'Freshman
15':Avoidable or inevitable?
By
Dayna Davidson
Daily Californian
BERKELEY
(U-Wire) -- As a college freshman there
is a lot to look forward to -- meeting new
people in the dorms, scheduling classes
after 12 p.m. and no more curfews.
Along
with all the exciting things that accompany
being a college student, there is also the
"Freshman 15." It is that popular
phrase often referred to while eating pizza
at 4 a.m.
Students
joke about the weight gain like it won't
effect them, but each student could face
this during their transition from high school
lunches to all-you-can-eat campus dining
halls.
So
how strong is this fattening force? Is everyone's
freshmen year destined to be cursed by the
"Freshman 15," or are there ways
to escape what seems to be an inevitable
weight gain?
On
a calming note, research shows that the
estimated 15 pounds of weight gain may actually
be more like five to 10 pounds. However,
the number of students experiencing this
weight gain is still great.
According
to a recent study by Cornell University,
college freshmen gain an average of 4.2
pounds by the end of their first 12 weeks
on campus. Researchers assessed the weight
gain of 60 Cornell first semester students.
They were weighed at the beginning and end
of their first 12 weeks of college. A freshman,
on average, gained about 0.3 pound per week.
Although
0.3 pound a week may not seem like much,
it adds up; and before students know it,
the jeans they wore comfortably as a high
school senior won't zip closed.
It
is important to understand that there is
no need for students to obsess over everything
they eat, or spend hours at the Campus Recreation
Center in fear of weight gain.
Researchers
attributed the weight gain of 0.3 pound
a week to the consumption of an extra 174
calories a day. Therefore, cutting out a
late night snack or giving up minutes in
the dining hall may be all it takes to prevent
weight gain. At least 30 minutes on cardio
equipment is enough to burn extra calories
that were hard to say no to the night before.
It
really can be as simple as giving up some
extra calories at dinner or burning some
extra calories in the afternoon. Though
it may seem inevitable, the "Freshman
15" is avoidable.
To
prevent the freshman pounds from creeping
up, students can stay mindful of diets and
stay active. Walking or riding a bike to
class, and drinking water are two simple
ways to help.
Try
to stay on a regular eating schedule, and
avoid skipping breakfast and indulging in
late night dinners. Consider signing up
for an intramural team on campus in order
to stay active.
Just
don't get sucked into the obsession of counting
calories and clocking every minute on the
treadmill. With this in mind enjoy gaining
friends, knowledge and experiences this
year, and forget about gaining the weight.
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