The Freshman Fifteen
How to avoid those dreaded extra pounds your freshman year
Is the Freshman 15 inevitable? Here's a few common sense tips to help students prevent weight gain their freshman year and beyond.
Is it true that students all gain 15 pounds their freshman year? Well, not everybody does, but an awful lot of students find themselves putting on weight. Why? Well, you’re out of the house and completely in control of your food intake for the first time. You’re probably eating at an all-you-can-eat dining hall. There’s plenty of fun opportunities to eat pizza in the middle of the night, and plenty of stressful exams to point you in the direction of Ben and Jerry.
Is the Freshman Fifteen inevitable? Of course not. Here’s a few simple tips to help you control weight gain freshman year.
- Walk, walk, walk. You might not have time for a long workout, but if you’re on a college campus, you have plenty of opportunities to walk from class to class. To burn some extra calories, maximize your walking. If your school offers shuttle service between classes, don’t take it unless you’re in a big hurry. If you have a car, don’t use it if your destination is in walking distance. For faster campus transport and even more exercise, get a bike or a skateboard.
- Limit late night pigouts. Calories consumed at night don’t get as much chance for use as calories consumed during the day. So regular pizza consumption at 3:00 a.m. is not a good idea.
- Limit beer. There’s a reason why it’s called a beer belly. Light beers are about 100 calories apiece, and regular beer falls in the 125-225 calorie range. This can add up fast. Think of it this way: a beer is about as many calories as a Frappuccino. If you drank ten Frappuccinos every Saturday night, you’d gain weight too.
- Don’t skip meals. This is basic Diet 101: if you skip meals, you’re bound to overcompensate at your next meal. Tempting as it is to sleep as long as possible, try not to skip breakfast. Even a quick bowl of cereal or a banana before class will energize you and prevent weight gain.
- Eat well in the cafeteria. Here are some college dining hall nutrition tips.
- Limit emotional eating. When I was in college, what did my girlfriends and I do when someone suffered a nasty breakup? We’d head over to Thomas Sweet for a massive chocolaty Blend-In! I suppose this is better than getting wasted, but it’s still not healthy. It’s better to relieve stress with a brisk walk, or through some (moderate) shopping therapy.
- Limit fast food. Guys, you’re not 13 anymore. Double Whoppers now come with consequences.
- To some degree, accept it. Even if you eat well and exercise, you’re bound to gain a little weight in college because you’re getting older. It’s normal to fill out in your late teens and early twenties. And although keeping an eye on your weight is a good habit, obsessing about it is not. An eating disorder is a much more serious problem than an extra fifteen pounds.
Have any questions, thoughts, or suggestions? Join the discussion!
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