DeKALB | College may seem like a blur of dining hall food wrapped in take-out containers, late nights at the Campus Recreation Center trying to burn off a few calories before bed time and myths of the infamous freshman 15 threatening thin waistlines.

To some students, gaining weight and eating unhealthily seems as unavoidable as homework. The problem has not gone unnoticed though. A selection of books covering diet and lifestyle guidelines geared specifically toward college students is available.

Plans for the college lifestyle

M.J. Smith, a freelance writer, and her son, Fred Smith, decided to write a book outlining different diet plans, exercise regimens and overall healthy lifestyle choices.

The book is called “The Smart Student’s Guide to Healthy Living,” and M.J. said the idea came to her son after his freshman year at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

“Fred abandoned his fitness routine that he followed in high school and experienced weight gain and anxiety,” she said.

That summer, Fred enlisted the help of his mom, a freelance writer of numerous health and nutrition books in the past, as well as a catalogue of low-fat recipes and tips and tricks for leading a healthier lifestyle.

M.J. said she and Fred began by surveying other college students on what their biggest health concerns were.

“The two most common problems we heard were lack of sleep and dietary concerns, followed by lack of organization and no time to work out,” M.J. said.

Many NIU students are no strangers to these concerns.

“Not getting enough sleep was a problem that hit me hard last fall. Now I’m trying to get to sleep at a reasonable time each night,” said Chris Edwards, a sophomore mechanical engineering major.

Getting motivated

After interviewing students, M.J. and Fred talked to doctors, nutrition consultants and even a therapist from Yale University.

“They gave us an expert opinion on how students should feel about these problems that were identified,” M.J. said. After consulting the experts, Fred and M.J. put their plans and regimens into action. They gathered student testimonials on their different workout strategies and dietary systems.

The book includes not only guidelines for healthy eating and working out, but also recipes for food that can be prepared in the dorm room.

“People really liked the specific advice that they could apply on a daily basis,” M.J. said.

Lauren Stott is a Campus Reporter for the Northern Star.