We have all heard of the “Freshman 15,” the weight that (what seems like) every new college student gains. There are several ways you can start to develop good habits and stay healthy to keep that weight off.

Wellness Center

Attend fitness classes at the Wellness Center. They’re easy and fun ways to get exercise.

You can find a schedule of all the classes on the Wellness Center page of the SDState website or at the Wellness Center.

You’re also paying for your membership to the Wellness Center through your tuition. So you might as well get something out of it.

Try intramurals

The Wellness Center also has individual and team intramural activities, for recreational sports. Some sports include volleyball, soccer, broomball, dodgeball and ultimate frisbee.

One-credit class

There are a number of health and fitness classes that are just one credit that can be found in the course catalog, such as yoga.

Buying for one

When you shop off campus, find items that won’t go bad quickly. While your mom bought in bulk at Costco, food goes bad faster when only you eat it.

Choose healthy options

With your meal plan, there’s no one around to tell you “no” when you go to Chick-Fil-A for the fifth day in a row.

That’s not to say, of course, that there aren’t healthy options at Chick-Fil-A. They have salads, and if you do want to get a chicken sandwich, the grilled option is your best choice.

Larson Commons

There are so many options at Larson’s, a buffet style dining location. The trick is choosing the right thing and staying away from high fat and high sodium options.