Beware of the ‘Freshman 15′

For many college freshmen, the first year away from home is marked with many new experiences, some better than others. There are people to meet, parties to attend, and books to read. However, one thing not covered in many books is the “Freshman 15.” Some people though, have not heard of the “phenomenon,” according to GC&SU campus nurse, Alice Loper.

For those who have never heard of the Freshman 15, it generally involves first year students who on average gain four pounds. Sometimes this weight gain can be as much as 15 pounds.

While most students see only a slight increase in their weight, there are those whose weight will stay the same or even go down.

Some freshmen may welcome the weight gain and others may find it undesirable, especially if the process continues for several semesters. Since this article isn’t going into the latest issue of Cosmo, the following tips to avoid unwanted weight gain will work for GC&SU’s ladies as well as the guys.

First, plan to succeed or fail at keeping off the pounds: Those who plan usually accomplish their goals. If you’re unsuccessful the first time, keep trying!

Don’t skip meals: If a meal is skipped, over eating will most likely occur at the next meal. Try to eat three sensible meals throughout the day to avoid chowing-down at the next meal.

However, this was never a problem for junior Angie Pitts.

“I always felt like I ate the same at every meal, regardless of whether or not I skipped one,” Pitts said.

Snack, snack, and snack: Snacking will keep your energy levels high in between meals.

“My snacking is determined by what my schedule looks like as well as my food supply,” said junior Lauren Cross.

There are many healthy, not to mention convenient, snacks such as oatmeal bars and baby-carrot sticks.

Go to bed: Late hours result in your body needing more energy which means it will want more food.

Eating out and vending machine food: Wouldn’t it be nice if the pizza delivery guy brought a bigger pair of jeans with that pizza or a pair dropped out of the vending machine with a candy bar? Watch what is consumed in this area because quick, easy, and 75 cents usually means food is laced with unwanted calories and cholesterol, among other things.

Dining Halls: This is where most students run into trouble. The pizzas are tempting, the international line is divine and the desserts are drool-worthy. What’s missing from your tray of food? The fruits and vegetables! Americans seem to be the only culture that doesn’t see fresh fruit as a dessert. Put the cake back, and go for fruit like the trim-line Europeans.

“Fruits and vegetables never seemed to make it to my tray, though I saw them there,” said sophomore Kelly Payne. “I’m not a fruit and vegetable kind of girl.

Exercise: While this area is obvious to many, it’s astounding how many people suffer from a lack of exercise. Of course it’s easier to take the elevator or hop on the campus shuttle, and there are some people that really need these options, but if able, go for the stairs or walk to class. Alcohol: What would the college experience be without alcohol? It would be a little slimmer. According to a Cornell University study, all alcohol contains 80-150 hidden calories per drink, which are stored as body fat. Does the term “beer gut” mean anything to anyone?

Go for water instead, and flavor it with a slice of lemon or lime. Your body will be hydrated. Alcohol only dehydrates the body, so keep that in mind the next time you pop a cold one on a hot day. But with the water, you’re sneaking in a little extra vitamin-C which may help fend off the colds which seem to spread rapidly in close living quarters.

Check your weight: No, don’t step on the scale every night and go on a diet the next morning. Do, however, check your weight occasionally and look for any trends in weight gain or weight loss. Keeping a food journal containing foods consumed and how much can also be helpful if the scale goes a little higher than desired.

GC&SU offers services to help students maintain healthy lifestyles.

Student Health Services, located on the first floor of the Parks Nursing Building at the corner of Wilkinson and Montgomery Streets, offers counseling and support services related to health, as well as materials used to teach better health practices.

The Wellness Depot by Parkhurst sports a cardio room as well as a resistance training room. In the cardio room, there are multiple treadmills, stationary bikes, stair climbers and several other types of machines designed to keep the body and heart in peak condition. The resistance training room, located beyond the cardio room, features everything from dumbbells to leg presses.

For many freshmen, the first year is filled with ups and downs. However, pay a little attention to what is consumed, and your weight won’t have to be one of them.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 2 2005. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry