Weight gain another problem for freshman
By Don Weberg
Daily Forty-Niner
Freshmen may feel weighed down by the heavier
course load of university expectations.
In many cases the weight gain will be felt
on the waistline as well as the brain, if the dreaded ìFreshman 15î comes
into play.
"It happens to a lot of students when
they first move out on their own," said Wendy Yellin, a spokesperson for
Weight Watchers.
Three reasons why so many students gain
the extra 15 pounds, known as the "Freshman 15," is the shift in hours
and total change of a regular routine and not exercising enough, Yellin
said.
"I think it's because some are homesick
and they have too much stress being placed on them," said Sharifa Thomas,
Cal State Long Beach university dining plaza employee.
"I did gain weight, but I blamed it on
the dorm food," said sophomore Andrea Dumas, an English major. "I didn't
try to do anything about it, but now that Iím on my own, I've lost it.
Top Ramen doesnít make you gain weight."
Dr. Jacqueline Lee, associate professor
of CSULB Family and Consumer Sciences, said one reason for the excess poundage
is that, in many cases, students are living away from home and eating more
fast food. They tend to forget about vegetables and fruits.
Student are able to make their own selections
according to their eating habits, and they donít always make the best choices,
Lee said.
"Be active every day, it's a lot easier
to lose weight when you're 20-something as opposed to when you're 30-something,"
Lee said.
Yellin recommends being active for a minimum
of 20 minutes every day, she said. Walking, running, riding a bike or in-line
skating can help burn calories.
"I never really gained any weight because
I was on the soccer team," said senior Lana McCann, a health sciences major.
"But I think one reason that so many people gain weight is lots of parties
and people trying to be accepted at them, so they drink."
If the lump sum of 20 minutes is too much,
break it up, Yellin said. Spend 10 minutes on the bike and the other half
walking at a brisk pace.
"Also, students need to educate themselves
and learn about nutrition," Yellin said.
The Health Center and Family and Consumer
Services can help with learning about what is good and not so good for
the body.
"Often times, what people learn in elementary
and high school isn't enough," Yellin said.
Some tips are to buy smaller portions
of your favorite foods and stock your fridge with a variety of waters,
both carbonated and not, and choose several different flavors.
"Alcohol should be kept at a minimum,"
said Yellin. "I'm not saying to cut it out completely, but control
your intake."
Another tip is to avoid dorm-room stashes
that consist of salty chips and sugary candies. Try to stick to pretzels,
popcorn and chips labeled low fat.
Also, be sure to read labels. A one-ounce
serving of honey mustard pretzels can contain as much fat as regular potato
chips.
Yellin said that remembering the basics
is a good way to stay healthy: five fruits per day, lots of water, not
too many refined sugars, and be conscious of portion sizes.
"If youíve already put on ten to fifteen
pounds, join a support group," Yellin said.
It is more realistic to try and meet a
target range of weight instead of a specific number, she said.
"Your body is your temple," Yellin said. |
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