Freshman Fifteen: Fact or Fiction?

In case you were wondering, yes, it is true: the infamous ‘freshman fifteen’ is nothing but fiction! The old adage that you will gain fifteen pounds during your first year of college is a myth, plain and simple. Most students only gain from two to four pounds says Jay Zagorsky, a researcher with Ohio State University’s Center for Human Resource Research.

His study, published in the Social Science Quarterly journal, unearthed that no more than 10 percent of college freshman gain fifteen or more pounds and around 25 percent of freshmen reported that they experienced weight loss, not weight gain, during their first year of college. These scientists convey the message that starting college has little to do with the weight gain – it’s the fact that new college students are setting off into the world as young adults for the first time that is the culprit.
Yes, the weight gain is from the evolution the teen encounters when going from one life stage to another. A scholarly lifestyle requires less physical activity and more sedentary lifestyle practices than a teenage lifestyle, which often includes a lot of sport. When Zagorsky and associates conducted the study, they evaluated approximately 7,400 students around the country and surveyed these people in personal interviews. Among the questions the research team asked, respondents were quizzed about their weight and college status each year.

“It’s worth noting that while there’s this focus on weight gain among freshmen, we found that one in four actually lost weight,” Zagorsky said. Some of the factors the research team evaluated included whether the students lived in dormitory housing, if they went to school full or part time, who pursued a two-year degree and who was going for a four-year degree, who went to a private institution and who chose a public one, and who was a heavy drinker of alcohol. Apparently, none of these factors made a noteworthy difference in terms of weight gain, with the exception of excessive alcohol consumption. Apparently, drinking alcohol is one of the main reasons many people gain weight, collegiate or not, but new college students often experiment with binge drinking as they find their social footing and go through the stress of their studies.
 
Zagorsky further explained that it was of particular significance that the dormitory lifestyle did not make freshmen gain weight, as was once alleged. It has been assumed that the dorm environment encourages weight gain during the freshman year, typically due to poor "ramen noodle based" eating habits that college students in dorms are said to have. What was found in this study was that young adults who are college students do gain weight steadily over the course of their college careers, as do other young adults who don’t attend college but go from a teen to an adult. For most young women, the gain is between seven and nine pounds, while young men gain around twelve pounds.

Also, the researchers inspected what happened to these college students after graduation. It was uncovered that each scholar gained around 1.5 pounds per year during the first four years after college. Zagorsky shared that, "College students don't face an elevated risk of obesity because they gain a large amount of weight during their freshman year”.

Headed off to college? Avoid the ‘Freshman Fifteen’

If you are starting off to college and concerned about your risk of weight gain, take comfort in knowing that it is just a myth. You may gain weight, however, because you will be making the transition from adolescent to young adult during your college years.

Fall is the time when the weight gain can sneak up on you because you become less active and spend more time sitting writing papers and studying. The most important things you can do include exercise and eating healthy is another.
The first thing you can do is to sign up for a fitness class like aerobics or tennis. Check with your enrollment advisor for one that may count as credit toward your degree. You will learn more about exercising and stay in shape while you do this. If there is no fitness class you like, make up an exercise routine and stick with it.

Next, try not to be under too much stress. Stress is something all college students are familiar with because of the hectic campus lifestyle. The thing you may not know is that when your body is stressed, you produce more cortisol. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone and it causes weight gain because it alters the body’s metabolism. If you feel like you’re getting tense, go for a stroll around campus. Avoid turning to sugary treats or high-fat snacks to relieve stress as this just adds to the weight gain problem.

Another thing adolescents should do is to keep healthy snacks around. Don’t buy the three C’s (cookies, candies, and cakes). Instead, keep your kitchen or dorm area stocked with whole-grain pretzels, fruits, and veggies. These food items are low in calories and high in nutrition. Most dorms allow you to have a small refrigerator, so keep yogurt and veggies available to munch on. When it comes to dining out, eat from the salad bar and skip the heavy dressings. Also, choose grilled or baked meat selections versus deep-fried and breaded versions. Skip out on casseroles and creamy sauces, too. Be sure to eat smaller meals rather than large, infrequent meals.

Everyone knows that partying goes on in the college arena. You can’t go to college and not drink some alcohol some time. The important thing to remember is to drink alcohol in moderation and don’t make a daily thing of it. Many college kids find their new freedom and take advantage of this opportunity to party. You should only have a couple of drinks on weekends and drink alcohol sparingly. Most of these beverages are loaded in empty calories and cause bloating and water retention.
 
Start your morning off with a healthy well-rounded breakfast. It is a common pitfall of young people – skipping breakfast. The most important meal of the day needs to include some source of protein, too. This will keep you from mid-morning munching and boost your metabolic rate so you burn calories throughout the day. Good protein sources are meats, yogurt, milk, and fortified cereals. You should then, carry a snack along with you and make it a healthy or a banana or apple into your backpack for later. Snacks should be high in fiber, making fruits a great choice.

Finally, you can cook your own meals to assure you are getting healthy foods that are low in fat, complex carbohydrates, and sugar. Don’t eat at the college cafeteria or fast food all the time. Instead, cook a nutritious meal for yourself or better yet, go in with a friend and prepare meals. Avoid junk food as meal substitutions, as this is an unhealthy choice.