There are three “F” words that are vehemently disliked in college: Finals and the Freshman Fifteen. While finals are inevitable, the freshman fifteen is not. Luckily, Iowa State provides countless resources for students to stay healthy and active. Preventing the scale from creeping upwards isn’t about deprivation, it’s about finding something that works and enjoying it. The benefits of good health span past the physical perks and into mental and emotional benefits. Feel better and look better, who doesn’t want that?

1. Cut out soda. Seriously, cut it out. From all of the coffee shops on campus to making a seven dollar investment in a Nalgene, the possibilities for cutting out junk calories without nixing flavor are endless. Considering going on a “diet soda diet”? Don’t. The artificial sweeteners in diet sodas trigger hunger and the production of belly fat. Consider buying sparkling water if you need that old familiar fizz. Otherwise, water is the best thing that you can give your body.
   

2. Budget a “walking allowance” into your daily schedule. Know the time that it takes to walk from the dorms to class and start trekking. Natural movement will not only increase your energy levels for the day, it will also provide a short reflection time that can be hard to find in the midsts of the daily tangle of classes and activities.
   

3. Find an activity that creates a sense of accomplishment and stick to it. There is an activity for every student to excel in from Muggle Quidditch to wrestling and cycling. Getting involved in an activity provides scheduled (fun!) exercise and an opportunity to meet other students with similar interests. Find the complete list of Sports Clubs on the Iowa State website http://www.recservices.iastate.edu/clubs/index.
   

4. It is easy to get caught in the lure of fad diets and binging when it seems like there is no time to plan. Instead of becoming overwhelmed and defeated find the happy medium that is best for you. Apply the simple rule of 80/20. Eat clean eighty percent of the time. (Think: If an ingredient isn’t something that you can hunt or grow for yourself, avoid it.) Give yourself the other twenty percent to enjoy that treat that you’ve been craving all week.
   

4. Build a support system. Find other students that share the same goals as you and make your health fun. Instead of ordering pizza and going on a movie bender, grab your tennis shoes and a few friends for a game of tag football or invite someone on your dorm floor to a yoga class between classes.