The Freshman 15, an unexpected weight gain that is believed to occur during the first year of college, may be a myth.

Many students do gain some weight their first year away from home, said Martha O’Gorman, an instructor and nutrition counselor in Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences at NIU. There is no indication that most students gain 15 pounds during their freshman year.

“For some students, it is their first year where they are choosing their own food,” O’Gorman said. “Some weight gain might be due to the stress of school, the fun of a busy social life or the decrease in physical activity that occurs with many high schools athletes who are no longer in sports.”

The Freshman 15, O’Gorman said, is the weight gain during the first semester in college when an individual is on their own. The 16-week semesters mean an individual would gain about one pound per week during the semester, O’Gorman said.

“Since a pound of body weight is an extra 3,500 calories, 15 pounds is only 500 extra calories per day for 15 weeks,” said O’Gorman. “Think how easy that is and it is amazing more students don’t gain more weight.”

Students should be aware of the portions and sizes they are consuming on a daily basis – especially when eating fast foods and at all-you-can-eat buffets.

“For those in the residence halls or who are eating most meals in cafeterias or fast food restaurants, be aware of portion sizes that are appropriate for your size and activity,” O’Gorman said.

Eating balanced meals that include fruits and vegetables is an important factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Students should choose snacks to keep in their rooms in the residence halls to balance out the types of food they ate in the cafeteria, O’Gorman said.

“If you never find vegetables that you like, then you might want to keep a bag of carrots and a low-fat dip in your room,” O’Gorman said. “If you don’t drink milk and aren’t getting any other dairy source, then I recommend low-fat cheese such a mozzarella sticks and whole-wheat crackers.”

“Students need to exercise more and watch the snacking,” Quinn said. “You will feel better long-term if you don’t eat all hamburgers and french fries. You may not feel those fatty foods now, but you will feel it down the road due to the cumulative effect.”

Healthy lifestyle tips

– Don’t skip meals

– Eat balanced meals three times a day.

– If you can’t get back to your home for lunch, take a sack lunch or learn to choose wisely from the restaurants available.

– A cheeseburger, skim milk and an apple makes a lot better meal than a cheeseburger, fries and a 20 oz. sweetened beverage.

– Eat before you go to class to avoid the “munchies.”

– Limit late-night snacking.

– Moderation and portion control is the key.

Source: Martha O’Gorman, an instructor and nutrition counselor in Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences