How To Avoid the Freshman 15

When everyone else dives into the chips, opt for air-popped popcorn—three cups has only 90 calories. And try shaking on hot sauce instead of salt and butter—you’ll be surprised how tasty it is.

Keep licorice and jelly beans around to satisfy your sweet tooth—they’re fat free. But they’re still chock-full of sugar, so don’t gorge.

Make your coffeehouse favorite an herbal tea instead of your usual double grande almond mocha latte with extra whipped cream.

Exercise at least a few times a week—anything that gets your heart pumping for 30 minutes or more will do, whether it’s playing ultimate Frisbee or just running late to class.

When the gang gets pizza or fried chicken, blot your pieces with paper napkins. You’ll be amazed at how much grease you can remove—at 14 grams of fat and 120 calories per tablespoon!

Let’s be honest—the biggest threat to your weight may well come from one thing: beer. A 12 oz. can contains anywhere from 110 to 200 calories, so if you tap the keg more than a few times, it adds up—fast!