For dietary intern Allison Douglas, the freshmen 15 phenonmenon is not realistic.

Douglas said the weight gain for freshmen ranges between 2- to 6-pounds. Douglas gave a talk to students on eating myths like freshmen 15 and other dieting issues Wednesday.

“It’s okay to eat potatoes,” Douglas said. “The calories feared are actually from the toppings people decide to put on there.”

Douglas said there was no definition for healthy foods since eating healthy is all about moderation.

One way to moderate the intake of food is with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food guide pyramid, Douglas said. The guide states half of a plate should be for a variety of fruits or vegetables, a quarter for whole grains and a quarter for lean protein. The plate should also include a side for low fat dairy.

“I heard of low carb diets, which are actually potentially dangerous,” said freshman geology major Dorrie Holder. “So it’s good to have services like this to give those that don’t know how to go about living healthier information.”

Douglas said healthy eating habits is lifestyle choice made hard in a college environment. Dining halls offer wide access to food and it takes a great deal of self-control and awareness to know actual hunger and fullness, she said.

Douglas said people should consistently try to eat three balanced meals a day, and eat a snack when hungry. Knowing about portions and the serving sizes are essential to being healthy, she said.

“I’m not fat or anything,” said freshman undeclared major Stephanie Wonders. “But I liked the seminar because I struggle with self-control and moderation, and being in softball that’s something I wanted to work on.”

Douglas said the intention of this presentation is educate youths so bad habits don’t plague them. She said being healthy isn’t about outer appearance but about helping to perform better and prevent different diseases.