On the sixth day of Christmas, The CollegeBound Network gave to me…

SIX-PACK ABS FOR FLAUNTIN’

I’m fairly certain that I’m not the only one who has made losing weight one of her New Year’s resolutions. And for those of you who already look like David Beckham or Heidi Klum, chances are you’d like to stay that way. But if you are a college student, keeping fit is often easier said than done.

Yes, Virginia, there is something called The Freshman 15. It’s not an urban legend, nor is gaining weight confined to your freshman year. You can deny it all you want, but you need to realize that bad choices in the cafeteria plus all those late-night pizza deliveries can really wreak havoc on your waistline.

It’s hard to become a health nut overnight when you’ve been a junk-food junkie all your life. So that’s why slow and steady wins the race when it comes to losing weight and getting fit and healthy. You can start making better choices in the care, like choosing grilled food over fried, and hitting up the salad bar a few times a week (go easy on the creamy dressings).

As for exercise–well, most campuses make it pretty easy, thanks to their state-of-the-art fitness centers, some of which rival the ones the pros use. Got a phobia of the gym? Set your alarm clock a few minutes early and take the long way to class, or refresh yourself between classes and take a lap or two around the quad.

And, of course, if you are looking to get those six-pack abs, go easy on the keg parties. It’s not called a beer belly for nothing.

–Barbara Bellesi