Some things never change. Just as was the case in 1982, some 40 years later college students, including both Buckeyes and Bobcats, have to be wary of the dreaded Freshman 15. This accursed affliction strikes many college freshmen who struggle to acclimate themselves to dining-hall food. Having the option to choose nearly any food selection, as well as its quantity and timing, has an unsurprising effect – without self-discipline you eat too much of stuff that you shouldn’t.
The Freshman 15 doesn’t afflict everyone, and of course, some first-year students gain fewer pounds and some gain more. But 15 seems to be a close approximation of what you can expect if you’re not careful.
Among the most insidious contributors to weight gain in college are partying and late-night snacking. Drinking numerous beers and alcoholic seltzer drinks several days a week can really pack in the calories. Late-night pizzas and subs also tend to blow up any carefully calibrated diet plan. Those three slices of pepperoni pizza at 2 a.m. aren’t going anyplace but your mid-section or ass. Finally, many rookie college students don’t get the regular exercise they need to burn all those extra calories. That five-block walk from your off-campus housing in Athens or Columbus isn’t gonna do the trick.
Follow These Tips to Squash the Freshman 15
• You shouldn’t have to be told which foods are bad for you and/or are overloaded with calories. Avoid fried foods, foods that are nothing more than delivery systems for butter and salt (number one culprit: baked potatoes), ice cream and other sugar- and fat-filled desserts, processed foods, pasta, and various simple carbs. Stay away from sugar-packed soda pop and fruit juices. Eat as many vegetables, beans and fruit as possible, and avoid dumping lots of butter on cooked veggies. Opt for salt-free trail mix over potato chips and cheese snacks.
• Stick with one helping, rather than bellying up to the counter and getting that second or third helping of spaghetti. You really don’t need that second hamburger, do you? And get out of the habit of adding a calorie-rich dessert option to your evening meal. In what world is it a smart diet choice to wolf down a slice of chocolate cake on top of a full dinner?
• Instead of drinking several beers with your friends, just have one or two. We know this will be difficult, even impossible advice for many college students, but at least give it a try. And not just to avoid weight gain. Excessive alcohol consumption has a variety of negative health and social effects. But you already know that.
• If you haven’t already, get in the habit of exercising every day. You’ll burn calories, gain less weight, feel better, and best of all, a regular exercise regimen started early in life can become a lifetime habit. And you can bet your lifetime will be a lot longer if it features regular exercise. The type of exercise is less important than the fact that you’re doing it rather than sitting on your ass. One of the easiest way to develop a regular exercise routine is to just take a brisk walk every day. Two or three miles takes about 30-45 minutes and requires no equipment or money. Walk on campus, in your off-campus housing neighborhood, on the bike path, or in the woods. And of course, as an OU or OSU student, you have full access to your respective universities’ elaborate recreation and fitness facilities.
It’s Not Just the ‘Freshman’ 15
You realize, of course, that the “freshman 15” is just a cute saying, right? If you don’t follow basic ground rules to avoid over-eating and poor eating habits, you’ll gain weight (and feel like crap) whether you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, grad student, doctor, lawyer or Indian chief.