The best way to avoid the "Freshman 15," where students gain at least 15 pounds, is to have a balanced and healthy lifestyle by eating healthy whole foods and getting exercise regularly. Exercising can be in the form of walking to class instead of taking the bus or going to the gym regularly. My focus will be on working out and exercising.
Since it is currently winter and freezing cold outside, it was almost -40 degrees Celsius with windchill today, I personally try to go to the gym regularly and avoid walking and running outside. However, during the Fall and Spring semesters, I will try to get in some cardio by either walking or running to and from campus if I have the time to.
When I go to the gym, I do my thing and work on strengthening and conditioning myself. I get into my zone and get the workout done safely and as fast as possible. It is important to have a plan and a workout planned out for the next 30 minutes to 2 hours. Is it leg day? Bench? Deadlifts? Squats? Know what you have to do, what weight you will start off at and work up to, how many sets, and how many reps so that you're not standing around looking for what to do next. You want to move from one exercise to the next quickly. You want to keep your heart rate up and your blood pumping. Most importantly, know your limit, stop if something isn't right, don't hesitate to ask for help, and you don't want this to be your last workout ever. A small injury can set you back months of progress and cause problems for you in the future. I really like the statements posted in Columbia Ice Field (CIF) above the mirrors, they are a constant reminder for patrons to stay safe so that they can return another workout the following day.
I really like going to the gym, I can pop my earbuds in and isolate myself from everyone else and think with a clear mind, or I can meet new people, it really depends on my mood on what I end up doing. It is a great atmosphere as everyone is working towards a similar goal and its a great way to decompress all that stored up stress and anger for this and that course.
Something you see a lot of people at the gym using are supplements. They may be drinking their pre-workout, protein shake, or a concoction of multiple supplements. I personally stick with protein shakes most of the time before and after a workout. I have used creatine, BCAAs, and pre-workouts but nothing really beats the versatility and simplicity of a good ole protein shake. Also, I am kind of lazy too, I've been forgetting to buy more creatine and BCAAs. :) I usually stock up on whey protein powder since I often use them as meal replacements as well. So, if I am coding all night and I miss a meal, I'd shake up a protein shake and drink that instead of heading over to McDonalds or to the pizza parlour. If I am in a rush in the morning, I'd pop 2 scoops into my shaker bottle and shake up a protein shake that would last me all morning until noon to just after 1 PM or so.
The 2 most popular types of whey protein powder are concentrate and isolate. The main differences between the two are the speed at which the body absorbs either and the percentage of protein by mass. Isolates take more processing to make than concentrates and due to the process which they make whey protein, isolates are absorbed by your body faster than concentrates would be. Also, isolates are at least 90% protein per gram, that is, at least 27g of protein per 30 g serving of whey protein isolate. Whereas, concentrates are about 80% protein per gram, that is, about 24 g of protein per 30 g serving.
I typically stick with concentrates since they are a lot cheaper than isolates and I time when I drink my shake so that my body can and will process the protein when it needs it.
I recommend avoiding the big name brands like ON Gold Standard since they are way too over priced. Last I checked, ON Gold Standard whey protein concentrate was about $80 to $100 plus tax for 5 lb I think. I order my whey protein here, CanadianProtein.com, they ship from Windsor, Ontario I believe and have free shipping for orders over $99. It took me about 2 business days to receive my order here in Waterloo. I bought three 5 lb packages of whey protein concentrate for just under $40 each, so my total came out to just under $120 plus taxes. They also have bulk protein powder in 25 lb and 45 lb packaging, perfect for sharing with your roommates. Each pound is about 15 servings which works out to about $0.53 per serving for the 5 lb bags and even less for the bulk packages.
Whey protein powder that I use: www.canadianprotein.com
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