Freshmen entering college have many fears. Some, such as not making friends, not being able to handle the workload in classes or getting a parking ticket, are on every student's mind.
But somewhere not far behind is the thought of waking up one morning to find that his or her favorite pair of jeans is fitting more snugly.
The dreaded "freshman 15" is something with which all students can relate. It is the stuff of legends and the subject of horror stories shared by both upper and lower classmen. No sane student would choose to pack on extra pounds, so most freshmen need to know what causes the "freshman 15" and what can be done to prevent it.
Several factors can lead to excessive weight gain over the course of one semester. According to www.freshman15.com, major causes include irregular exercising or a lack of exercising altogether, eating unhealthy snack foods late at night and consuming unhealthy foods at mealtime; the change in lifestyle college freshmen experience is at the root of each of these causes.
A quick walkthrough of the Student Activities Center provided some insight into the horror that is the "freshman 15."
Lauren Reynolds, a sophomore in human development and family studies working at the Student Act, said a major issue for many freshmen is they may not have the time to cook or buy groceries.
"It's easier to buy fast food," Reynolds said.
Reynolds also admitted to gaining the famed 15 pounds, although she gained the weight in the spring rather than in the fall. She advises freshmen to walk rather than ride the transit system for cross-campus destinations in order to avoid a similar fate.
"The $1,000 on the TigerCard is a problem," Reynolds said, referring to the University's policy requiring on-campus students to load their TigerCards with approximately $1,000 in "dining dollars."
Reynolds feels that the system encourages students to dine at restaurants on campus that serve greasier foods. However, healthier foods are also available; the cafeteria at the Village offers a salad bar with many options for customization.
Jeremy Ferguson, a senior in criminology and an employee at the Student Act, had slightly different opinions about the causes of the "freshman 15."
"They don't come to the Student Act," Ferguson said. Ferguson had a simple response to the question as to the cause of the infamous weight gain: "Booze."
Ferguson also said many freshmen only exercise in the Act once in an attempt to lose weight, choosing not to return for various reasons.
Some freshmen experience a drastic weight change.
Clayton Harris, a freshman in nutrition, reports losing eight pounds since she began classes.
Harris, who lives off campus, advises other freshmen to eat less junk food and to choose to walk rather than drive or rely on public transportation.
Perhaps the most important advice freshmen can take is to avoid paranoia about weight gain. Becoming stressed over the weight gain alone is actually more harmful, as it can result in worse problems such as sickness and eating disorders.
Keeping this weight off is definitely an achievable goal if students truly commit.
Scale back and start taking small steps (everywhere on campus) to avoid first-year weight gain.
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