Avoiding the Freshman 15

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Avoiding the Freshman 15

• Developed by
• Huntington Beach Union High School District
• Network for a Healthy California

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What is the Freshman 15?

• Studies show that students on average gain 3 to
  10 pounds during their first 2 years of college.
  
• Most of this weight gain occurs during the first
  semester of freshman year.

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Why Does it Happen?

• Causes include
• Eating unhealthy foods in the cafeteria
• Keeping unhealthy foods and snacks in the dorm
  room
• Lack of exercise
• Added stress
• Drinking too much alcohol

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Unhealthy Foods

• You're on your own and free to eat what you want,
  when you want it!
• Watch out for portion distortion
• Lack of nutrients

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Lack of Exercise

• College students spend most of their time
  sitting
• In lecture halls
• At a computer desk
• At the cafeteria
• In the library
• Lack of exercise in combination with high-calorie
  food leads to greater weight gain.

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No Longer an Athlete

• Are now no longer active and need to be extra
  careful!
• Calories are not being burned like they used to.

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Added Stress Eating Patterns

• Anxiety, homesickness, sadness, or stress can be
  part of adapting to being away at school
• Adapting to college can trigger overeating

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Too Much Alcohol

• Alcohol adds many empty calories, and leads to
  getting "late night" food such as pizza

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Should I Be Worried?

• Some weight gain is normal as an adolescent body
  grows and metabolism shifts.
• Rapid weight gain may become a problem.
• Weight gain that pushes you above the body's
  normal range carries health risks.

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What if I Gain Weight?

• If you do gain weight, don't freak out!
• Make adjustments to your eating and exercise
  habits

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Avoid Crash Diets

• Its tempting to go for the easy fix
• Skipping meals
• Latest fad diet
• Doesnt work to keep weight off in the long run
• It's best to make small adjustments to your diet
  that you know you can stick with

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Preventing Weight Gain

• The best way to beat weight gain is to prevent it
  altogether
• Aim for
• A balanced diet
• Regular exercise
• Enough sleep

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Make Smart Choices

• Your waistline's not the only thing at stake.
• Your brain and body need the right nutrition to
  function properly.
• Poor nutrition can effect your
• Energy
• Concentration
• Memory

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Nutrition 101

• Nutrition requirements vary person to person.
• Go to www.choosemyplate.gov for your daily
  recommended amounts of each food group.
• Obtain balance by including a variety of protein,
  dairy products, carbohydrates, vegetables, and
  fruits.

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Healthy Choices

• When possible stick to
• Lean meats such as poultry and fish
• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grain products like bread, pasta, rice and
  cereal
• Low-fat or non-fat dairy products
• Limit your intake of
• Fried foods
• Sugary beverages like soda
• Sweets and desserts

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Go For Variety

• Try not to eat the same foods all the time
• Focus on getting a variety of fruits, vegetables,
  meats, beans, starches, and healthy fats

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Watch Your Portions

• One study found that people given larger portions
  tend to eat more food, no matter how hungry they
  are.
• Start with a small portion and stop when you
  start feeling full.

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Healthy Snacks

• Keep your room stocked with healthy snacks you
  can grab when you're hungry, such as

Animal crackers Canned fruit Crackers Energy (or protein) bars Fresh fruit Granola bars High fiber cereal Nuts Oatmeal (packets) Pita bread Popcorn (try the single-serving bag) Pudding Soup Trail Mix Tuna fish
If you have a fridge, try Baby carrots and
celery Hummus String cheese Yogurt and
smoothies Water, flavored seltzer waters, and
low-fat milk
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Healthy Food Habits

• Adopt these healthy food habits
• Eat at regular times and try not to skip meals
• Keep late-night snacking to a minimum
• Pick lower-fat options when you can
• Watch the size of your portions
• Steer clear of vending machines and fast food
• Keep healthy snacks like fruit and vegetables in
  your room
• Replace soft drinks with water or skim milk
• Avoid eating when stressed, while studying, or
  while watching TV

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Moderation is Key

• Don't feel guilty if you have a burger or a piece
  of cake.
• Instead of thinking of foods as "bad" or "good,"
  remember that moderation is the key.
• No food is off-limits just pay attention to the
  size of the portions you take and how often you
  eat that food.

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Healthy Food Attitude

• Be aware of your attitude toward food.
• If you find yourself constantly thinking about
  food or your weight, or feeling guilty about what
  you eat, talk to your doctor or ask someone at
  the student health center for advice.

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Limit Alcohol

• Alcohol is very high in calories
• Excess alcohol leads to
• Health problems
• Weight gain
• If you're going to drink, do so in moderation.

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Be More Active

• Work at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise into
  your daily schedule everyday.

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Incorporating Exercise

• Colleges offer many exercise options
• Work out at the school gym
• Use the pool when open
• Take a physical education class for
  credit
• Take advantage of the track
• Check out local hikes and trails
• Join an intramural sports team

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Everyday Ways to be Active

• There are plenty of ways to add a little extra
  activity to your everyday routine.
• Bike or walk to class, the library, or the
  store.
• Park farther away than you normally would and
  walk.
• Choose the dining hall on the far side of
  campus.
• Take the stairs.
• Try stretching, marching in place, or walking
  around during study breaks.

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No Time for Exercise?

• Try 2 or 3 shorter exercise sessions every day.
• Splitting your workouts into 10- or 15-minute
  increments throughout the day works just as well
  as doing a full 30 to 60 minutes at once.

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Barriers to a Healthy Lifestyle

• What are the current barriers that keep you from
  eating healthy and being active?
• What can you do to overcome these barriers?

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"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently
is an art."- La Rochefoucauld
This material was produced by the California
Department of Public Healths Network for a
Healthy California with funding from USDA SNAP,
known in California as CalFresh (formerly Food
Stamps). These institutions are equal opportunity
providers and employers. CalFresh provides
assistance to low-income households and can help
buy nutritious foods for better health. For
CalFresh information, call 1-877-847-3663. For
important nutrition information, visit
www.cachampionsforchange.net.