How to Manage Your Weight While Studying Abroad
On top of grades and socializing, weight gain is another concern many university students have. So much so, in fact, that the “Freshmen 15” phenomenon is widely known and dreaded. Unfortunately, students are at risk of gaining up to 10 pounds in their first two years of university alone. For students abroad, though, there is a higher risk of gaining excess pounds. According to research on the effect of studying abroad on dietary changes, foreign students who struggled with acculturation to their new environments exhibited negative changes in their nutritional habits, which led them to consume meals high in fat and processed foods. Additionally, other studies show that students adopted the host country’s negative eating behaviors.
Now, while it’s not good to obsess over weight, gaining too much can lead to becoming overweight or even obese. The terms overweight vs obese represent distinct classifications of the body mass index (BMI), with a range of 25 to < 30 considered overweight, while those at 30 and above classified as obese. That being said, obesity is a progression of being overweight and poses a higher risk of further health complications. This includes serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes. However, for students, either of these issues can cause serious concerns like impaired mobility, decreased productivity, and a higher risk for depression. As such, it pays to know simple yet effective ways to handle weight gain. Here are a few tips that a student studying abroad can try:
Sleep in more
With all the excitement of being in a foreign country mixed in with your studies and social life, sleep may be the least of your worries. However, this shouldn’t be the case if you want to manage your weight properly. This is because sleep deprivation triggers changes in hormones like ghrelin and leptin, which increases your food cravings. With that in mind, lose weight naturally by squeezing in more sleep and moving up your bedtime to ensure you get the recommended seven to eight hours of quality sleep a night. This will help regulate your metabolism, energy, and hormones so you can burn fat more efficiently while also avoiding binges. As a matter of fact, a study shows that adults who were overweight ate 270 fewer calories each day after sleeping correctly.
Find a workout buddy
If you’re looking for things to do with your best friend, try making time for exercise. It’s challenging enough to muster the motivation to manage weight independently, so having a workout buddy can definitely help. Whether you and your buddy want to go running around campus, try yoga exercises in your dorm room, or head to the school facility or local gyms, the extra motivation will always help. In addition, exercising together will help you stay accountable for your fitness. In a foreign country, working out is also a great reason to explore more of the city and try out local classes.
Consume home-cooked meals
Understandably, cooking for yourself on top of your responsibilities can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be a chore. For starters, since cuisine is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in your host country’s culture, you can even try exciting cooking local dishes. Aside from this, you can also arrange cooking sessions with your friends. This can be a way for you all to bond and enjoy freshly cooked food with less additives. Doing so is much better than always resorting to pre-made meals. After all, the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to urge governments to promote healthy food in public facilities. This is because of studies that prove preventable diseases can result from excessive consumption of sodium, sugars, and trans fats — all of which are common ingredients in commercial eateries.
Don’t neglect your water intake
Your body is made of 70% water, which is vital to metabolic processes and moving waste materials. Surprisingly enough, not consuming enough of it will lead to water retention, which will make you bloat and binge more. Furthermore, dehydration causes your brain to misinterpret this thirst into feelings of hunger instead. On top of this, dehydration slows your metabolic rate to the point that it can lead to weight gain. To prevent this, bring a reusable water bottle wherever you go and be mindful of your water intake. This ensures you can easily take a drink no matter where you are. In some cities, there are also public fountains, so there is no reason why you can’t refill and hydrate.
