HEA 285
Cutting the Calories of College Life
November 20, 2012
Introduction It’s often said that starting college is like beginning a brand new chapter of life. Making new friends, studying harder courses and living 200 miles away from home. While all that may seem difficult enough, those are just the obvious examples. What about the change in eating habits, the stress that leads to over eating, and the lack of time to make healthy eating habits? These changes that occur in the first year of college are often referred to as “The Freshman 15”, or the easily gained (not so easy dropped) 15 pounds of weight gain that happens almost instantly in your early college life. The Freshman 15 problem ties distinctly into the seven
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With time and patience I plan to make lowering calories a daily habit that I will be able to keep for the rest of my life. The background research I preformed for my behavior changes project consisted of three articles. The first article was titled Improved Weight Management Using Genetic Information to Personalize a Calorie Controlled Diet. The article explained how you should make calorie-controlled choices that are also based on your genetics. If losing weight is difficult in your family history then you would have to cut your calories down further than a person who doesn’t have a weight loss problem in their family history. The second article I came across was Weight Loss: Fewer Calories In, More Calories Out. This article explains how by cutting 250 calories out of your daily routine and exercising to burn 250 calories daily, you can lose an a pound a week easily. The article suggests that excising while cutting calories will improve your health tremendously. Counting Calories: Resident Perspectives on Calorie Labeling in New York City is the last article I found. The article explains the importance of knowing how to read labels on food products in order to make healthier eating decisions. If a person does not understand what the nutritional labeling system then cutting their calorie intake becomes a very
When I arrived here at college I was extremely disappointed with the selection of food here in the cafeteria. I frequently found myself eating only hamburgers and pizza over and over again, simply because I did not like the other choices. About four months into the school year I had do go to the doctor for a virus and when the nurse weighed me I was a little surprised by what I saw. I had gained a little over ten pounds, close enough to what some refer to as the “Freshman 15.” It is a common fear among college students that they are going to gain fifteen pounds during the course of adjusting to college life. However experts have stated that the idea of the so called “Freshman 15,” is not that accurate. Every college student is obviously
De Vos, P., Hanck, C., Neisingh, M., Prak, D., Groen, H., & Faas, M. M. (2015). Weight gain in freshman college students and perceived health. Preventive Medicine Reports, 2, 229–234.
In the article, “Freshman 15: College Weight Gain Is Real” introduced by the writer, Jennifer Warner, argues that students would are off to college as freshman are in risk of gaining significant weight. Warner adds that “A new study shows that nearly one in four freshmen gain at least 5% of their body weight, an average of about 10 pounds, during their first semester” (Warner). Jennifer Warner supports this with researchers Heidi J. Wengreen and Cara Moncur of the department of nutrition and food sciences at Utah State University in Logan write in Nutrition Journal.The researchers added “Almost one quarter of students gained a significant amount of weight during their first semester of college”. This demonstrates that within these 25% of students, they gain significant
but when you look into the mirror you no longer recognize the person there. Then it hits you the “Freshmen Fifteen”! However, when you step onto the scale it only reads an extra 5 pounds, so you think you managed to beat the so called “Freshmen Fifteen” and everything will be okay; you will lose the weight next year. Next year has come and passed and 4 more pounds have been added. Even though the myth of the “Freshman Fifteen” is false, weight gain among freshman and college students is a major problem facing society.
The thought of new adventures I will encounter and the freedom I will gain in college makes me ecstatic. Your First Year of College: 25 Strategies and Tips to Help You Survive and Thrive Your Freshman Year and Beyond written by Randall S. Hansen, who is an entrepreneur who is focused on helping people with college success and health and wellness. “Get enough sleep, take your vitamins and eat right.” Getting enough sleep can improve your focus and agility. The author suggest that if you stay healthy, get enough sleep, and take your vitamins you should have a better chance of avoiding the “Freshman 15.” Without having your parents around to serve you a good balanced meal, one may be tempted to go for the cookies
The Freshmen 15 is a common phrase we all heard when we were beginning our college careers. If you haven’t heard of it before, it refers to the amount of weight a first year college student gains. Granted this saying isn’t completely true, the transition from home-cooked meals to cafeteria food can cause some weight gain. Cafeteria food is not the only culprit of weight gain, increased alcohol consumption has an effect as well.
The considered weight reduction and consuming less calories might make blended feelings for you. Maybe you've attempted a few weight reduction and counting calories arranges however haven't possessed the capacity to lose the weight or keep it off. Then again, perhaps you'd affection to discover an answer that conveys the outcomes that you have dependably sought after. On the off chance that you discover weight reduction and eating less carbs baffling, you're not the only one.
In order to permanently lose weight you must create an environment for your body to thrive. And, in order to do this you must feed your body correctly. It's not about limiting your caloric intake - in fact, if you're eating correctly, you won't have to ever count calories again.
Having bad eating habits can cause vastly eating disorders and illnesses. Students attending college that do not eat right are most likely to conceive an illness or become overweight. “An unhealthy diet is a major risk factor for becoming overweight and obese,” (McNight). Freshman 15 is most likely to get to the students that have This is something to think about when it comes to meal plans. The majority of the meal plans offered at any college are high in fats and calories. By consuming all of these foods you are more likely to having this problem.
List nutritional or dietary changes that you were able to implement this semester and the effects of these changes on your body composition and personal wellness.
Obesity in America is a very prevalent issue that is affecting all generations. According to the 2015 American Obesity study, more than two-thirds of adults are obese. This is due partially to oversized portions and processed food, however, one of the biggest reasons is the lack of good eating habits while growing up. In college, students go for the more convenient food options that are generally extremely unhealthy and processed. The lack of healthy food options for students hinders the ability to create good eating habits for later in life. Grand Canyon University should establish healthier food options in campus because it will help students eat less processed foods which are causing sickness and unhealthy lifestyles.
College is a new stage in life with a new environment and maybe a different lifestyle. This makes it a prime opportunity to take control of a healthy lifestyle. Who would want to have the dreaded Freshman 15 (or even more)?
Is the freshman fifteen fact or fiction? The freshman fifteen is when first year college students finish up there freshman year with more than an education around their belt. Supposedly, many students gain around fifteen pounds of weight during there freshman year. If this is true, why do students gain weight at college? Is the change between college and home the only reason for student weight gain? Is the culprit being in a different environment? Maybe there is to much freedom from being away from home. Stress, freedom, and sleep deprivation, is causing freshman to gain fifteen pounds in college.
Not only is the “Freshman 15” unhealthy, but this label can cause a person to lose confidence in herself due to her new image. Gaining these extra pounds can cause peers to tease and bully students, causing them to lose focus in school. With healthier choices in the dining halls, it will be easier for students to avoid this stereotype and feel better about themselves. College students will continue to maintain a healthy weight and keep their self esteem.
It takes a deficit of 500 calories a day to lose 1 pound a week. (See References 3) In addition to exercise, your diet also contributes to this. Eating smaller portions, comparing food labels, and making healthy food choices, can have a big impact. For instance, avoid munching on chips and soda while watching TV, and snack on air-popped pop corn and water instead. Emphasize reduced-fat dairy, lean protein, veggies, whole grains, and fruits. (See References 1)