How to Avoid the "Freshman 15": A Comprehensive Guide to Healthy Living in College
The "Freshman 15" is a common term used to describe the weight gain that many students experience during their first year of college. While the exact amount of weight gained varies, studies suggest that the average is between 4 and 10 pounds. This weight gain can be attributed to a number of factors, including changes in eating habits, decreased physical activity, and increased stress. It's important to address these factors and develop healthy habits to avoid unwanted weight gain during your college years.
Is College Weight Gain Inevitable?
For years, incoming college students have been warned about the dreaded "Freshman 15" - the extra 15 pounds that so often accompany the first year at college. But is this a myth or reality? Truth be told, it's a bit of both. The bad news is that many college freshmen can expect to gain weight. The good news? The gain is generally less than 15 pounds.
Typical weight gain, studies show, is 4-10 pounds during the first year of college.
Studies on Freshman Weight Gain
Several studies have looked at weight gain among college freshmen, providing valuable insights into the phenomenon:
- A study at Auburn University found that only 5% of freshmen gained 15 pounds their first year.
- A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggested that the average female freshman gains 5 pounds in her first year.
- A study from Utah State University found that 25% of freshmen (both men and women) gained an average of 10 pounds during the first semester.
- A Rutgers University study found that 75% of study subjects gained weight -- an average of 7 pounds, from eating approximately 112 extra calories per day.
- Freshmen gained an average of 4.2 pounds during the first 12 weeks of school, according to a Cornell University study.
But even 4 extra pounds can add up. Weight gained during the freshman year can stick around for a student's entire college career - and beyond.
Read also: Scholarship controversies explained
Factors Contributing to Weight Gain
Transitioning to college life is a huge change. Freedom from parental supervision can lead to poor choices in everything from food to sleep, study, and partying habits. Researchers have identified several behaviors and environmental factors that contribute to weight gain among college students:
- Skipping breakfast: Skipping meals tends to lead to overeating later in the day. Research suggests that adolescents who don’t eat breakfast have an increased risk of becoming overweight or obese. If you skip this important meal, odds are you will be hungry later on in the morning and more likely to find yourself impulsively snacking on high-calorie food from a vending machine or college convenience store.
- Decreased physical activity: Many students may not get as much exercise as they did in high school.
- Overdoing all-you-can-eat dining: The variety of food choices on all-you-can-eat buffets can lead to overeating.
- Stress-triggered eating: College is also a time of change, and the stress of acclimating to school can trigger overeating. People sometimes eat in response to anxiety, homesickness, sadness, or stress, and all of these can be part of adapting to being away at school. A major lifestyle change, such as going off to college, can be stressful initially.
- Late-night pizza and other unhealthy snacks: Rather than going out for late-night fast food.
- Social drinking: For those that are over the age of 21, alcohol consumption alone provides hundreds of unnecessary calories and provide no nutrients to the body. And the behaviors that surround potential intoxication of excess unhealthy food consumption also add extra unnecessary calories.
- Lack of control over food preparation and choices.
- Too many high-calorie liquids: A 20-ounce bottle of soda, sports drink, energy drink, or sweetened coffee and teas can pack over 250 calories.
- Too little sleep: Insufficient sleep can cause an increase in the hunger-promoting hormone ghrelin and a decrease in the hunger-suppressing hormone leptin.
- Eating larger portions.
Strategies for Avoiding College Weight Gain
So how can you avoid college weight gain, whether it's the Freshman 15 or the Freshman 4? Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy weight:
Dietary Strategies
- Don't skip breakfast: Don't go to class without eating breakfast (Mom was right!). Rise and dine on a bowl of high-fiber, whole-grain cereal with skim milk.
- Plan your dining hall strategy: The variety of food choices on all-you-can-eat buffets can lead to overeating. So make a plan for how you'll navigate the unlimited bounty in the dining hall. Try to make the same kind of healthy choices at school that you ate at home.
- Learn more about healthy eating: Some universities have registered dietitians on staff that can assist students with healthier meal plans. Or take a nutrition course.
- Keep track of calories: Some university dining halls post the calorie value of foods, which can help you make wiser food decisions. Let your phone do the work and download MyFitness Pal.
- Start with a salad or soup: To keep your appetite in check, start lunch and dinner with a large salad or a bowl of broth-based vegetable soup. Eating a salad or vegetable soup before your lunch or dinner has been shown to help cut back on the calories consumed at the meal.
- Follow the MyPlate equation: Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, one-quarter with simply prepared lean meat or fish or plant protein (such as beans and legumes), and the last quarter with a whole grain. Next to the plate, include a source of low-fat or fat-free dairy, or a milk alternative.
- Limit desserts: Skip dessert at lunch, and indulge only at dinner with a small portion of a sweet treat.
- Drink plenty of water: Drink lots of water and other no-calorie beverages. Don’t drink your calories. Instead of loading up on the extra sugar and calories in an energy drink, opt for a black coffee or a tea and drink plenty of water.
