<p>I'm worried about gaining the Freshman 15 (pounds) when I go to college. I am an athlete and I really only eat extremely lean foods and lots of fruits and vegetables. Any tips for making sure I get adequate nutrition when I go off to college in the fall without packing on the pounds?</p>
<p>Tbh I don’t know who came up with this freshman 15 crap. If anything, I have lost weight and gained muscle, and it’s the same with most people I know. I am 6’5", 165lbs (BMI: 19.6). The only strenuous exercise I do is running once a week (at least 3 miles) and some weights. If you’re an athlete, you will have no trouble at all in keeping the weight off (unless you want to gain weight in the form of muscle).</p>
<p>If you’re an athlete and continue to be active in college, you’ll be just fine. It sounds like you already have healthy eating habits, so just stick to them.</p>
<p>The “freshman 15” usually only happens to the students who eat lots of pizza and fatty snacks, and/or drink lots of beer, without ever getting any exercise.</p>
<p>You’ll be fine. Plus, plus with all the walking, gym and healthy eating habits, you sound like you’re ahead of the pack.</p>
<p>Most kids gain weight because of the allure late night at my university. They’ll have a tin full of cheese sticks, chicken fingers and fries at 11PM. Then, wonder why they gained weight. :-/</p>
<p>I think that is all “cliquish” sort of stuff, just like senioritis. In high school, nobody discussed or whined about “senioritis” except for the preppy/student government-type kids.</p>
<p>Just another term used as a lame excuse to cover avoidable, inexcusable, lazy behavior…</p>
<p>I went from 160 lbs to 143…</p>
<p>15? I gained at least 20 lbs freshman year.</p>
<p>But that’s because I stopped cross-country running, had access to all-you-can-eat buffet for 3 meals, and began drinking.</p>
<p>I’m actually <em>trying</em> to put on some more weight right now, but find it to be near impossible.</p>
<p>“had access to all-you-can-eat buffet for 3 meals”</p>
<p>Please explain, and I mean this sincerely.</p>
<p>^uhm, the dining hall is all-you-can eat (at some schools) for breakfast, lunch, and dinner</p>
<p>Omg, college is going to be AWSOME, 'specially since I am immune to weight gain.</p>
<p>Do they these buffets appear more often in upper-level schools (with higher endowments)? </p>
<p>If you are wondering why I am asking so many questions about food, it’s becuase I’m absolutely starving at the moment…</p>
<p>^ I’m at a Public UC school in Cali and we STILL have all you can eat meals 3 times a DAY ~!!! </p>
<p>From mon-wed there’s “Late NIght” which means the dining halls are opened until 11PM–although there is less food selection at least you still get to eat. </p>
<p>Coming from a skinny (I looked like 3rd world country kid during HS w/ shirt off) I can say that even I gained a few pounds ~5 i’m thinking, my pants are snugger now!! </p>
<p>Food is awesome, but you will get bored after a while.</p>
<p>I’ve gained (and lost again by now) maybe 3-5 pounds this year. The reason for this was excess calories from alcohol, and the fact that when you have the “drunk munchies” late at night the only places that are open are places with fatty, unhealthy food.</p>
<p>Wait, you’re not in college already ronpaul?</p>
<p>I thought you were a bit zany before - but you are probably going to go nuts freshman year.</p>
<p>The weight sneaks up on you. I’ve gained about ten pounds this year - nothing too noticeable but, still, it’s there. My biggest advice: don’t eat fast food. Don’t do it. College is a wonderful place where you can order five or six different types of delivery/takeout at three in the morning, pick up all sorts of fast food on campus, or decide it’d be easier to grab a quick (unhealthy) snack than cook a healthy dinner. </p>
<p>And those campus buffet-style dining halls get to you.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>thank you for giving me hope.</p>
<p>How Not to get Freshmen 15:
- Don’t eat late night snacks, they tend to b unhealthy
- Watch your portions in the cafetria (the all-you-can-eat buffet)
- You’re an athlete, so im sure you will still excerise</p>
<p>i gained at least fifteen pounds this past year (it’s a disaster…none of my clothes fit). i ate a VERY healthy vegan diet full of whole grains, fruits, veggies, soy, beans, lots of fresh produce and exercised a moderate amount. i’ve tried very, very hard to stick to that diet at my school, but we only have one place to get food aside from what amounts to a “junk food place”, and they just don’t have many fresh foods. they use lots of heavily processed grains, trans fats, and high fructose corn syrup, among other unhealthy things. it’s simply unavoidable, and not only have i gained this weight, i feel unhealthy. the workload doesn’t leave me much time for exercise, either.</p>
<p>so i think whether you gain weight in college or not depends on the food options at your school and how much time you have to exercise.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You’re better off eating junk food.</p>
<p>The diet you described is full of carbohydrates. When your macros and ratios are that crappy, no wonder you gain weight. It has very little to do with the actual food choices; it has everything to do with getting the right amount of macronutrients. Whole grains (don’t let the fact that it’s a whole wheat bagel deceive you into thinking it’s healthy) are grains. Fruits are very, very high in sugars. Vegetables, soy, and beans are also high in carbohydrates (safe spinach, kale, broccoli, etc. which are fibrous). Am I saying you should cut out fruits and vegetables? Absolutely not. But the key is moderation.</p>
<p>Where are your healthy fats and omega 3s? A diet too low in fat will cause your body to go into starvation mode which will be counterproductive to your weight loss goals. Unless you eat an insane amount of soy, your diet is also severely lacking in protein.</p>
<p>
Haha. I ate food that tastes good and never went to the gym and maintained my size 4 figure 
It’s because I don’t live in a dorm and buy fresh food…although I still eat at dining halls a lot. You’re right, there are some health options, but overall it’s harder to get fresh, healthy food when you’re living off a meal plan…especially since many schools have all-you-can-eat buffet style dining.</p>
<p>I agree it’s very hard to get healthy food living on a meal plan. To avoid the freshman 15 it’s the un-healthy cafeteria choices, buffet-style dining, late-night all-night study snacking you have to watch out for.</p>
<p>Next year I’ll be living in a single apartment style room with a range/ full-fridge/ and some cabinet space. Anybody have any websites or book suggestions on healthy and quick (as well as easy to learn!) cooking recipes?</p>