FOOD: Beating The "Freshman 15"

Meg Schmidt didn’t weigh herself very often during her freshman year, but she’s pretty sure she gained weight.

After all, she has photographic evidence.

“Some boys in my law school were going through my pictures on Facebook, and they pulled up some from the beginning of my sophomore year,” said Schmidt, who graduated from BYU in 2006. “They were pretty surprised; I probably gained between 10 and 20 pounds my freshman year.”

Every year, thousands of new students come to BYU and start chowing down on whatever they can get their hands on, from vending machine snacks to Cougar Eat meals.

What they don’t know is that with every bite they take, they may be succumbing to that infamous enemy, “the freshman 15.”

The freshman year weight gain phenomenon has actually been proven through several studies in recent years, though most of them conclude that the average first-time student gains closer to five pounds than 15.

Still, if you’re not careful, you could find yourself with a little unwanted flab come Christmas break. But be not alarmed! Some BYU graduates who have been down that road before have decided to share their advice with incoming freshmen.

The following tips to beat the Freshman 15 are a result of their cautionary tales:

Lay off the Jamba Juice
A 24-oz. Strawberry Wild is practically a rite of passage for incoming freshmen, but be careful: that deceptively healthy-sounding smoothie contains 410 calories that likely won’t fill you up. Top off a Cougareat lunch with one of those, and you’ll easily be scarfing down more than 1,000 calories.

“I definitely attribute a lot of my weight gain to Jamba Juice,” said Schmidt. “I had one every morning when I got onto campus, and I thought, ‘it can’t be that bad, right?’”

If you need your Jamba fix, go for a 16-oz., 150-calorie Strawberry Nirvana.

Choose wisely at the Cougareat
The Wilkinson Center’s food court is not exactly a shining beacon of healthy eating. From Taco Bell to Freschetta, the restaurants at the Cougareat offer some downright fatty menu items.

Kriste Bennion, a BYU graduate from the class of ’94, blames her unhealthy eating habits on fast food.

“I didn’t know how to plan out a grocery list … and I was poor, so I ended up eating the packaged stuff that has a ton of calories,” she said. “Taco Bell is cheap, but not very good for you.”

A Grilled Stuft Burrito with Chicken, for example, contains a whopping 650 calories.

Fit in some exercise
If you don’t want to shell out the cash for a gym membership, utilize the workout facilities on campus for free. The Richards Building offers a track, cardio machines and a plethora of weights. Students sometimes complain about the crowded space, but you’ll be saving yourself hundreds of dollars.

Also, take advantage of all BYU’s spacious campus. Chances are you’ll be walking a lot more than you were at home, so give yourself plenty of time between classes and avoid shortcuts. Some new studies are suggesting that people who get frequent, low impact exercise [like walking up Maeser hill] every day, find it easier to control their appetites and maintain weight.

Chew sugar-free gum to make it through the all-nighters
Doctors stress the importance of adequate sleep when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, but if you absolutely have to pull an all-nighter, stay away from the junk food and energy drinks.

Instead, some health-conscious students recommend sugar-free gum to keep you awake.

McKay Coppins is the news editor for the Daily Universe and an occasional Rhombus contributor.