Monday, September 28, 2009
Eat right to avoid the dreaded ‘freshman 15’
The discovery of our babysitter driving was one thing. But recently we shared in the excitement of her going off to college. A great loss to us begins a new journey for Jess.
I can’t help but to reminisce on my own experiences as a freshman off to college. Raman noodles, Nescafé and grinders (as I learned New Englander’s call them) were on my weekly menu. It is no surprise that the freshman 15 was real for me. The opportunity to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, had its ramifications.
According to a study at Cornell University, college students gain an average of four pounds during their first 12 weeks on campus. The cause of weight gain is linked to all-you-can-eat dining facilities, evening snacks and empty-calorie food choices.
So what healthy advice can I give to Jess as she heads off to college? Follow my Eat Your P.E.A.S. advice for college students.
Planning is Power
Sometimes the poor food choices we make on campus come from poor planning. Don’t wait until you’re too hungry to grab something to eat. Chances are that something won’t be good for you.
If your schedule is packed, take a few minutes once a week to come up with a plan (make this one of your easy weekly assignments).
If Monday and Thursdays have back-to-back classes, plan on packing some fresh fruit and nuts to go. Pick up a yogurt on your way by to café to balance it out.
If weekly planning is overwhelming, planning day-to-day can be just as advantageous.
Three meals and two healthy snacks each day is an ideal pattern. Planning ahead can be as simple as taking an extra piece of fruit with dinner to go to save as part of an evening snack.
Eat a Balanced Breakfast Everyday
This is a big one. The Big B! You’ve got to fuel yourself well with breakfast to start a busy day.
If your class schedule is crammed in the morning, giving yourself time to eat is a must. If going to the dining hall doesn’t fit into your day, stock up your “dorm room pantry” with fresh fruit, yogurt, granola or whole grain cereals and low fat milk.
The brain works most efficiently with a steady supply of fuel. So don’t jip your brain from the start. Give your mind and body what it needs.
Appropriate Portions Balanced with Activity
Watch your plate! As a guide try to aim for 1⁄2 your plate as produce, 1⁄4 whole grains and 1⁄4 lean protein.
Also visit http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/foodforday.pdf and
http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/howmuch.pdf" for visual guides on portions and balance.
Ask for what you want. Most food service staff members are happy to accommodate you where they are able. Don’t be afraid to ask for something on the side or to hold it all together.
Eat from a plate. Eating straight from the box is a rebel norm in college. But what it does is skew your awareness of how much you are actually eating.
Regular physical activity is another piece of the puzzle. It helps maintain energy as well as manage weight. You need all the energy you can get. Extending your walk to or from class is one easy way to work in a few extra miles. Take advantage of any campus resources like a gym or running track, etc… You get the idea…move more.
Shop Smart to stock up on healthy foods/snacks
Shopping at a grocery store may give you a greater variety of produce than a quick campus market. Shop the perimeter of the store to stock up on produce, whole grains and low fat dairy. Buy in-season produce to save.
Trader Joes is a terrific option to fit a college budget. Visit www.traderjoes.com to see if a location is near campus. Jess is lucky to have one in her neighborhood. You can get everything you need there to stock a healthy dorm room pantry. See my list below.
Check out local resources. Maybe your campus has a local listing of farmers’ markets and restaurants. My university (UNH) now offers an online guide to help navigate your way around eating on campus. If not, check out your city online. Hartford, for example, has an online dining guide, which also lists farmers’ markets in the area.
Good luck to Jess and all those freshman off to college. I’d love to hear from you. Please e-mail feedback or questions to me at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
Dorm room pantry
Your pantry could be as simple as a crate or tote under your desk.
- all-fruit spreads
- rice cake
- dried fruits (raisin, apricots, cherries)
- whole grain baked crackers
- bananas, pears
- cereal (high fiber, low sugar)
- nut butters (almond, cashew, peanut)
- granola bars, granola
- nuts (almonds, walnuts)
- whole wheat bread or English muffins
- seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame)
- graham crackers
- pretzels
- multi-grain tortilla chips
Smart snacks for the refrigerator
A refrigerator in the dorm rooms offers a way to keep perishable items and a wider variety of smart snacks.
- Fruit – grapes, apples, kiwi, clementines
- hummus
- veggies – baby carrots, snow PEAS
- low-fat or fat-free milk or soy milk
- salsa
- yogurt
- string cheese
- light cream cheese
Resources:
http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/college101.html
http://www.freshman15.com/healthy-eating-guide.php
http://www.jhsph.edu/student_affairs/HealthyEating.html
http://www.jhsph.edu/student_affairs/GTWP_Tipbook.pdf
http://www.cspinet.org/
http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v28/n11/full/0802776a.html
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2720988
Renee Frechette is a registered dietitian who serves as the outpatient oncology dietitian in the The William W. Backus Hospital’s Radiation Therapy Center. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. E-mail Frechette and all of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org or comment on this blog.
