You may have heard of something called “The Freshman 15,” which translates into those 15 pounds that some college freshmen gain from over indulging in dining halls buffets (and perhaps some drinks at frat parties!), their first year away from home. We recently spoke to a junior at Bloomsburg University, Kristen Fallon, and she relies on the EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale to help keep the pounds off and avoid the unwanted weight gain. Kristen, and her three roommates, leave their EatSmart Digital Bathroom Scale strategically placed in their bathroom, their weapon of choice to track and maintain their weight. “The scale is very useful because there is no other place on campus to weigh yourself, so having this scale really helps keep us on track.”

With the four girls being in a Sorority, they have many responsibilities and are always on the go, so eating healthy is not always their first priority. “Being away at school and having a meal plan makes losing weight hard but having our EatSmart scale definitely helps us maintain a healthy weight by losing a few pounds, when needed.”

College students have a very hectic and demanding schedule and keeping themselves healthy is very important in order to:

• keep their grades up
• make their parents not have to worry about a dramatic change in their child’s weight
• feel good both physically and mentally and get the most out of their college experience

Here are some tips to help avoid the Freshman 15:

1. Walk or bike everywhere. If you’re away at college and living on campus, chances are everything is within walking distance. A few extra walking minutes each day really adds up.
2. Eat as healthy as you can; choose water over soda and always try to eat balanced meals with fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean proteins.
3. Try to avoid late night snacking. When you just need to eat a “ little something” during those late night study sessions, think yogurt with fruit, hummus with carrots instead of calorie dense snack foods like chips and cookies.
4. 10 – 20 minutes of exercise is all you need sometimes; push-ups, sit-ups, planks, squats and lunges can all be done right in your dorm room.
5. For Parents. When sending “care” packages try to send healthy options - and avoid baked goods. All that sugar is too tempting to have sitting around in your dorm room.

What tips do you have to help college students avoid weight gain? Tweet to us @eatsmartscales.