FOOD FOR THOUGHT; STUDENTS CAN AVOID DREADED FRESHMAN 15.Byline: Phil Davis
Attention, college freshmen: Beware the ``Lu-Butt.'' This is no Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, version of the Blair Witch, or even a disgusting ``Austin Powers'' bathroom joke, but it is enough to make an image-conscious college student shudder. We're talking fat here. Call it ``the Freshman 15,'' a spare tire, beer belly beer belly n. A protruding abdomen, especially as the result of habitual beer drinking. beer belly n (col) → barriga (de bebedor de cerveza) or, if you go to California Lutheran University Mission statement The University's mission statement is as follows: "California Lutheran University is a diverse, scholarly community dedicated to excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies. in Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. , the semi-dreaded and politically incorrect politically incorrect adj. Disregarding or unconcerned with political correctness. political incorrectness n. Adj. 1. ``Lu-Butt.'' It's nature's first cruel joke, a slight downshifting down·shift v. down·shift·ed, down·shift·ing, down·shifts v.intr. 1. To shift a motor vehicle into a lower gear. 2. To reduce the speed, rate, or intensity of something. 3. in the body's ability to process calories that coincides with the first real chance you have to pick when and what you have for dinner. It comes down to simple math: Pizza and potato chips X seven nights a week = the Freshman 15. Don't take our word for it. UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX graduate student Shailesh Vaya, 25, lived it. ``After four or five months, someone told me I had some kind of tire on my belly,'' the computer science major said with a laugh. ``I was actually taking a lot of cheese and butter. But it's better now.'' Experiences may vary. Tatania Lawler, 23, a junior majoring in women's studies women's studies pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) An academic curriculum focusing on the roles and contributions of women in fields such as literature, history, and the social sciences. at the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. , said despite occasional fits of the munchies munchies Substance abuse A popular term for the craving for salt-rich and/or high-carbohydrate 'junk food,' associated with use of marijuna, amphetamines, and other recreational drugs. See Junk food. - inspired by boring homework - she actually eats better than when she lived at home. ``The way my parents were raised, they never really watched the way they eat,'' she said. ``They always cook, and dinner is like a thing. For me, I can have a sandwich, and it doesn't have to be a big thing. It's a big process at home.'' She balances the occasional slice of pizza with healthy foods from Trader Joe's Trader Joe's is a privately held chain of specialty grocery stores headquartered in Monrovia, California. As of September 2007, Trader Joe's has a total of 284 stores.[1] . Because she lives off campus, Lawler has a major advantage over dorm rats - a refrigerator and a stove. Most freshmen get in trouble because they live on fast food, fatty snacks and dorm cafeteria food, which can be healthy when taken in the proper amounts. College dining services take the Sizzler siz·zler n. 1. One that sizzles. 2. Informal A very hot day. approach, offering a wide range of foods - from salad to fried chicken Fried chicken is chicken which is dipped in a breading mixture and then deep fried, pan fried or pressure fried. The breading seals in the juices but also absorbs the fat of the fryer, which is sometimes seen as unhealthy. - to please the most people possible. ``They've got to accommodate the needs of a variety of different people,'' said Beverly Kemmerling, director of Health and Counseling Services at California Lutheran University. ``We've got high-energy athletes who need a lot calories, and we have people who are pretty sedentary and don't need as many calories just to maintain their weight. But when you walk into the dining service, you have access to all that food. Some people get defeated by the fact that they figure, `I paid for this - I should get my money's worth,' and they eat too much.'' Many freshmen don't believe they need to watch what they eat. Spare tires and love handles are their parents' problems. Wrong. Kemmerling explains: ``What happens between 18 and 20, your metabolism changes somewhat. So if you continue to eat the same way you did at 16 when you're, say, 19, you will gain weight. You don't require as many calories just to breathe, for the heart to beat - just basic metabolism. ``People start to gain weight around that time,'' she continued. ``The other thing that happens with college students is that they often are less physically active than they might have been at home. You're sitting at the computer, you're sitting in class. And people often will snack on some pretty high-fat goodies. Instead of stocking the refrigerator with fruits and vegetables, they'll have chips and cheeses and that kind of thing.'' There's no need to panic. Even though your body needs fewer calories to maintain its weight, this is not your father's metabolism. Just eating right most of the time - there is room for pizza in there - and getting regular exercise is enough to hold off extra pounds. And even if you gain it, the weight will come off. Elizabeth Matza, 20, a student at Pasadena City College, experienced what she calls the ``freshman 30'' when she first left home in 1997 to study at Menlo College The sprawling campus is on the border of affluent Atherton and Menlo