Newswise — There's debate on whether students should fear the dreaded "Freshman Fifteen," but most evidence shows college freshmen do gain weight their first year in college.
Tennessee Tech University nutrition professor Cathy Cunningham polled a class of junior level students, asking them ways to avoid the extra pounds, and came up with eight tips to help any student worried about college weight gain.
1. Use your meal cardYou'll find yourself eating at regularly scheduled times with a better variety of food choices. Make your cafeteria visits social, fun times with friends.
2. Oatmeal for breakfastYour mother was right -- don't skip breakfast. Students suggest keeping a variety of instant flavored oatmeal in your dorm room so you can eat before class.
3. Feel fruityAnother advantage of cafeteria eating is that whole fruit is usually offered daily. Grab a piece of fruit on your way back to your room. Eat it as a snack later in the day.
4. One scoop or two?Juniors say portions hurt them as much as what they ate. The palm of your hand is a good point of reference as a serving size for most meats.
5. Drinking caloriesAlcohol contains seven calories per gram. That means a regular beer has 150 calories, a wine cooler had 175 and any liqueur added to a drink can add as many as 185 calories. Soft drinks average 150 calories per 12 ounces.
6. Cookies and Peanut ButterPick ginger snaps for a low fat cookie. Eat them out of the bag or with peanut butter and a fruit or some baby carrots for a quick, no-time-for-the-cafeteria meal.
7. Pizza -- it can hurt youDon't deny yourself, but the juniors agreed it was the biggest calorie villain they faced. Think veggie toppings and limit your slices.
8. Lay your money on eggsA great source of protein for seven cents apiece, you can scramble one in your dorm microwave in 45 seconds.
"My best advice for college women is to spend as much time planning what you'll eat as you spend on deciding what you'll wear," said Cathy Cunningham, a TTU human ecology professor.
"The pressure for social acceptance takes priority in any college freshman's life, and eating correctly easily falls by the wayside," she said.
Cunningham also advises college students to check out their campus fitness center. There's usually no charge, and centers, such as TTU's Fitness Center, offer more than weight training, including swimming, aerobics, walking and pickup games at the basketball and volleyball courts.
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