Starting the Week on a Healthy Note

An Explanation of the "Freshhman 15"

by Christopher Theberge and Joseph Cannon

Coming to college and remaining healthy and shapely can be a challenge. Year after year, people enter college to enhance their minds but seemingly neglect their bodies. The onslaught of new responsibilities, options and time constraints often cause healthy habits placed on the back burner.

Everyone has heard the stories about gaining the "Freshman 15," whether fact or fiction. Few studies have been conducted to determine if students actually put on weight during their first year of college. However, a study published in Addictive Behavior in 1985 found that women attending college gained weight 36 times faster than those of the same age not attending school.

Although this is only one of the few studies that tackled this issue, it does provide some evidence that students gain weight during their freshman year. This trend though is not impossible to break. With some simple adjustments to daily activities, one can begin the fight against the "Freshmen 15." Two major components involved are exercise and nutrition.

EXERCISE IMPACT

Studies show Americans in general are becoming more and more obese, but why? One major cause is lack of exercise.

"It is estimated that 43 percent of adults do not exercise regularly and 29 percent report no physical activity during leisure time," said Dr. Priscilla Clarkson of the University of Massachusetts Exercise Science Department.

With such a small percentage of the country getting adequate exercising, should we be surprised individuals experience a weight gain during college? The answer is clearly no. Even more alarming are the increased health risks later in life without adequate physical activity.

Exercise has shown to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including coronary artery disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. So what measures should be taken to avoid such problems?

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) have developed guidelines for exercise. The accepted amount is currently 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. Moderate is defined as exercising at a brisk pace, and examples are hiking, jogging and cycling.

"ACSM and CDC also state that the exercises can be accumulated and not have to be done for 30 minutes [at once]," explained Clarkson. "For example, 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at noon and 10 minutes in the evening would be sufficient."

This may not seem like a lot of time, however, since most Americans do not currently get the recommended amount of exercise, this is a minimum level of activity to attain some health benefits.

With the understanding of how busy college life can be, here are some tips on how to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle with exercise.

* Walk to class versus taking the bus. It may take an extra 5 minutes, but it will burn many more calories, which do add up.

* Take the stairs rather than the elevators. Campus has many tall buildings; they are a perfect chance to get extra exercise throughout the day.

* Intentionally park further away in the parking lots when you do drive. Chances are you will find a spot faster and still be on time.

Following these tips and developing a good exercise routine is a great start to combating weight gain. Yet, exercise is only part of this story.

- Joseph Cannon

NUTRITION IMPACT

A new environment

Making the transition from high school to college can be very stressful. The fear of entering a new school, leaving friends and family and gaining personal freedom can be overwhelming.

"Many students have difficulty adjusting to college life for a variety of reasons and find themselves reaching for food - not for hunger, but for comfort, loneliness or to relief stress," said Robin Levine, Associate Director of the Center for Nutrition in Sport and Human Performance and Registered Dietitian.

"Find other ways to socialize if it's not meal time," he continued. "Take a walk, sit by the pond or go and get the campus recreation schedule and go shoot some hoops."

All-you-can-eat

Freshman are required to be on the Residential Meal Plan. The dining halls have an all-you-can-eat principle. If you treat the dining hall as a buffet every time you enter, then you will probably gain weight.

"Look at all of your options at the meal before selecting what you really want," said Dianne Sutherland, Registered Dietitian for UMass Food Services. "If you take too much food, you may feel obligated to eat it all or you may feel guilty if you don't eat it. Take only one plate per meal, not two or three plates."

Remember you can always go for seconds.

Eating slower is never a bad idea either. It takes about 10 to 12 minutes for satiety to kick in. Try eating foods that are good sources of fiber. Dietary fiber slows down the absorption of food and promotes the feeling of "fullness." In addition, foods high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, are usually low in calories.

The dining commons offer a variety of healthy options as well. Sutherland explained that students should limit their intake of fried items, while selecting foods that are grilled, baked or steamed. The salad bar is a great place to get low fat deli meats, veggies, fruit, yogurt and hummus. The sandwich and sushi bars are also excellent choices when watching calories.

Nutrition Facts are available at the cashier's desk for a majority of prepared food items.

Ordering out

"Having food delivered or making a quick stop at a local fast food restaurant is always tempting," said Christopher Mohr, doctoral student and Registered Dietitian. "However, it won't always be the best if your goal is avoiding weight gain. Keep in mind that if you order out, there are always better options on each menu."

Instead of ordering a Whopper or Big Mac, Mohr advised to opt for a grilled chicken. In the case of pizza, instead of choosing pepperoni and sausage as a topping, order plain cheese or any vegetable.

"Another idea to is not allow yourself to become so hungry that by the time you pick up your food or it is delivered to your door, you can't maintain some self control," Mohr said, explaining that one would not consume an entire pizza or whatever the case may be in one sitting.

If you stock your refrigerator and shelves with healthy food items, you will be less tempted to spend your money on delivery.

Don't skip meals

Levine and Sutherland both agree breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast has not only been shown to decrease academic performance, but may lead to overeating. Continuous munching, on top of regular meals, can cause weight gain. If the three-meals-a-day regimen is not for you, a great alternative is consuming four to six smaller meals throughout the day. Packing bagels, fruit or "grab-n-go" lunches in your backpack are excellent ways to do this.

Weight gain cannot be attributed to only one factor; rather it is a complex issue related to both environment (i.e. exercise and nutrition) and genetics. With the combination of exercise and nutrition, a happy, healthy and shapely life is attainable.

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