How to be fit at Uni when all the odds are against you.

Follow these five basic rules to keep fit:

1. Join a sports team. Your university will have a team for every sport, think: netball, softball, rugby and lacrosse. And if they don’t have a team already set up for your dream sport, you can always start your own.

2. Get your five-a-day. You might not believe it, but fresh fruit and veg is cheaper than a ready meal or frozen pizza, according to new research. Plus, canned or frozen varieties of fruit and veg count in your recommended intake, so you can mix the two up. Stats show that people aged 16-24 are least likely to get their recommended five portions of fruit and veg a day, but this is putting them at risk of serious long-term health problems such as stroke and cancer. Check out these recipe recommendationsto get your five-a-day fix, and try to eat the colours of the rainbow so your meals not only look pretty but are nutritionally balanced too.

3. Drink water. The NHS Eatwell Guide suggests six to eight glasses of fluid per day. It’s best to chug down drinking water where possible, although milk, soft drinks and tea and coffee do count towards your intake. Foods such as soups and stews, which have lots of water added during preparation, also are a clever way of getting lots of water down you.

4. Get outdoors. Just going for a walk and listening to your favourite podcast to escape the library or your student digs can do you a world of good. Going for a brisk walk or jog can ease stress and anxiety too, as it activates soothing neurons in the brain that help dull these feelings.

5. Join the campus gym. They’ll be sure to have a wide range of classes. And if yoga or circuits isn’t quite your thing, why not ask an instructor for some advice on how to use the equipment properly?