Combat Back-to-School Chub

For me, the return of classes, exams, club meetings, and late-night studying leads to the return of something else I could do without—unwanted pounds.

By Candy

Especially as a commuter, I’m often only home early in the morning and late at night, when all I want is some comfort food and a red bull before I crack open the books.

My gym card sits snugly in my wallet, unused and unwanted, and the Wendy’s drive-thru employees know be my name, and any semblance of a workout routine and healthy eating habits become a fond memory.

This year, however, after many years of trial-and-error, I plan on keeping my waistline in check. Here’s how you can do the same during your busy semester:

Pack your lunch. No Power Rangers lunch box required—Tupperware and a brown paper bag will do. Go grocery shopping when you have a free hour and buy healthy lunch meats, bread, fruit, and granola bars. Sounds easy, right? Well, the trick to making this work is packing as soon as your bring the groceries home, not when you’re guzzling down hot coffee on you way out the door with 7 minutes to spare before class.

Keep snacks handy. Stock up on small plastic Ziploc bags, dried fruits, nuts, pretzels, baby carrots, snack size candy, and other mini snacks. Keep a bunch of these bags at the ready in your fridge so you can throw a few in your purse before heading out the door. Almost anything you bring with you will be healthier than a giant Snickers and bottle of soda from the vending machine when you’re trying to silence your grumbling stomach during class.

Limit your time at the campus dining hall. Don’t think of your meal card as a pass for an all-day buffet. Don’t feel obligated to use all of the meals your card gives you on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis—it’s not worth the cash. You may feel like you’re saving money, but you’re doing nothing for your waistline.

Sneak in a quick workout. You don’t have to spend three hours running, lifting, heaving, and puffing to get a good workout. Got an hour to spare in between classes? Once or twice a week, use that time to pop over to your campus gym for a short jog or session on the elliptical. Don’t want to get all ready and sweaty before flirting with the guy sitting next to you in your next class? Just lift light dumbbells and do some stretching—it’s better than grabbing a slice of pizza to pass the time.

Be prepared. Throw your sneakers, a light t-shirt, and shorts in your oversize tote before you leave for class. Your workout gear weighing you down will remind you to head to the gym before you head back to the dorm, if only to make lugging your sneakers around all day worth it.

Sign up for a class. Sign up for a yoga or pilates class that meets once or twice a week. Once you’ve already paid ahead of time for a number of sessions, you’ll be more likely to actually show up, no excuses. Sign up with a friend or go alone and make new ones! Nothing beats bonding over the Freshman 15.