Warding off the "Freshman Fifteen"

By Sherril Steele-Carlin

Almost any college student can tell you about the "freshman fifteen," those fifteen pounds that seem to pack themselves on the first year of college. Freshmen add pounds for a variety of reasons, from the freedom of eating away from home, to the stress of exams and schedules while trying to cram in daily nutrition.

While some researchers say the fifteen is a myth, many students find it is no myth, but a stark reality. Junk food reigns supreme in dorms, and fast food choices are abundant on most campuses today. So, how do you make good nutritional choices while you're hitting the books? Happily, it's a lot easier than you might think.

Good Nutrition Helps

Sometimes, good nutritional choices seem far beyond the average college dining choices. If you eat in the college cafeteria, sometimes it seems like the only choices are fried, breaded, or a combination of heavy sauces and gray vegetables, and the only other choices are fast food chains with greasy burgers, fries, and shakes. Then there are the pubs and bars that seem to surround every college campus, where beer is cheap, and oh so filling. Take hope though, because you can still make some awesome eating choices in your cafeteria.

If your cafeteria offers a salad bar, make it your new best friend. You can fill up on fresh vegetables and fruit, while passing on the more calorie laden choices on the cafeteria line. Make sure to pass on the fat-laden salad dressings, however, and go for vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or low-cal choices. Avoid foods that are fried or full of cheese and other fats. Opt for baked chicken or fish, and vegetables cooked without butter. It's better to leave your carbohydrates for earlier in the day, so enjoy oatmeal or a bagel for breakfast, and forego the potato at dinner. If you just can't pass up fast food, opt for healthier alternatives, like the low-fat alternatives at Subway, salads with low-cal dressings at most fast food chains, or the new low-carb burgers that are appearing at Carl's and Burger King. Keep away from the fried fries, heavy shakes, empty calorie soft drinks, and fatty burgers.

Too Much Beer?

One of the biggest reasons so many freshman pile on the pounds is beer drinking, especially on the weekends. Beer contains a lot of calories and carbs, so it can pile on the pounds fast, with no nutritional value. If you have to drink, try some of the new, lower carb beers that are coming out, or restrict your intake to one or two beers only. It will help your waistline, your wallet, and your brain cells!

Cooking in the Dorm

Another option to eating in the cafeteria or at the fast food choices on campus is actually cooking in the dorm. If you find your food choices on campus are too limited, then learn how to cook simple meals for yourself in the microwave. Many new small convection ovens are also available now, and they fit perfectly in the dorm, along with other small and versatile appliances like indoor grills and rice cookers. You can make an entire meal in minutes in a rice-cooker/steamer, and it will be healthier because you cook it without fats. You can also quickly grill chicken and fish on an indoor grill like the popular George Foreman varieties. Keep a few spices and herbs in the cabinet and you'll have quick and easy meals that are more healthy and enjoyable than fat-laden, heavy meals at the Food Court or cafeteria.

Sure, it's tough to keep the pounds off in college, when there are so many alternatives around you every day, but with some planning and ingenuity, you can learn your lessons while you stay slim, trim, and healthy!