College and food?

Question

In college students are faced to live all on their own and make their own living choices. However, everyone knows about the freshman 15, or in some cases the sophomore 20, junior 20, and senior 20. Gaining weight usually is not on purpose but is gained through lack of exercise, lack of a balanced diet, the overadvertisement of fast food and pizza, and alcohol intake. What do you think is the worst of all of these, add your own and tell me your story on your weight gain or weight loss with poor dieting. I am doing a research paper on it.

Answer 1

The worst thing about living in college dorms is that on one hand it gives you a sense of freedom away from home, on the other, the food is still provided for you and it's not always possible to choose the healthiest foods. It's the mentality that "I've already paid for it, I might as well eat it" that leads to weight gain.
Two different periods of my tertiary education life I experienced different results in my weight. That year I lived alone in a student accomodation where all we were provided was a room with a bar fridge and wardrobe, I lost weight storing up on yoghurts and tuna. The period where I lived in a college dorm, I gained weight because we were given breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, supper, and everyone just ate because we paid $300 a week for it dammit so we were entitled to it.
Sucks, but it's human nature.

Answer 2

I think I gained about 15lbs in college my freshman year. I had been the captain of the soccer team in high school and was always athletic. I always drank a lot of alcohol then so that wasn't really a factor I don't think, for me at least. I always drank TONS of juice, so I don't think that was a factor either. I always ate the crappiest food, so I don't think that factored into it either. The only thing that really changed for me was the lack of exercise. I played on the Ultimate Frisbee Team for a little, so I was running around there, but overall, I moved from NYC to a place where you have to drive all of the time, so I was walking less. I also wasn't playing sports. Then I was staying up all night eating bagel bites and drinking alcohol (though I already had those habbits), then all day I'd drink juice, eat pretzels, pizza, and candy (though I used to do that anyway). Anyway, I went from 130 to 145 (MY HEAVIEST!). The summer after my freshman year I did summer school and decided to lose the weight. I started running around the track every other day. I started with a mile and moved up to 3. I walked EVERYWHERE instead of driving, even if walking was kind of far (that was okay for the NYer in me anyway, I love walking and hate driving). I also ate a slim fast bar for breakfast and lunch. I would drink a gatorade and have a piece of fruit. Then for dinner I'd have a 6 inch subway turkey or veggie sub. I did that for a month and dropped down to 130 in no time. It wasn't hard to maintain after that since I quit drinking and started eating healthier.

For me, it's the exercise that makes the biggest difference. My weight doesn't fluctuate too much.

Answer 3

I went from 155 lbs in High School to close to 200 lbs thoughout college... I think a lot of it has to do with living on your own away from family and friends (people get lonely so they eat to cheer them up), some go to colleges in colder environments so the pounds come on naturally, and some just gain it cause they as they get older their metabolism slows down (meaning it has nothing to do with college, just age).... expanding on that last thought, you should do a case study of 2 people of the same age/race/background... 1 who goes to college, the other who does something else and compare their weight gains...

Answer 4

I never gained weight in college...I don't eat well either. I am now almost 30 years old and it never effected me. But I know what you are talking about. It happened to all of my friends. It is because they are not on a set schedule anymore and there is no one to tell them what to eat.