The Freshmen 15: Myth or Reality

1
The Freshmen 15 Myth or Reality

• Student Health Services
• Health Education
• Texas AM University
• healthed.tamu.edu

2
The Stats

• More than 1.5 million students will enter US
  colleges and universities each fall leading to
  a potential weight gain of more than 11,000 tons
  of weight
• 7,836 new fish at TAMU ?
• 117,540 pounds or 58.77 tons of weight
• Highest rise in obesity levels from 1991-1998 was
  in 18-29 year old demographic
• Multi-year study at Tufts University found that
  men gain an average of 6 pounds and women gain
  4.5 during their first year of college.
• University of Alabama study of 58 students found
  that men stayed the same weight and women gained
  4 pounds
• Duke University study found that college freshmen
  learn more, exercise less, and eat on the run
  leading to weight gain

3
Are you at risk for the Freshmen 15?

• Do you regularly enjoy eating fried foods?
• Is a meal incomplete without dessert?
• Do you get stressed out easily?
• Would you rather drive than walk to class?
• Is your ideal meal pizza and beer?
• Do you often skip meals or eat late at night?
• Do you regularly eat out of vending machines?

4
The Causes

• Dining halls
• all you can eat buffet
• less healthy food choices
• Less exercise
• lack of time
• no longer on varsity team
• not required to take PE classes every semester
• Poor nutrition
• parents no longer keep an eye on junk food intake
• buy/eat food previously forbidden
• FREE food everywhere and not usually healthy
  choices

5
The Causes (cont.)

• Less sleep / late nights
• extra waking hours greater hunger and excessive
  snacking
• late night snacks typically arent healthy
  choices
• More stress
• may lead to emotional eating
• Skipping meals / erratic eating schedules
• increases chances of overeating
• Snacking while studying
• focusing on the books instead of what you are
  eating may lead to overeating

6
The Causes (cont.)

• Dining out / ordering in
• continual intake of high calorie foods can lead
  to weight gain
• Vending machines
• choosing candy over healthier foods
• Too many high calorie fluids
• too many empty calories in sweetened beverages
• Alcohol intake
• contain hidden calories that tend to be stored as
  body fat

7
How can I avoid it?Dining Halls

• food.tamu.edu
• learn what you need for a balanced meal
• avoid seconds of high calorie desserts
• look for broiled, baked, grilled, meats and
  steamed vegetables
• choose fruits for dessert
• drink water instead of sweetened beverages
• cruise the lines before making choices
• when youre done eating, remove your tray

8
How can I avoid it?Exercise

• Reasons for exercising in weight gain prevention
• more calories burned
• more muscle mass which burns more calories than
  fat when not exercising
• speeds up metabolism
• more nutritious eating and helps control appetite
• less emotional eating
• helps maintain healthy weight
• improves self-esteem
• correlates with long-term weight loss success
  exercise is the factor which best predicts who
  will lose weight and keep it off
• 30 45 minutes of continuous exercise 4-5 days a
  week
• find a workout buddy
• find a time that works and schedule it
• find an activity that you enjoy
• join an intramural team

9
How can I avoid it?Poor Nutrition

• eat a variety of foods that you enjoy
• practice moderation
• dont cut out any foods a small amount of even
  the least healthy foods wont lead to weight gain
  
• think low-fat when shopping, cooking, and
  eating out
• be creative try smoothies, dried fruits, nuts
• spread out meals evenly throughout the day
• dont skip meals
• dont go 5 hours without eating

10
How can I avoid it?Sleep / Late Nights

• get at least 6-8 hours of sleep every day
• go to bed and get up at the same time every night
  / morning
• set an end time where you will quit studying
  and go to sleep

11
How can I avoid it?Stress

• avoid emotional eating
• find a relaxation method that works
• get rid of the stressors in your life
• take a break
• ask yourself if the situation is worth being
  upset over
• prioritize
• Get organized! Make lists
• laugh
• exercise
• get a massage
• get a pet

12
How can I avoid it?Skipping meals / erratic
eating schedules

• eat 3 meals a day with healthy snacks in between
• pack a lunch to avoid vending machines or
  unhealthy on campus choices
• eat breakfast within one hour of waking
• schedule times to eat and stick to the schedule

13
How can I avoid it?Snacking

• do something else for 10 - 20 minutes before
  snacking chances are a delay can ward off a
  binge
• sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger
  drinking lots of water (at least 64oz/day) will
  keep you hydrated
• when choosing a snack, try these
• raw fruits and veggies
• liquids especially warm beverages sipped
  slowly.
• crunchy and chewable snacks
• snacks that take a while to eat (i.e. popcorn)
• drink milk for a snack its filling and good
  for you

