My teenage baby-sitter is following the Atkins diet. She nibbles on nuts and cheese chunks all day and won’t touch my kids’ Goldfish crackers.
Not because she’s overweight. Actually, she’s far from it. But in a few weeks she’ll be heading off to college.
“The freshman 15,” she explains as she pops an almond into her mouth. “I’m trying to be pro-active.”
I don’t know if low-carb Atkins is the answer, but I understand Amanda’s concern. Back when I was in college, we called it the freshman 10 and spoke of it with the same trepidation as my baby-sitter does.
While research has shown that freshman year weight gain is not a given — 5 pounds is average, and some kids even lose weight — nutritionists and college administrators say the phenomenon is real and worrisome.
“I counsel a slew of kids who don’t consider themselves average. They’ve gone to school, gained a ton of weight and are really, really distressed about it,” says Ann Selkowitz Litt, a registered dietitian and author of “Eating Well on Campus” (Tulip Hill Press, $12.95).
Stress, crazy schedules changes, buffet-style cafeterias and admission into a world where you can program “Wings-to-Go” into your speed dial are among the obstacles that make staying fit in college a challenge.
“The lifestyle of a college student is just so different from that of a high school student,” notes Jeanne DiMuzio, director of the wellness center at Fairfield University. “It starts with the fact that kids are more sedentary these days, and when they get to campus, things only get worse.”
Walks to the library for study, or down the hall to visit dorm mates are virtually obsolete because students are so plugged in to technology, says DiMuzio.
“The kids e-mail their own roommates,” she says, chuckling. “They don’t even burn the few calories they might benefit from by turning their necks to talk to the person on the other side of the room.”
And many high school athletes don’t continue their fitness regimens in college. “I have girls I’ve seen who’ve gone from playing two or three sports a year to doing nothing,” says DiMuzio. “They’ve gone from a lifestyle where exercise was a daily part of their schedule to doing nothing.”
Then there’s the matter of the campus diet and lifestyle that can include:
– Buffet-style meals in the school cafeteria, where there’s no limit on servings, extra helpings or sweets. “You have to be prepared for the fact that you are going to be walking past dessert twice a day,” says Litt. “That’s a lot of temptation.”
– 24-hour deliveries. Pizza, wings, full dinners, you name it. College campuses just seem to attract fast-food marketers and delivery squads. A few schools even have McDonald’s and 7-Eleven-type convenience stores in their dormitories.
– An erratic study, work and sleep schedule that makes late-night eating common.
– Stress. College is a big change, socially and emotionally, no matter how well prepared you are academically, and emotions play a role in overeating. “Food is comfort, and if you are not adjusting well to campus life, it’s easy to overeat,” says Litt.
– Beer, wine, shots. The empty calories of alcohol will be a fairly constant temptation, with or without a fake ID. “No matter how much we lecture on it, the reality is that college kids are drinking,” says DiMuzio. “And it’s very, very hard to convince them that those are calories that count.”
– The latte factor. Those yummy Starbucks-style coffee drinks can give you a caffeine kick during finals, but they come in at a whopping 650 calories if they are made with whole milk and lots of add-ons.
– Lots and lots of late-night eating, which DiMuzio calls, “the worst calories in the world. You sleep on them. And they are going to stay with you.” Litt notes that the majority of contemporary college campuses have gone to great lengths to provide healthy, delicious meals. “The good news is that you can eat lots of fruit, salad, veggies,” says Litt. “The phenomenon of weight gain really can’t be blamed on the campus food service. Most are trying very hard to do a good job. But part of their job is to provide choices. You just have to be prepared to make good ones.”
There are some things you can do to combat freshman weight gain. Here are some suggestions from DiMuzio, Litt and the folks at Weight Watchers.
– Eat on a schedule. In her book, Litt suggests students map out their weekly meal times the same way they do a class schedule. She advises students to stagger meals based on when they are waking, going to class, working, studying and sleeping. “If you plan it, you are less likely to eat on the run,” she says.
– Make one of your first stops on campus the fitness center. “Most schools have great gyms. They’re free and amazing,” notes DiMuzio, who adds that at Fairfield students take everything from Pilates to kickboxing. Also consider intramural sports. It’s a great way to make friends and stay fit.
– Watch what you drink. Booze, whole-milk lattes, sodas and bottles of organic juice can be sources of excess calories. “I can’t stress enough how much you will pay for those calories,” says DiMuzio, who says she constantly lectures students to guzzle water, not beer. Order coffee drinks made with skim milk.
– Leave the Ramen noodles at home and instead stock your dorm room with healthy snacks and meal options. String cheese; nuts; low-fat, whole grain crackers; plain popcorn and carrot sticks are good choices. Litt is a big fan of healthier fast-food options created by companies such as Fantastic Foods, Tree of Life and Amy’s. “Their dehydrated, instant soups are quite good and nutritious,” she says. Look for them in health food stores, organic markets and groceries with a health foods section.
Buy a George Foreman grill. They are a great way to make quick, lean meals of meat, chicken, fish and even grilled veggies, says Litt. They are a must for off-campus apartment dwellers, she says.
Skip the campus shuttle or leave your car in the lot and walk to class. If you go to school on a big campus and hoof it, you could end up losing weight instead of gaining.
