Freshman 15: Aching to Lose Your Extra College Weight

It's almost that time again, my fellow college students. Winter break is only a month away. Soon you'll be back home sharing college stories with Mom and Dad. The one story you won't want to share is how you gained 15 pounds. The pizza, burgers and soda has come back to haunt you around your stomach. Unfortunately there are no quick fixes to help you lose the weight before break starts. You might lose the weight during break, but then you'll just regain it during the spring. However, if for spring semester you take the time and small efforts, you can begin shed pounds and KEEP the weight off. As someone who already has lost my freshman 15 and kept the pounds off, I am here to help you.

Chocolate Cravings
Like many others, I have a chocolate addiction. Many of my former diets were broken over a slice of chocolate cake. As long as chocolate existed it seemed as if no diet would last. I found three solutions for my chocaholic problem. A) Chocolate milk-this is good for small cravings, and it is extremely healthy. Don't buy the triple fudge brownie chocolate milk. Regular chocolate milk is fine. B) Chocolate granola or cereal works, but I prefer granola because the two tastes together are scrumptious. C) Dark chocolate is best for strong cravings. Notice that I put "dark chocolate" and not "milk chocolate." There is a vast difference between the two. One is good for you, and the other makes you fat. Not to mention, dark chocolate has a slightly bitter taste which is less addictive than milk chocolate. With milk chocolate, one candy bar is never enough!

Vegetarian Weeks
On the weeks you miss your goal or cheat, make the following week a vegetarian week. Taking the meat out of your diet cuts a lot of fat and calories. It also eliminates a large source of protein. I replace the protein with milk and nuts. I used vegetarian week as a form of punishment for cheating on my diet and to get me back on track. Just remember that a healthy vegetarian does more than cut the meat out, they also eat lots of fruits and veggies. So eating Funyuns for breakfast lunch and dinner doesn't count.