Why Freshman Gain Weight

Anytime anyone gains weight there are always some situational reasons that go into why. College freshman are no exception to that rule. There are many different reasons why freshman are so much more susceptible to weight gain than upperclassmen. The following are some reasons why freshman start packing on the pounds:

 

·        First time away from home: College is basically the first experience most of have with significant time away from home. For many freshman that means no more having to do exactly what mom and dad say. This tends to carry over into eating habits. Who is going to tell you that the snack you are about to chow down on is going to spoil your dinner? Nobody, that’s right.

·        Dining Halls: There are two different ways dining halls can affect weight gain with freshman. The first one being, bad cafeteria food. When the dining hall options are less than editable freshman tend to opt for fast food which means high calorie and fat content. The second way dining halls can impact the freshman 15 is by the amount of options they offer. Several dining halls are set up in buffet style or al a carte. This makes it very easy to pile up fried food and other not so healthy choices. It also makes going back for seconds and thirds extremely tempting.

·        Stress: College can bring on a whole new world of stresses. Many freshman are bombarded by so many new things at once it’s almost like sensory overload. Stress levels rise with the amount of class work as well as trying to maintain a social life. This often times leads to stress eating which usually consists of lots of junk food.

·        Low Cash Flow: Money for many college freshmen is an issue. This can lead to a vicious cycle. Fast food is pretty cheap and sometimes the only thing a freshman can afford. Eating fast food on a regular basis is bound to start tipping the scales toward the freshman 15.

·        Activity Level: Many times a college freshman isn’t as active at college as they were in high school. So many times students who were involved in sports of who exercised regularly do not do so in college. This decrease in activity can make gaining the freshman 15 very easy.

·        Alcohol Consumption: Sorry moms and dad’s but for many college freshman alcohol is a part of college life. Drinking on a regular basis is a sure fire way to gain weight especially if they are also not exercising.

·        Snacking: What goes better with an all night study session than soda and chips? Too much snacking whether it be salty chips in your dorm room or an ice cream cone from the dining hall will eventually catch up to you on the scale.