Stave off 'freshman 15' by planning meals, exercise

Incoming college freshmen often pay a physical price for the combination of high levels of stress, free-flowing booze, unlimited carbohydrates and a sudden lack of parental control: the infamous freshman 15.

That's the storied average of extra weight new arrivals to the college scene often pack. But there's no need for parents or students to panic, says Elisabetta Politi, nutrition director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, N.C. It's easy to keep fit with a few healthy-living guidelines to keep metabolism up and calorie intake consistent.

"It's really a challenging time in young students' lives because they are on their own for the first time," said Politi. "Some kids who have been sheltered, they find it difficult to just transition from having parents providing three meals a day to making their own selections."

Anna Myers, a freshman at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, said she's worried about gaining weight but hopes that being on the third floor of her dorm will help. She's also taking a running class.

Without the structure of high school and home life, the most important thing for college students is to plan meals, Politi said.

"Freshmen have a schedule packed with classes that makes it difficult to eat regular meals," she said. "I encourage them to look at their class schedule and find times to eat their meals. It's not a good idea to rush to class and not eat anything until 2 p.m."

Never skip breakfast, added Politi.

"I know a lot of college students really enjoy sleeping late and then rushing to classes, but I think it's really important to take time for that meal," she said. "You boost your metabolism when you eat breakfast."

To keep metabolism up, try to eat something every four to five hours.

But don't eat too often. Students often feel pressured to eat when their friends go out, especially late at night, said Courtney Rash, nutritionist coordinator at East Carolina University. "I tell them they can enjoy their friends without eating again if they've already had dinner."

Study breaks also offer occasions for social eating.

"During finals, we had an ice-cream night and a doughnut night," said Laura Keeley, a rising sophomore at Duke University. "And you can almost always find someone who wants to order pizza."

Keeley said she gained a few pounds freshman year, though pressure to stay thin kept it to about 5 pounds. She said alcohol - a fact of college life despite the higher age limit for legal drinking - doesn't help.

Alcohol is highly caloric, with little nutritional value, Politi pointed out. Liquid calories aren't filling. And with judgment impaired, students are more likely to binge on late-night pizza. Politi encourages setting limits and drinking only a few drinks at a time.

Stress also can impair decision-making when it comes to food.

"Studying is the priority for most students," Politi said. "Eating right comes later."

When students feel overwhelmed, they should go to the health center for counseling, Rash said. "Don't turn to emotional eating."

The lack of refrigeration or food-preparation areas in some dorms complicates decisions about what to eat. That leads many college students to subsist on meal bars, shakes and ramen noodles.

Dining halls often have healthy options, but with a smorgasbord of cheesy carbs laid out in front of students, who can stick to the salad bar?

"I recommend that when they go to a dining hall, they first start with a salad or soup" to curb their appetites, said Politi. Then they can "eat food that is more calorically dense."

To keep meals balanced, she recommends filling one-quarter of your plate with protein, one quarter with carbs and the rest with fruits and vegetables. This takes advantage of what Politi calls the volumetric principle: It doesn't matter how many calories you eat: What fills you up is plenty of volume. So a big salad can fill you up more than a little cookie, even though the cookie could have more calories.

If you're worried about the freshman 15, most schools provide free nutritional counseling through the health center.