So many first-year college students gain unwanted pounds that the so-called Freshman 15 is the subject of a new MTV reality show. (They're auditioning now.)
Structure your eating habits
Nadina Bourgeois, 24, packed on 15 pounds her first year at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and added another 10 to 15 over four years. She blames her "weird" schedule for her expanding size.
"Some days I'd wake up at 1 p.m. and go straight to class, and other days I'd be up at 8:30 a.m.," she says. "There was no way to plan ahead -- especially when it came to meals." Delinsky suggests that fitting three meals and two to three snacks into each day can keep your eating habits on track and your calorie intake under control. Health.com: Top 10 energy-boosting nutrition strategies
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Don't overdo your dining plan
Campus dining rooms encourage an all-you-can-eat mentality. Counter it by filling your plate with at least 50 percent green stuff, suggests Frances Largeman-Roth, R.D., the senior food and nutrition editor at "Health."
It can be fresh salad, cooked veggies, or a combo. Then pick up a piece of grilled chicken or a burger without the bun from the grill. The remaining 25 percent of your plate should be filled with a whole grain such as steamed brown rice, whole-wheat bread, or, if your college is really with it, quinoa salad or tabbouleh. "And steal a couple pieces of fresh fruit to bring back to your dorm room," she says. Health.com: 5 surprising myths about excess weight
Avoid peer pressure
Just because everyone else from your Intro to Psych study group heads to the local pizza joint after class doesn't mean you have to join in the feeding frenzy, says Largeman-Roth.
"Either join in and keep it to two slices plus a salad (eat the salad first to fill up), or take a rain check," she says. "It's easy to overdo it when you're with your friends--especially if beer is flowing."
Watch the liquid calories
Speaking of beer, liquid calories add up quickly! That's often part of the reason why people gain the first year. "Not only does alcohol contain a lot of calories, but people also make poor food choices when they're under the influence," says Delinsky. Alternate with water and diet soda and try not to get so drunk that judgment is impaired. Health.com: How crash diets harm your health and heart
Plan for cramming
When you're trying to stay awake and focused, studies show that chewing gum can help, and the sugar-free kind is virtually free of calories. "But when you just need those chips or cookies to get through an all-nighter, keep the damage down by buying single-serving packs," advises Largeman-Roth. "An entire bag of chips can do anyone in when they're stressed."
Keep your dorm free of junk food
Although you don't need a stocked kitchen in your dorm, it helps to keep on hand yogurt, fruit, and granola bars with at least 2 to 3 grams of fiber per serving and no more than 10 grams of sugar, such as TLC Chewy Granola Bars from Kashi. Health.com: 20 little ways to drop pounds and keep them off
Take a course on healthy eating
In one study, adding a nutrition science course to a student's curriculum was an effective intervention against weight gain. If that's not possible, make an appointment with your campus nutritionist for advice on maintaining or losing weight.
Weigh yourself daily
A 2006 study by Cornell University researchers suggests that daily weight-monitoring can be a useful tool for keeping college weight gain in check.
Arax-Rae Van Buren, 24, who gained 20 pounds her first year at Arizona State University, agrees that nutritional education and self-monitoring would have helped her. "I gained the weight so fast I still have stretch marks on my inner thighs," she admits.
Join the gym
Many students swap high school sports for college studies, and they end up burning fewer calories. Delinsky suggests they check out the campus gym. "The campus gyms are amazing and they are high-end," she says. "They have really fun offerings--rock-climbing, yoga, and it can be a great way to socialize without eating."ONE WEEK TO A SLIMMER YOU!
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/28/healthmag.one.week.slimmer/index.html
Sunday: Shoot it, and shed pounds.
Studies show that recording meals may help you lose up to 5 percent of your weight, says Robert A. Carels, Ph.D., an associate professor in the psychology department at Bowling Green State University.
Start today: Snap before and after photos of each meal with your camera phone. Keeping a visual food diary is a more accurate way to see what and how much you're eating, United Kingdom researchers say. Afterward, download the pics so you'll have a record.
Monday: Pop a vitamin to kill hunger.
Taking a daily multivitamin may make you less hungry, two studies in the British Journal of Nutrition suggest; people who take one tend to weigh less and have lower BMIs.
Start today: Pop a multi with at least 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamins included in the studies: chromium, copper, folic acid, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamins B6 and B12, and zinc. Health.com: 20 little ways to drop the pounds and keep them off
Tuesday: Speed up to burn more calories.
Strength-training circuit-style torches more calories than the traditional way, says Jim Stoppani, Ph.D., author of "Encyclopedia of Muscle and Strength." Research shows that the shorter the rest period between sets, the more calories you blast off. "In addition," Stoppani says, "doing a whole-body workout employs more muscle, which in turn burns more fat."
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Start today: Turn your usual strength-training routine into a circuit by doing one set of 15 reps for each exercise with no rest in between; wait 20 seconds and repeat the circuit twice.
Wednesday: Triple your C and burn more fat.
Regularly consuming 500 milligrams or more of vitamin C may help you burn 30 percent more fat while working out, according to research in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
Start today: Eat at least three servings of vitamin C-rich whole foods like citrus fruits, broccoli, and cantaloupe. Try this to knock a couple servings off: "Pack a vitamin C-rich, easy-to-transport snack, such as a mix of baby carrots, sugar snap peas, and cherry tomatoes," suggests Debra Wein, R.D., the president of Wellness Workdays, in Hingham, Massachusetts. Health.com: How crash diets can harm your heart and health
Thursday: Have a gab session and drop pounds faster.
Not only can an exercise buddy help you show up for your workouts, but she can also help you melt fat faster, says Tim Lohman, Ph.D., a professor emeritus at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, and an expert on the connection between exercise and body composition.
Start today: Create your own weight-loss network. "The buddy system works best when you can turn to someone you're already friends with," Lohman says. Meet at least once a week (even if it's in cyberspace) to discuss obstacles and celebrate successes.
Friday: Color yourself slim.
An apple a day will do more than keep the doctor away -- it'll keep pounds off, too. Filling up with a range of fruits and vegetables is an easy way to cut your calorie load, a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests.
Start today: "Follow the rainbow," Wein suggests. "Do your best to eat from all of the color groups during the day." Add blueberries to your cereal, snack on apples, and load your lunchtime salad with carrots, tomatoes, and peppers. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat
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Saturday: Inhale and conquer cravings.
When we're stressed we tend to look for quick-fix calories. "Yogic breathing offsets this. When you're relaxed, you don't have as much hunger pain," says Ralph LaForge, an exercise physiologist in the endocrine department of the Duke University Medical Center. "People make better food choices when they're relaxed."
Start today: When hunger strikes, try this exercise from Kristen Eykel, creator of the DVD series, "Yoga Emergency: The 12-Minute Workout." Rest your right thumb near your right nostril, ring finger and pinky by your left nostril. Close the left side and inhale through the right for four counts, then close your right nostril and hold for four counts. Open your left nostril and exhale through that side for four counts.
Repeat cycle again on other side; continue alternating for at least a minute. You'll relax in no time -- and may even forget about that cookie you longed for. Health.com: 4 tips for sticking to your diet
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