We've all heard of the infamous "Freshman 15" - you gain about 15 pounds your freshman year of college because you're dorming and have to eat campus food. In high school I was pretty athletic and pretty slim and usually wary of how healthy the foods I was consuming were and I knew I'd definitely be going to workout at the gym on campus regularly. Also I had quit drinking soda and juice since the start of junior year and only drank water and herbal tea (no coffee!) so, tbh, I never thought that I'd fall victim to Freshman 15. Haha, silly me! I go to a really big college (like 25,000 students) and we have lots of places to get food on campus so there was so much variety and I tried a bunch of new things and added a bunch of things to my new list of favorite foods. Needless to say I packed on the pounds...majorly! Most people think that you go to college and eat a lot and don't hit the gym and that's the only way you gain weight (umm, excuse me but I was at the gym several times a week doing very high impact exercises throughout my entire freshman year and I joined a fitness class there sooooooo). Here, I'll show you the underlying reasons why we actually end up with Freshman 15:
- You've been up super late doing homework and studying: College was the first time EVER that I've gone to bed after 11:30p.m. (I am NOT even kidding!!!!) but once the semester started I was up late, some nights until 2a.m., which is probably still nothing compared to people who stay up until 4a.m. When I stayed up so late doing homework and studying I was always tempted to snack on something to keep me "activated" and these snacks usually consisted of Doritos, granola bars and cookies from my stash, and pint cups of ice cream from the dining hall -DEF NOT GOOD STUFF!!!! We seem to have evolved to think of food as a motivator MORE SO than a necessity to sustain life. Plus being up late at some point you'll get the munchies and find it quite distracting while you're trying to study.
- You were introduced to Starbucks: First of all, I just want to say that I am NOT bashing Starbucks, I am just offering up a potential reason for weight gain because Starbucks definitely played a role in my Freshman 15 and I'm just sharing that with you so all you Starbucks-lovers don't go bashing me because you thought I was bashing your shop. =) Anyways, I was introduced to our on-campus Starbucks (two of them on one campus!!) and instantly fell for the Green Tea Frappuccino (because I love everything Green Tea flavored!!). I'll spare you the details and just say that sometimes it got to the point where I was at Starbucks two and three times a day, which was clearly bad for me. The Frnappuccinos that I loved to get were packed with sugar, even if I didn't ask for whipped cream! All that sugar in my system contributed to my weight gain and it was kinda like I realized the drinks were sugary but I didn't realize the impact they were having on me until I actually experienced it. This also tends to happen with soda and juices - not just Starbucks and this will happen to a lot of college students!!! Just saying, those yummy, sweet, cool drinks from Starbucks that you love definitely don't love you and your body!
- You want a quick fix: We college students are always on the go - from class to the library to class again to a review session to a group study session and sometimes it feels like all we have time for is a grab and go "meal" which lots of colleges offer. These food items come as pre-packaged sandwiches, wraps, cookies, crackers, and things that you literally pick up, pay for, and toss in your bag to eat when you find yourself having a five minute break. Plus you don't have to wait in line for it to be made for you! These options are not as nutrient-dense as the options from build-your-own salad or sandwich stations, where you can choose several veggies and lean protein rather than just chicken with lettuce in a wrap. DON'T get me started on those cookies! Often times we just feel like those are the options we have until we end obligations for the day and can retire with an actual meal. Try your best not to succumb to grab and go options, though, if you have it once a week or so it's completely fine! I'm no registered dietician but there's definitely a problem if you're having a grab and go scone and chocolate milk for every meal!
- You're working out at the gym but not eating well: Like I said, I did go to the gym regularly my freshman year but at the same time I was sucking down Starbucks regularly and picking up anything that looked delicious to me. Your diet plays a VERY important role in maintaining your weight and losing weight, more so than exercise (exercise contributes roughly 20% while diet is 80%). So cardio means nothing if you're stuffing your face with sugar and junk food. I have a friend who works out 6 days a week but I'd see him have breakfast during our first class of the day which was almost always two packages of Little Bites muffins and milk. This is also exactly what I was talking about with the quick fixes that we sometimes look for. A little junk food is completely fine once a week or so but don't do what I did because remember, running 3 miles on the treadmill and strength training mean nothing if you regularly stuff yourself with junk!
- You're eating food because it's there: I did this a lot throughout my first year and bought food because it was just there in the dining hall and not because I was actually hungry (plus, I had the highest meal plan offered at my school so I didn't mind spending some extra for the day!) I remember doing this a lot with the gelato station and sushi places. I'd buy 2 packages of freshly made sushi (they make it right there in front of you) so that's usually like 16 pieces of sushi in one sitting!!! 0.0 yikes! Try your best to avoid doing this! I know that we are only human and once in a while that mindless eating kicks in but if you can fight it, please do!
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