It’s a fact that college life does cause major damage to health and puts too many unwanted pounds on college students. Most college students crack jokes on “how to gain weight fast” as gaining weight in college is a serious issue. So don’t be afraid of questioning “how to lose weight in college”.
A recent study found that about 60% of college students gain weight during college. In fact, most of the weight gain happens during the first semester or first year in college generally due to a drastic lifestyle change. However, the fact is that the weight gain may persist well beyond the first year in college and stays on for the entire four years of campus life.
Recent research studies suggest students gain an average of 15 to 30 pounds by college graduation. However each year the portion of overweight students in class increases from 15% to 25% and body fat composition, and waist circumference increase with the weight.
Here are some main reasons behind weight gain,
- Severe lifestyle changes
- Late-night study
- Lack of sleep
- Inactivity
- Unhealthy eating(unhealthy junk foods, sugary drinks, etc.)
- Busy campus life
How to Lose Weight in College?
It’s super easy to gain weight in college, and you have to do a lot to lose weight in college. So for the question of how to lose weight in college, here are 10 healthy ways college students can avoid gaining weight and lose weight during college life.
1. Stay Hydrated
Water will not only make you feel fuller but also help you keep hydrated. It also boosts our metabolism by 20 to 25% over a period of more than an hour, which could help you burn additional calories, especially before exercise.
It’s a fact that our body is made of 60% water, from which the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the skin contains 64% of water. The lungs contain 83% of water and the muscles and kidneys’ water content is 79%.
An average adult male needs about 3 liters of water, and the average adult female needs about 2.2 liters per day.
2. Use Stairs
It’s a common fact that losing weight at home to lose weight in college is all about burning calories. So taking stairs a couple of times a day is one of the easiest ways to burn those extra calories. in addition taking stairs also helps in strengthening and toning up your legs and glutes muscles.
Certain experiment shows, walking up the stairs at a moderate speed burns about 4 to 5 calories per minute for a 120-pound person and 9 to 10 calories a minute for a 180 pounds person.
3. Exercise With A Partner
While some prefer to exercise alone, however, I suggest doing this with others. As per facts, we perform aerobic activities like running and cycling better when we exercise with a partner.
So try to hit the gym with a friend, coworker, or partner. It will also increase your accountability and performance.
So grab a buddy and start doing exercises like push-ups, planks, and squats. You can even challenge your partner to get effective results.
4. Eat More Fiber
We all know that getting exaction nutrition during college years is a difficult task to achieve. But it’s not impossible. Try to switch from junk foods and start taking high-fiber foods like pears, avocado, and brussels sprouts. These foods not only provide you with enough nutrition but also help you feel fuller longer than before.
Studies have shown that consuming high-fiber foods helps you control and better manage your weight over the long term.
5. Healthy Snacks
You must have heard people saying don’t skip breakfast, add another line to your health dictionary:
Healthy breakfast is the key to a healthy lifestyle and a healthy life.
Healthy snacking also helps keep your metabolism and blood sugar at an optimal level. Snacking between meals is also a great way to avoid hunger. In fact, staying too long without eating is actually not healthy for your body.
This is why having healthy snacks is necessary for better health. It also helps in curb cravings, fights weight gain, regulates mood swings, boosts brain power, and gives you the energy you need to keep going for a complete day.
Also, try to remember that sugary snacks and junk can easily sabotage all the hard work you have put in to lose weight in college. They are tempting, however, they can damage your metabolism, blood sugar, and cardiovascular health.
6. Get More Sleep
Don’t get tempted by late-night movie watches or parties as this will impact your health badly. For those who don’t know, a good night of sleep is of one of the keys to maintaining a healthy weight. Numerous people underestimate the advantages of a good night’s sleep, especially when it comes to losing weight.
Research have shown that poor sleep heavily increases the risk of obesity in both adults and children.
7. Drink Green Tea, Black Coffee
Second to water Tea is the widely most consumed beverage in the world. Some surveys even show that it is the second most consumed beverage and can be found in almost 75 percent of all U.S. households.
Green tea offers ample health boosters packed with antioxidants called catechins, which are thought to work together with caffeine to make the body more effective at burning fat.
Coffee and pharmaceutical researchers have non-stop ongoing connections. So let’s face the fact; a black cup of coffee without sugar and creamer is nothing but a cup full of antioxidants with countless health benefits.
Some studies show that the caffeine found in coffee can help boost your metabolism by 4 to 10%, and increase your body’s ability to burn fat by 10 to 20%.
8. Limit Fruit Juice
If you want to put on weight then fruit juice may be the easiest option on the note but if you want to lose weight then stop consuming it.
You might think that fruit juice is better for you than a sugary snack, but a study shows that sugar in liquid form is actually worse for the body than in solid form. So I will advise consuming fruits in raw form.
9. Stop Consuming Unhealthy Carbs And Sugars
To become stay healthy you need to first cut back on unhealthy carbs and sugars. Foods like pastries, white bread, and pasta are called simple carbs. These foods aren’t packed with the same nutrients found in complex carbohydrates.
However, they may provide you with quick energy for an hour or more. So if you are still thinking about how to lose weight in college then cut back on eating simple carbs, and you’ll start to lose weight.
Also Read:
- How To Lose Belly Fat Fast: 5 Amazing Tips To Follow
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- 11 Amazing Fat Burning Foods For Belly To Eat From Today
- Apple Cider Vinegar For Weight Loss: Does It Actually Work? Facts & Advantages
10. Join Aerobic Classes
Cardio has its own place in weight loss and weight gain prevention. Cardio (aerobic exercise) is a key to burning calories and improving your overall health, even more so than weight training.
In fact, aerobic exercise is one of the best exercise methods for getting rid of annoying love handles and losing weight around the belly. Belly fat is linked to metabolic disturbances, the risk of cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. So try to add more cardio to your weekly activity by joining an aerobics class.