Freshman year, I felt invincible. The freedom to study, socialize, sleep, eat and essentially do whatever you want, when you want is new and exciting.

The adjustment to balancing school, social life and activities can be overwhelming, and working out often gets left out during times of stress. So over the course of my freshman and sophomore year I gained 15 pounds, and spent this summer losing all of it.

I didn’t go on a crazy diet or anything — I ate what I wanted in the proper portions and did the P90X workout regularly. I had to work hard to get my fitness back to where it was before freshman year.  Here are some ways of avoiding the freshman 15 entirely.

Get started early. Find three to five gaps in your schedule to go to the gym or go for a run. If you try to go before your 10 a.m. class, finding a machine at Archbold or Ernie could be impossible. Avoid the work out rush hour by heading to Marshall Square Mall Fitness Center. The facility has the same machines but less people, and you can treat yourself to Jimmy John’s after. Marion Hall also has a fitness center that is smaller, but you are much more likely to find a free machine.

If you live on the Mount and don’t want to travel further than Archbold, consider the option of reserving an elliptical or treadmill on SU’s recreation services website. Find the time that works best in your schedule, and just reserve a machine a few hours or a day before your workout to get into a great routine.

Breakfast should be more than just coffee, and don’t skip dinner or lunch because you want to drink heavily that night. Skipping out on important meals will have the reverse effect of what you want. You will not have the energy needed for a sufficient, effective workout or for studying. Though alcohol ranges in calorie count, it is important to balance your drinking and diet.

Going on the elliptical for 20 minutes is better than nothing but that can get boring. Take the initiative and sign up for a one-credit physical education class. Most meet for 45 minutes, twice a week and then two workouts are already built into your week. There are plenty of options, from Zumba, to belly dancing, to weight training classes. Classes range in difficulty levels, so there is no excuse not to try it out.

Syracuse has a club for nearly everything, so consider going to a Weight Watchers meeting each week. They meet on Wednesdays at noon in the Hall of Languages. There is also a Wellness Learning Community in Haven Hall for this school year.  If you played a sport in high school, consider joining a club or intramural. Club teams travel and are a great way to stay in shape and meet people early on in the year. Intramural teams are more relaxed and often are free or have a small fee.

If you are really looking to get into shape, team up with a personal trainer through SU. Start off with a free consultation and 30-minute workout, and then consider training packages starting at $115. The list goes on — look at the recreation services website to find the perfect workout routine for you.

At the end of the day, making smart choices now will help you avoid a struggle later on. Be confident in yourself and get into a healthy routine to start the year out right.

Published on August 27, 2014 at 12:01 am