Avoiding the Freshmen 15
We have all heard about the dread Freshmen 15 and I’m sure those of you that are just starting out college would think that you would never gain 15 pounds in one year. But pride comes before a fall my friend!
Gaining 15 lbs during your first year of college is so easy with the all you can eat cafeteria, vending machines around every corner, late night donut runs with all your friends, and pizza 
nights… the list could go one. Between the newness of being off on your own and the stress of a new environment and classes, it’s so easy to gorge yourself with food, especially when all your friends are doing it too.
Whiles gaining the freshmen 15 at college or on a university campus can be easy, it is not inevitable. Here are some great tips to prevent weight gain during your college life:
Hit up the gym. Most universities / colleges have free gyms available to students around the clock. Check out your class schedule and plan at least 30 minutes of daily workout into your schedule. This will also give you a little bit of leeway in your diet as well.
All-You-Can-Eat College Cafeteria. Get rid of the “All-You-Can-Eat” mentality and go for only one plate full. For me this was hard because I know that I was not getting my money’s worth, but I also wasn’t paying for my waistline to expand as well. Your plate should consist of 50% greens, a choice of meat, and the other 25% whole grains. Watch your portion sizes as well. Don’t be fooled either, most foods are full of lard and fat. I was shocked when I asked what our cafeteria put in the eggs and the cook said mainly cream, butter, and lard. Dont be afraid to ask what is in the food! Stay clear of un-identifiable meats too! GROSS!
Avoid Late Night Eating. When everyone is hanging out till 3 in the morning, the best thing to do is go for late night pizza or donut run. Don’t deny yourself food if you are craving it, but also don’t over indulge. Healthy eating is about moderation so go have fun with your friends but only have a few bites. Or better yet, fill up on water.
Vending Machine Snacks. Sometimes vending machines is the only option while on campus. Go for something wholesome and nutritious. Skip out on the candy and go for pretzels, reduced-fat popcorn, or granola bars. When it comes to drinks, avoid those full of sugar such as gatorade, soda, and go for water, milk, or unsweetened iced tea.
Keep Your Dorm Free of Junk Food and Unhealthy Snacks. Loading up on healthy snacks will cut out unwanted temptations that call out your name when you studying and is great to have on hand when everyone is heading for ice cream late at night. The freshman 15 increases with every unhealthy snack you eat. Load up on fruits, veggies, oatmeal, low sodium soups, yogurt, string cheese, and fat-free popcorn.
Don’t Skip Meals. Ironically those that skip meals are more likely to gain weight. This increases your changes of overeating later when you are starving and want to grab anything in sight. Make sure to wake up early enough to grab something on the go for breakfast and plan ahead for healthy meals if you have a class during lunch or dinner.
Avoid Stressing Eating. With all the stress of a new environment and college class, food can become your best friend… especially those powdered donuts. Make sure that you become aware of when you are stressed and then decipher if you are really hungry or not. If you are stressed and want to turn to food, chew on some gum to relieve the stress.
College life is some of the best years of your life, so make sure that you are not taking away from that by stressing yourself out over your weight and appearance. Just stick to these tips and you will be be sure to avoid the Freshmen 15!
Tags: College, College Cafeteria, college student, Eating, Food, Freshmen, Freshmen 15, Healthy Food, Healthy Snacks, Late night eating, Nutrition, Nutritious, Sparkpeople, stress eating, student, Studying, tests, University, university campus, vending machines, Weight, Weight gain
August 31st, 2009 at 3:40 am
Wonderful tips!!
August 31st, 2009 at 4:18 am
These are great, but really hard to do! I gained a lot of weight during college, by doing the exact opposite of what I should have!
We have college girls in our small group, and they all had a hard time with weight gain.
Thanks so much for posting these wonderful tips!
August 31st, 2009 at 4:42 am
Great tips, although many are hard to follow, especially if you have never been overweight. It is almost as if we, as a people, have to prove to ourselves that we are human.
August 31st, 2009 at 5:09 am
When I was in college, so many moons ago, I didn’t have a car, so rode my bike and walked everywhere. Also, I had to take a PE class, so I took aerobics. Luckily, I stayed skinny all thru college. It’s just the after part that was hard for me, as I got a car and started sitting behind a desk!
August 31st, 2009 at 6:17 am
Avoiding the late night eats was where I really failed in college, and I think that’s the number one reason people gain (late night eating and drinking I guess). Great post.
