As college students, we usually know what to expect when the holidays roll around: piles of homework, Christmas carols, finals, Christmas lights everywhere, crazy shoppers and piles and piles of fatty foods. Once the semester is over and we’re done fighting the crowds to get the latest technology as a gift for a family member, friend or significant other, however, we ponder how we are going to survive the holidays without re-gaining the freshman fifteen we worked so hard to lose.
How exactly do we avoid gaining weight during the holidays then, especially after enduring the stress leading up to finals week? According to some extremely reliable sources, the best way to avoid gaining weight is to avoid caring about it.
“It’s literally impossible to avoid gaining weight during the holidays,” said sophomore Mady Martin. “It’s cold outside, so all the majority of people want to do is drink hot chocolate and eat whatever dessert is near them. No one wants to go outside to exercise.”
Martin also said it’s not just the frigid temperatures that make it impractical to avoid gaining weight during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“With many of us gathering twice in about a month’s time with our families and stuffing our faces with meat, stuffing, mash potatoes and a wide array of pies and cookies, it’s no wonder we gain weight,” said Martin. “We’re encouraged to eat tons of food with all the cooking and baking that happens this time of year.”
With a different tactic to not gaining weight, sophomore Hazel Brooks has some interesting advice to help college students deal with the issue of holiday weight gain.
“Move as little as possible,” said Brooks. “Also, eat as much as you can. It’s always worked for me.”
While Brooks knows the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, she admits that the battle between weight and food is one a college student can’t win during the holidays (unless you have a very strong will power).
“The holidays are about celebration and treating yourself and others,” said Brooks. “Besides, is it really the holidays if you don’t eat until you can’t move anymore?”
Regardless of what traditions you employ during the holidays, one thing’s for certain: a large part of the holiday season centers around food.
Disclaimer: The majority of the advice given and comments made in this article should NOT be taken seriously by anybody. This was solely for the entertainment of the SNU community.
[author image=”https://drive.google.com/thumbnail?id=0BzUPfa-vNtHwN2RXSGN1NDRxYjA&authuser=0&v=1409347068124&sz=w1248-h559″ ]Summer Howard, Guest Contributor <br> Summer is a sophomore English Education major and Christian romance author from Yukon, Oklahoma. Her first book, No Matter What, was published in September of last year. She is currently working on her next book while attending Southern Nazarene University. [/author]