- Stock your room with healthy snacks: Stock your room with healthy snacks to avoid those late-night pizza runs and vending machine attacks. Stockpile pouches of 100-calorie microwave popcorn on top of your microfridge, which is a perfect whole grain snack. Keep yogurt and string cheese inside the fridge for a healthy, protein-pack, calcium-rich snack. Plan a visit to your nearest grocery store or on-campus market to stock up on healthy snacks like protein bars, fruit and popcorn you can keep in your backpack or in your dorm room.
- Choose healthy options when eating out: Social situations are important for meeting new people on campus, and there can be a healthy balance when choosing to eat out. When we eat out, one of the main things to watch is the portion size. If you’re getting a full meal, eat slower and take the leftovers home for a meal the next day. If you are looking for budget-friendly options when you go out to eat, consider sharing an entrée with a friend and splitting the bill. Also, take your student ID with you everywhere and simply ask if they have a student discount.
- Swap unhealthy choices for better ones: Some easy swaps include: Drinking water and other healthy beverage choices instead of soda, Munching on veggies instead of French fries, Switching wheat bread for white bread, Opting for fruit instead of a heavy dessert.
- Eat to enjoy: Eat to satisfy and nourish your body, only order what you can finish, chew slower and savor the moment.
- Load up on veggies and lean proteins: Both of these supply our bodies with various nutrients that can help with healthy brain function. If choosing options from the salad bar seems like a test of its own to you, stick to this simple tactic: colors are key. Don’t like spinach? Don’t add it. Love avocado? Add it for a little healthy fat.
- Incorporate grains into your diet: Think of simple sandwiches with whole wheat or whole grain options. You not only get your grains in, but it’s also a great chance to include some veggies and protein as well.
- Store dairy properly: If you like morning cereal, to ensure your milk has the most vitamin content, try to buy low-fat milk in opaque containers, which protect it from the light. Eggs should be kept in their carton, on a lower shelf. This helps guard them against the loss of carbon dioxide and moisture. For a tasty breakfast option, throw some eggs in a microwavable bowl with a few choices of vegetables like peppers or broccoli, top with a little mozzarella, and bam! Storing dairy in your fridge is a great way to have easy access to vitamin D and calcium to help build and maintain healthy bones. If a glass at breakfast doesn’t sound like your “cup of tea,” try unsweetened almond milk fortified with calcium as an alternative.
- Choose healthy snacks: Celery is a great, low-carb snack when added with peanut butter for a little protein. Carrots and peppers are also great options; pair either of these with hummus for a nutritious afternoon snack.
Lifestyle Adjustments
- Watch out for weekends: Try to stick to a schedule of regular eating and physical activity rather than indulging in excess eating and drinking all weekend.
- Join the university gym: Join the university gym, sign up for a fitness class, and walk all around campus.
- Find ways to move: "Take the stairs instead of the elevator". Lace up your sneakers and release some of the emotional stresses of college life on the walking path around campus or on the treadmill rather than in the dining hall. Even better, join one of BU’s intramural sports programs. You’ll not only be physically moving, but will also be connecting with your peers who are in the same boat as you.
- Get enough exercise: Researchers found that students who exercised at least 3 days a week were more likely to report better physical health, as well as greater happiness, than those who did not exercise. Try to work 30 minutes of moderate exercise into your schedule each day (like walking, jogging, swimming, or working out at the gym) and you'll feel and see the results.
- Tag along with a workout partner: Find a friend who doubles as a workout buddy. Keep each other motivated, accountable and discover ways to make exercising fun.
- Join a club: Most universities offer intramural and club sports teams free of charge, and you don’t even have to pretend you’re a D1 athlete. This is a great way to meet new people, get involved and stay active.
- Get decent sleep: "Really trying to get that seven to nine hours of sleep consistently, whatever your body requires, can help you to manage your weight."
- Avoid comparison: Unplug and unwind a bit each day and remember that everybody is built a unique way; what works for some might not always be the case for all.
- Listen to your body: Prioritize building a balanced, healthy relationship with your food preferences and lifestyle choices in mind.
- Manage stress: When you feel wound up, release some of the emotional stresses of college life on the walking path around campus or on the treadmill rather than in the dining hall.
Additional Tips
- Weigh yourself regularly: Weigh yourself regularly to keep track of your weight status.
- Stay educated: Take advantage of resources available at your fingertips to your advantage. wellness and food through reputable blogs, books and health experts. Remember that many diet fads and cleanses out there might not be the best option for your needs - be careful jumping head first into diets like Whole30 or keto.
- Prioritize Sleep: If you’re having trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor.
The Importance of a Holistic Approach
Whether you’re trying to fight that first-year weight gain or just take better care of yourself, follow the steps outlined above to achieve a holistically healthy approach to the college lifestyle.
Read also: College Weight Management
Read also: Do Colleges Care?
tags: #how #to #avoid #freshman #15