I can’t help but to reminisce on my own experiences as a freshman off to college. Raman noodles, Nescafé and grinders (as I learned New Englander’s call them) were on my weekly menu. It is no surprise that the freshman 15 was real for me. The opportunity to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, had its ramifications.
According to a study at Cornell University, college students gain an average of four pounds during their first 12 weeks on campus. The cause of weight gain is linked to all-you-can-eat dining facilities, evening snacks and empty-calorie food choices.
So what healthy advice can I give to Jess as she heads off to college? Follow my Eat Your P.E.A.S. advice for college students.
Planning is Power
Sometimes the poor food choices we make on campus come from poor planning. Don’t wait until you’re too hungry to grab something to eat. Chances are that something won’t be good for you.
If your schedule is packed, take a few minutes once a week to come up with a plan (make this one of your easy weekly assignments).
If Monday and Thursdays have back-to-back classes, plan on packing some fresh fruit and nuts to go. Pick up a yogurt on your way by to café to balance it out.
If weekly planning is overwhelming, planning day-to-day can be just as advantageous.
Three meals and two healthy snacks each day is an ideal pattern. Planning ahead can be as simple as taking an extra piece of fruit with dinner to go to save as part of an evening snack.
Eat a Balanced Breakfast Everyday
This is a big one. The Big B! You’ve got to fuel yourself well with breakfast to start a busy day.
If your class schedule is crammed in the morning, giving yourself time to eat is a must. If going to the dining hall doesn’t fit into your day, stock up your “dorm room pantry” with fresh fruit, yogurt, granola or whole grain cereals and low fat milk.
The brain works most efficiently with a steady supply of fuel. So don’t jip your brain from the start. Give your mind and body what it needs.
Appropriate Portions Balanced with Activity
Watch your plate! As a guide try to aim for 1⁄2 your plate as produce, 1⁄4 whole grains and 1⁄4 lean protein.
Also visit http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/foodforday.pdf and
http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/howmuch.pdf" for visual guides on portions and balance.
Ask for what you want. Most food service staff members are happy to accommodate you where they are able. Don’t be afraid to ask for something on the side or to hold it all together.
Eat from a plate. Eating straight from the box is a rebel norm in college. But what it does is skew your awareness of how much you are actually eating.
Regular physical activity is another piece of the puzzle. It helps maintain energy as well as manage weight. You need all the energy you can get. Extending your walk to or from class is one easy way to work in a few extra miles. Take advantage of any campus resources like a gym or running track, etc… You get the idea…move more.
Shop Smart to stock up on healthy foods/snacks
Shopping at a grocery store may give you a greater variety of produce than a quick campus market. Shop the perimeter of the store to stock up on produce, whole grains and low fat dairy. Buy in-season produce to save.
Trader Joes is a terrific option to fit a college budget. Visit www.traderjoes.com to see if a location is near campus. Jess is lucky to have one in her neighborhood. You can get everything you need there to stock a healthy dorm room pantry. See my list below.
Check out local resources. Maybe your campus has a local listing of farmers’ markets and restaurants. My university (UNH) now offers an online guide to help navigate your way around eating on campus. If not, check out your city online. Hartford, for example, has an online dining guide, which also lists farmers’ markets in the area.
Good luck to Jess and all those freshman off to college. I’d love to hear from you. Please e-mail feedback or questions to me at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
Dorm room pantry
Your pantry could be as simple as a crate or tote under your desk.
- all-fruit spreads
- rice cake
- dried fruits (raisin, apricots, cherries)
- whole grain baked crackers
- bananas, pears
- cereal (high fiber, low sugar)
- nut butters (almond, cashew, peanut)
- granola bars, granola
- nuts (almonds, walnuts)
- whole wheat bread or English muffins
- seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame)
- graham crackers
- pretzels
- multi-grain tortilla chips
Smart snacks for the refrigerator
A refrigerator in the dorm rooms offers a way to keep perishable items and a wider variety of smart snacks.
- Fruit – grapes, apples, kiwi, clementines
- hummus
- veggies – baby carrots, snow PEAS
- low-fat or fat-free milk or soy milk
- salsa
- yogurt
- string cheese
- light cream cheese
Resources:
http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/college101.html
http://www.freshman15.com/healthy-eating-guide.php
http://www.jhsph.edu/student_affairs/HealthyEating.html
http://www.jhsph.edu/student_affairs/GTWP_Tipbook.pdf
http://www.cspinet.org/
http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v28/n11/full/0802776a.html
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2720988
Renee Frechette is a registered dietitian who serves as the outpatient oncology dietitian in the The William W. Backus Hospital’s Radiation Therapy Center. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. E-mail Frechette and all of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org or comment on this blog.
# posted by ----------------- @ 3:48 PM 