14
How can I avoid it?Dining Out / Ordering In

• watch portion sizes
• ask for veggies without butter
• ask for sauces/salad dressings/other toppings on
  the side
• try fat-free or low-calorie dressings
• have bread without butter
• ask for nonfat or low-fat dairy products
• choose lean cuts and smaller portions for meats

• watch out for fried, sautéed, creamy, or crispy
  foods
• meet yourself halfway
• ask for a doggie bag
• eat lunch for dinner
• never mega/super size anything
• good portions come in small packages
• size up servings
• be gone buffets

15
Some numbers

• Roadhouse Cheese Fries w/ Ranch Dressing
  3,010 calories, 217g fat
• Arbys Market Fresh Roast Beef Swiss Sandwich
  810 calories, 42g fat
• On the Border Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
  1,430 calories, 91g fat
• Chilis Chicken Crispers meal 1,870 calories,
  129g fat
• Freebird 1,050 calories, 45.5g fat
• (reg flour, rice, refried beans, jack cheese,
• dk chicken, bbq sauce, lettuce, and onion)
• Starbucks White Mocha (grande) 510 calories,
  24g fat
• Maple Syrup Mocchiato (tall) 240 calories,
  10g fat
• Pei Wei Mongolian Beef 850 calories, 45g fat
• McDonalds Chocolate Shake (large, 32oz) 1,030
  calories, 71g fat

16
How can I avoid it?Vending machines

• think ahead and prepare
• hard to find nutritious snacks
• choose healthier options such as pretzels, peanut
  butter crackers, animal crackers, gold fish
• keep dorm rooms or apartments stocked with
  healthy snacks

17
How can I avoid it?High calorie fluids

• try diet drinks
• drink juices in moderation
• try skim or 1 milk instead of 2
• try different flavors in your water if you dont
  like plain water

18
How can I avoid it?Alcohol

• The math
• 1 gram of protein and carbohydrates has 4
  calories
• 1 gram of fat has 9 calories
• 1 gram of alcohol has ___ calories
• How many calories are you drinking?
• 12 oz beer 140-150
• 6 pack beer 840-900
• 12 oz lite beer 95-105
• 4 oz wine 80-120
• 1.5 oz shot of liquor 100
• 7 oz mixed drink 175
• 8 oz blender drink 485
• never drink on an empty stomach
• alternate beverages with water or seltzer
• dilute mixes with water or seltzer

19
Three most common reasons for freshman weight
gain

• lack of consistent schedule
• excessive alcohol intake
• 24-hour-a-day eating

20
What do I do if Ive already gained it?

• Eliminate unnecessary calories
• control portion sizes
• dont assume fat free calorie free
• eliminate emotional eating students eat when
  they are bored or stressed rather than just when
  they are hungry
• alcohol and sodas empty calories
• eat only when physically hungry stop when full
• dont deprive yourself of anything
• have no distractions (i.e. dont eat in front of
  the tv, while studying, etc.)
• eliminate grazing

21
What do I do if Ive already gained it?

• Eliminate excess calories
• watch restaurant portions
• take home the left-overs
• choose lower calorie foods
• eat at home more often
• stop emotional eating keep a food journal and
  write down why/what you are eating
• tame binges and cravings dont starve yourself
  dont diet and/or deprive carry healthy snacks
  with you

22
Cut where you can

• instead of this
• 1 cup grape nuts
• Ben Jerrys ice cream
• Regular potato chips
• Ground beef
• Mayonaise
• Regular Dr. Pepper
• KFC fried chicken breast
• Big Mac

• try this
• 1 cup wheat chex
• Breyers ice cream
• Baked potato chips
• Ground turkey
• Mustard
• Diet Dr. Pepper
• Roast chicken breast
• Cheeseburger

calories saved 266 130 40-90 130 54 150 230 240
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Healthy and Safe Weight Loss

• Forget fad diets
• Calculate personal calorie needs
• Learn to read food labels
• Follow the Food Guide Pyramid
• Make small changes
• EXERCISE!!!!!
• Talk with a health professional with knowledge in
  the field
• Keep an exercise and food journal

24
Campus Resources

• Health Education healthed.tamu.edu
• Rec Center
• Food Services

25
References

• Eating Well on Campus Ann Selkowitz Litt, MS,
  RD, LD
• Kansas State Housing and Dining Services
• Indiana University Residential Programs and
  Services
• An Unhealthy Feeding Frenzy Freshman 15 Only the
  Start of Downhill Trend Veena Thomas
  (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
• Cornell University Hot Topics in Nutrition
  The Freshman 15

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Thanks and Gig em!Beat the hell outta
Nebraska!