, but I kept coming back to the same conclusion…my health was my responsibility and no one else’s.
As soon as I got home, I resolved to change my habits for the better and find a way to get back in shape and keep it up. I joined my parents’ gym, but found exercise machines boring and repetitive. I even tried some classes, but I felt like everyone was watching me and the complicated routines just made me frustrated. Eventually, I fell back on jogging, and even though it was harder than it had been just a year previous, it felt like coming home. So, huffing and puffing my way back into shape, I ended up losing ten pounds over the summer. I also started to dabble in weight lifting, something my older brother had been into for years. With his help, I found a routine that worked for me and returned to school in the fall armed with a few sets of hand weights to continue my routine (and some muscles I never knew I had!). Plus, I found out that my school had a running club, which I joined. I had forgotten how much fun it was to jog with friends.
I also made an effort to eat better, although it was hard living on campus. I’ve always been a big fan of fried foods, so I couldn’t give them up entirely, but I did start trying to work some fruits and vegetables into every meal. I also found out that the smoothie place near campus made freshly juiced veggie drinks, which really helped me get in my daily servings without actually having to eat vegetables. Beyond that, my mom had suggested that I start a food journal, but I have to admit, I didn’t really follow through. She is practically religious about writing down what she eats, but it was too much work for me and I didn’t even last a week before my journal ended up under the bed, never to be seen again. Frankly, I don’t think I should have to keep track of what I eat if I’m feeling good, so while I attempt to get all the foods I need, I don’t sweat it too much unless I start to feel run-down.
In any case, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be to build healthy habits in college. As long as I worked it into my schedule, I was able to find time to exercise. And although there were certainly times when I fell off the wagon, it pretty much just motivated me to work even harder. I feel like if I can do it, anyone can. I just had to search a little to find out what worked for me, and I’m still open to trying new things, but at least I know I have something to fall back on if all else fails.
Thomas Warren is a content writer for Go College, one of the oldest and most trusted resources to guide students on how to finance and succeed in college.
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