The most common New Year’s resolutions for 18 to 25-year-olds are to lose weight (31%), improve diet (33%), and improve fitness (49%). These aspirations for better physical health are only beaten by the goal of improving mental health (50%). Concrete markers and resources for actualizing your goal are key to following through on resolutions. College students may be especially interested in adjusting their diet and fitness because of the notorious “Freshman 15.” This expression is more of an exaggeration, as Rutgers found that 75% of college freshmen gained an average of seven pounds. College weight gain is due to a variety of factors: decreased physical activity, making the most of your meal plan, social drinking, and too little sleep, which are all common tendencies of students. While body mass index (BMI) is not the only important factor in overall health, it is a significant predictor for heart failure, with a five-point increase in BMI corresponding to a 32% increase in the risk of heart failure.
Diet is a much more significant factor in weight loss and overall fitness than an impressive exercise plan. While weight loss ultimately comes down to calories in minus calories out, the more difficult part is picking satisfying foods to maintain a caloric deficit. It’s best to start by estimating how many calories you need for homeostasis. Counting calories is not always feasible, especially with pre-portioned campus meals, but being mindful of how many servings you eat in a day and the approximate macronutrients you consume can give valuable insight into where your diet is lacking. The printed serving size can also be misleading because a serving size is based on “the amount of food people typically consume, rather than how much they should consume… [Based on] nationwide surveys of the amounts of foods Americans eat, the serving size for soda has changed from 8 ounces to 12 ounces.” The ratio of macronutrients will determine how full and satisfied you’ll feel from a meal; if your meal is mostly protein, you will feel more full than an equivalent amount of calories in carbs. For a heart-healthy diet, increase the number of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat proteins, and decrease salt, saturated, and trans fats.
The timing of your meals can also make controlling your diet easier. Northwestern Medicine suggests spacing out meals evenly to avoid overeating, putting 4 to 5 hours between meals. Often, we skip breakfast because we aren’t hungry, though this trains your body “not to send hunger signals at that time because they have long been ignored. Your body needs energy in the morning, so fuel it accordingly.” There are other options for timing your meals around your classes, a recent fad being Intermittent Fasting, though the best diet is the one that you’ll stick to. If you find yourself hungry while fasting and going for a snack, this will not be sustainable for weight loss or overall health. It’s also important to time your meals around exercise. Eating less than two hours before a workout, especially a high-intensity workout, may cause nausea and indigestion. Fasted training is an option, but it’s important to eat protein and carbs soon after your workout to refuel.
Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio, is the best workout for improving your heart health. These workouts focus on endurance and breathing control, aerobic meaning “with oxygen,” and include activities like walking, biking, swimming, dancing, and yoga. Cardio is recommended 30 minutes per day, five to seven times per week, which can seem unattainable for many college students. Any amount of daily exercise will be beneficial to your health, and people trying to implement workouts into their routine should choose activities that they find interesting and enjoyable. The only way you will see progress is if you maintain your exercise somewhat regularly, and the easiest way to do it is to actually enjoy working out and eating healthy. Easier said than done.
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