© Virginia Caldwell April 28, 2006
How to Beat the So-Called “Inevitable”
| Many freshman girls that I know here at Auburn are insecure with their bodies because of their weight. The constant worry of gaining the freshman fifteen consumes their thoughts and actions; they either starve themselves, or every time they eat they are overcome with guilt or feel the need to work out excessively. Being aware of food intake isn’t a bad thing and wanting to exercise is wonderful, but some of these girls go too far. They reach the point that it becomes a psychological problem. These girls have been instilled with the idea that gaining the freshman fifteen is inevitable. They go to extremes to stop it from happening; when really, all beating the “inevitable” takes is a few simple adjustments in their daily routine. | |
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First of all, it may ease your thoughts to know that on average women only gain 4.5 pounds their first year of college, as revealed by a study done at Tufts University. So, fifteen pounds is a much exaggerated amount and only happens in the most extreme cases. A few pounds are not hard to get rid of, and even better, quite easy to avoid. The cause of this weight gain stems from several factors; one being this is our first time away from home and away from Mom who somewhat controlled what we ate. Now we are free to eat what and when we want, with fast food and vending machines at hand all the time (Teens Health). Our main objective here is prevention! It is much easier to keep weight off than it is to lose it once you have gained it. If at all possible, know what to expect before you get here. Mom will not be around to tell you what you to do, but take the responsibility to take care of yourself. You don’t have to eat just because the opportunity is presented to you. If you are not hungry, don’t eat! That may seem easy enough, but it really does take discipline. So far, the best advice I’ve heard is learn to say, “No,” sometimes. | |