Look out. Here comes “The “Freshman Fifteen.” I started hearing about this at the start of my senior year in high school. Now that I am a freshman, the topic is constant. So I asked myself: Does every freshman gain weight and would it happen to me?
The notion that college freshmen gain weight has been around for many years. In the US, the amount has increased over the years to fifteen pounds. My Mom said during her college years it was ten pounds. But is this fact or myth?
My research took me to the medical website WebMD. They relied on Connie Diekman, MEd, RD, LD, FADA, the director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis and a past president of the American Dietetic Association. Ms. Diekman’s research states that weight gain as a freshman is not a myth but a fact. The fifteen pound amount is an average, not an absolute. How much you gain depends on a variety of factors.
During freshman years, students are experiencing a drastic change in their lifestyle. For most, it is their first time away from home. They are faced with a host of decisions that they must make solely on their own.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/expert-qa-avoiding-freshman-15-connie-diekman
Where should I eat? When should I eat? What should I eat? Should I exercise?
Making these types of life decisions for the first time along with total control over their time management can be very stressful. Adding in the stress of the college work load and the availability of alcohol, anything can happen.
So, will I gain “The Freshman Fifteen? I may gain a few pounds but it won’t be fifteen. Knowledge is power. I will think twice before I eat that late night pizza.
I find the whole freshman 15 debate a very funny one. Someone who is concerned about their weight is not going to let themselves gain weight, especially 15 pounds. Schools offer a variety of healthy choices, you just have to make the right ones. You state, “For most, it is their first time away from home. They are faced with a host of decisions that they must make solely on their own.” Do you think it is just because we are away from home we gain weight? What is it at home that makes us not gain weight? Were you able to find any studies conducted that kept track of what freshman ate, their daily activities, and weight gain? Maybe this could help you prove your point that the freshman 15 is really a thing.
I was able to find this article to disprove your claim that the freshman 15 is a fact. This article takes a different approach and argues that it is a myth, your college experience is what you make of it– if you watch your diet and make time for physical activity the freshman 15 will most likely not be a thing.
I agree with the comments above. Me personally I think it is really a 50-50 chance when it comes to the freshman 15. When you come to college there are lots of unhealthy choices all around, but there are also plenty of healthy ones as well. A lot of times healthier foods can be a little more expensive, but it college, everything pretty much costs the same. I think if the college student has the right mindset, they don’t have to gain weight. Also instead of taking the bus to ones classes, a person could always walk from time to time. Also gaining the freshman 15 also depends on the person. There are lots of people that do not gain weight at all when they eat because of their metabolism. The freshman 15 to me is very avoidable.
The freshman 15 is a scary thing for all of us to think about, especially for girls! There are so many things that change as you move into college and it really takes a toll on your body. From the partying to late night pizza to eating out for every meal, it’s nearly impossible to keep your same routine. I was such a health nut before I came to college and now I just eat what is most convenient. Whenever my sister came to Penn State she didn’t gain any weight her freshman year because she was just to busy to indulge in eating all the time. Her sophomore year, she joined a sorority and that is when she really noticed the weight gain. Something about having a group of girls around you seems to cause you to order pokey sticks more often than if you were along. I wonder what types of correlations there might be between joining Greek life, or clubs and the freshman 15 scale. That would be another really interesting thing to look into for this blog.
I think that the “freshman 15” can sometimes be exaggerated a little, but for the most part, it would seem that weight gain is not an uncommon affect of college. I think that what you said about it being stressful and the fact that many students are now having to live and plan their meals on their own can be a challenge with so many food options and so little time with school work and social life.