Park, and is adjacent to its former partner institution, Menlo School. In 1927, the college program became a separate junior college from Menlo School and continues to share the same campus. in Northern California Northern California, sometimes referred to as NorCal, is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The region contains the San Francisco Bay Area, the state capital, Sacramento; as well as the substantial natural beauty of the redwood forests, the northern . She said a combination of stress, homesickness and a major disruption in her eating routine caused her to turn to snack foods and Jack in the Box hamburgers for comfort. ``I didn't really notice until I got back home and I got into the next size,'' Matza said. ``Now, I'm back down to the size I was before I left.'' Matza joined Weight Watchers, along with her family, to lose weight. But there's plenty of free help on campus, too. Counselors at student health services health services Managed care The benefits covered under a health contract are glad to outline a healthy eating plan. Cal Lutheran provides a registered dietitian registered dietitian, n See dietitian, registered. free of charge for private counseling sessions with students. And even McDonald's offers breakdowns of calories and fat content in its food. Experts say learning to eat right now will help avert future love handles. ``This is the very sad news: The older you get, the fewer calories you need just to maintain your weight,'' Kemmerling said. ``So the only way you can counteract that is by increasing your exercise or decreasing your intake, but nobody wants to do that.'' In many ways, today's college freshmen have an edge over their parents. A greater understanding of what's good and bad for the human body means professionals like Kemmerling can easily prescribe a healthy lifestyle. ``Kids are smart, they learn fast,'' Kemmerling said. ``It's an important time in their life. If you can teach someone about nutrition when they're a college student, you're really affecting the food choices of whole generations of people to come.'' Time for a little Nutrition 101 The ugly truth: You are not 16 anymore. Subsisting on pizza and potato chips will catch up with your waistline sooner or later. So go easy on the greasy stuff and get out and play in the sunshine. Sounds a little like Mom, huh? Well, guess what? She was right. Some tips from the experts, including some moms: Avoid beer bellies: The body processes alcohol as fat, and a single beer has 145 to 165 calories, or roughly 6 percent of a man's daily allowance. Save alcohol for special occasions. It'll save a lot of headaches - in more ways than one. Calorie counting: To figure the number of calories you need each day, multiply your ideal weight by 13 if your are a woman, or 15 if you are a man. For example, a woman seeking a desired weight of 130 pounds (x 13) should consume 1,700 calories a day. A man shooting for 185 (x 15) should consume roughly 2,800 calories a day. Read labels of food boxes to see what you're eating and check the cafeteria for nutritional information and calorie charts. Forget dieting: It's not a permanent solution. When the body gets 1,000 calories or less a day, it works more efficiently to prevent starvation - actually making it harder to lose weight. Couple that with no exercise, and the body begins to burn protein and muscle mass, not fat. Try eating a balanced diet balanced diet n. A diet that furnishes in proper proportions all of the nutrients necessary for adequate nutrition. balanced diet and working out. Work it off: A suggested workout, three to five times a week, includes five minutes of stretching, 15 minutes of biking, 15 minutes of jogging, 10 minutes of weight training (arm curls, triceps triceps, any muscle having three heads, or points of attachment, but especially the triceps brachii at the back of the upper arm. One head originates on the shoulder blade and two on the upper-arm bone, or humerus. extensions, overhead lifts) and another five minutes of stretching to cool down and prevent tight muscles. Snack right: It's OK to indulge in goodies, just eat less and try to satisfy some cravings with fruits or vegetables instead of cookies. If you buy large bags of chips to save money, divide them up into smaller portions and store in sandwich bags to eat over time. Pick a sport: Most campuses offer everything from racquetball racquetball, sport played indoors by two or four players, combining elements of court handball and such racket games as squash racquets. It is played on a standard handball court 40 ft (12.2 m) long, 20 ft (6. to yoga. Enjoy it now - it may be the last time in your life you have access to a free fitness center. Don't push too hard: Drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep. Sources: ``Healthy Eating and Fitness,'' California Lutheran University; ``Eater's Choice, 5th Edition,'' Houghton Mifflin; and Weight Watchers International. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, Box Photo: (1--Cover--Color) THE FRESHMAN 15 How first-time college students can avoid that notorious weight gain David Crane/Staff Photographer (2) College students, including these at Glendale Community College's food court, face a new environment and schedule as well as metabolic changes that can contribute to weight gain. John McCoy/Staff Photographer (3) Pasadena City College student Elizabeth Matza, 20, says she added on the ``Freshman 30'' in 1997. She has since lost the weight. John Lazar/Staff Photographer Box: Time for a little Nutrition 101 (See text) |
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