I know we’ve all heard the dreaded phrase “Freshman 15”
before. I’m sure most of us have heard
of it before we even stepped foot on campus.
There might be some out there who don’t believe in it, but speaking from
personal experience, I’ve definitely felt the unwholesome effects that come
with living alone and having access to the endless buffet that is the Dining
Commons.
But why? Why is our
freshmen year of college so closely associated with weight gain? (And why 15
pounds?)
Good news is the whole “15 pounds” thing is a mostly a
lie. However, research has shown that
college freshmen do tend to gain some weight. Why is that?
Well for one thing, starting college is super
stressful. For the most of us, it means
leaving our friends and family to live in a cramped dorm room, hours away from
home. It means starting over, making new
friends, starting new classes. I’m sure
we all can agree that the transition is not an easy one.
And a lot of people tend to eat more when they are
stressed. I know they are some who eat
less (and how I wish I was one of those people) – but for the most part, when
you’re stressed out, you tend to scarf an unhealthy amount of junk food into
your mouth.
And then there’s drinking.
Let’s be honest, it’s an activity most college students, freshmen
including, participate in. It was not
until I came here that I learned alcohol has a ton of calories (!!). Over Winter Break, I was complaining to my
family about how I had gained weight, and my aunt screamed at me “It’s because
you’ve been drinking!”
Whoops.
Now how do we solve this? How do we rise up instead of
giving in and becoming a statistic? I
won’t lie, this is something I’m still struggling with myself, but here are
some tips in order to fight the Freshmen 15.
Be conscious of what
you eat: I know this sounds simple (and kinda vague), but follow
along. Do you really need that slice of
pizza? Maybe you could go for a nice
side salad instead. As a pizza
enthusiast myself, I’m not trying to shame anyone. But what I’m saying is to be aware of what
you’re putting inside your body. And
perhaps go for the healthier option every once in a while.
Hit up that gym: Now
I know at Penn State there’s an extra fee for a gym membership ($60 a semester,
that is). I would say it’s worth
it. I try and go to the gym a couple of
times a week, and man do they have some nice facilities. However, if you don’t feel like spending the
money, I understand. Something as simple
as going for a run, or perhaps doing your own workout routine in the comfort of
your own dorm can be beneficial.
Because I’m not an expert, here are some links to other
advice articles on ways to deal with the Freshmen 15
- · http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/weight-loss/eating-out/8-ways-to-beat-the-freshman-15
- · http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/college/freshman_15.html
- · http://college.usatoday.com/2011/10/20/the-freshman-15-fact-or-fiction/