August 31st, 2009 at 6:54 am
I personally blame Dominos 222 for gaining weight in college. The 222 was 2 small pizzas, 2 orders of breadsticks and 2 sodas. Damn. I mostly lost weight when I had a breakup. Man, college was a rollercoaster.
August 31st, 2009 at 7:55 am
Great post!! I gained the college 15, mostly from late-night wing and pizza deliveries which followed 3-4 nights a week of drinking beer. Shocking I didn’t gain more in college. THankfully, I only ate out whilst intoxicated and still loved the treadmill! Stress eating didn’t start until grad school. Sigh.
August 31st, 2009 at 11:46 am
Excellent tips! Wow, I can’t believe they put cream, butter, and lard (yuck!) in the eggs! You’re right, it’s better to ask what’s in the food!
August 31st, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Hitting the bar and then eating again right before bed totally packed on the lbs during college (and after). If you’re going to drink, make sure to have a super healthy and filling dinner beforehand, and don’t eat after. If you ABSOLUTELY have to, wait til you get home and have some frozen veggies or 100 calorie pack of popcorn or some jerky. Putting on that weight sure was fun, but losing it was NOT.
August 31st, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I really liked this article! I’ve graduated, but I think those are tips we an all apply somewhere in our lives-good job!
August 31st, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Great tips! And I think they apply to many stages in life…
August 31st, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Wish I had these tips when I was a freshman! I definitely gained the freshman 15… :O(
August 31st, 2009 at 2:44 pm
I was definitely victim to the freshman 15 and almost was to the newly wed 9. Those are bad. Avoid at all cost!
August 31st, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Great tips. I think the last one is don’t drink 6 + beers 4 nights a week and then go get pizza hahaha
How cool that you get to start delivering!!!! Thats very exciting
August 31st, 2009 at 4:33 pm
great tips – I definitely gained the 15, plus some
It took a while to get it back off and get rid of my unhealthy habits, but I did learn a lot about myself from all those experiences.
August 31st, 2009 at 5:06 pm
That’s too funny that we blogged on the same topic today! You have some great ideas too
August 31st, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Great tips! Where were you when I was a freshman? You could have saved me a few
!
August 31st, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Great tips! I’m sure a lot of college freshman would find this post helpful. Getting my money’s worth was always something I felt I had to do when I was on a meal plan!
August 31st, 2009 at 9:54 pm
i definitely gained the freshman…20? but you left out the most important thing…mind altering (and appetite increasing) substances….
August 31st, 2009 at 10:10 pm
I remember the freshman 15 well and I swore it wouldn’t happen to me. Many universities don’t have much to offer in the way of unprocessed food. That presents a dilemma. But, there are so many things you can make in your dorm room that are healthy. Oats, fresh fruit, almond or hemp milk ( you have mini fridges), natural cereals, veggies and whole grain cracker with hummus, nut butters!
August 31st, 2009 at 10:28 pm
These are great tools for college. I am looking forward to following your blog. Thank you for your sweet comment on my blog!
September 1st, 2009 at 10:01 am
Great tips… to bad I didn’t follow them while I was an undergrad. For me it was much worse than the freshman 15, it was the college 80. Ooof. Scary to look at that number, but its the honest to goodness truth! Keep up the good work.
September 1st, 2009 at 10:03 am
And just because it is a pet peeve of mine…
The first sentence in my comment above should read *too bad*
September 1st, 2009 at 11:28 am
i think it should also add “drink in moderation”
i think that could be the true culprit, haha.
September 1st, 2009 at 2:39 pm
[...] How to Avoid the Freshmen 15 | [...]
September 1st, 2009 at 3:30 pm
awesome tips as usual! I think some people really just think that the freshman 15 is inevitable — and end up giving up on caring about their weight all together! Universitys have actually really amped up their healthy eats selections and you can’t beat free access to the gym..now it’s just a matter of using these utilities!
September 1st, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Good tips, esp the “don’t skip a meal” thing, which most students probably do. I have to say though, I think most of that 15 lbs come from drinking in parties.
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Great advice! Hitting the gym between classes is great for reducing stress AND to avoid the boredom eating. Planning is really important too: if you know you’ll be out late and will likely hit a pizza joint later on in the week, try to eat especially healthy in the days leading up to it.
September 2nd, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I actually lost a lot of weight my first yr of college. It was very stressful and so much more walking then I was used to!! Almost a mile to campus from the dorms and I would have to walk it at least 4 times a day!! So this year, I am definitely trying to gain and then maintain.
September 2nd, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Great tips! Just in time for the kids in school