Heather Noyes requested a west campus dorm room with one thing in mind: staving off the "freshman 15."
Though a recent study found the freshman 15, the 15-pound weight gain during the first year of college, is largely a myth and the average student gains only 2.5 to 3.5 pounds during the first year of college, students' weight does rise steadily over their college years. The typical woman gains between seven and nine pounds, while men gain between 12 and 13.
Noyes' new home away from home isn't close to her classes or the library, but it is steps away from Georgia Tech's state-of-the-art fitness center, complete with multiple pools and everything else you can imagine (volleyball courts, climbing wall, an indoor soccer field).
"This way, I can walk to class and I figure I can wake up early and exercise at the CRC [Campus Recreation Center]," said Noyes, who is from Colorado and about to start her studies in biomedical engineering at Tech.
At the close of her senior year in high school, Noyes said she was slightly overweight and decided to lose a few pounds over the summer. She wants to keep the momentum going in college. Noyes, who will also be in the Georgia Tech color guard, said while she wants to excel in school, staying healthy is also a top priority.
"I don't want to be the potato in my room, studying all the time," said Noyes, 18.
According to a study published last year by researchers at Ohio State University and the University of Michigan-Dearborn, no more than 10 percent of college freshman actually gained 15 pounds or more, and a quarter of freshman reported losing weight during their first year.
College offers many temptations. Young adults are free to eat when they want, as much as they want. But for some students, ramen noodles and late-night pizza are things of the past. These healthy foodies plan to munch on grapes and air-popped popcorn and sip water — not beer.
Marisa Moore, a registered nutritionist who works with college students at Spelman and elsewhere, said college is a time to focus on learning and preparing for the next phase in life, not fearing the freshman 15. While students shouldn't obsess over weight gain, she believes it's a time to focus on eating healthy, exercising regularly and establishing good habits.
Obesity rates have been soaring for decades. Today, more than 65 percent of adults in the state are overweight or obese, while 40 percent of children are, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. With more young people already overweight entering college, gaining weight in college could nudge an overweight student into obesity.
On one hand, staying up late, after-hours noshing, a lack of sleep and all-you-can-eat cafeteria buffets can lead to expanding waistlines, according to experts.
But Moore said college students can avoid weight gain and develop long-lasting healthy habits by keeping healthy foods on hand and finding ways to weave exercise into the college experience.
She recommends young people always keep healthy food around such as grapes, air-popped popcorn, almonds and bananas. Relying on what's available in a vending machine or what's available for delivery is a setup for weight gain.
Many colleges are stepping up their efforts to help students graduate with a degree and leave with some healthy lifestyle habits, offering everything from guided meditation classes to cooking classes to employing staff nutritionists. College also offers plenty of opportunities for exercise, from state-of-the-art gyms and pools to group exercise classes and campus games like ultimate Frisbee. Skipping the shuttle and walking around campus can also help students stay in shape.
Get creative, said Moore, who recommends students read textbooks while on the elliptical machine.
"It's their first time away from home and I think there's this lack of balance and a lack of understanding of how these things come together," said Brenda Dalton, director of student health services at Spelman College. "I'll see students going down the buffet and bypass proteins and anything green, and it's a plate of starches: corn, potatoes, macaroni and cheese."
Michelle Lewis, a rising senior at Spelman pursuing a biology degree, said her habits were "somewhere in the middle of good and bad," when she started college. Lewis said she hasn't gained weight in college because she's established some new, healthy routines.
Early on, she joined a campus group, "SHAPE" (Student Health Associates and Peer Educators). The group dates from the 1990s and deals with women's health issues including breast cancer and HIV. In recent years, there's been more of a focus on health and fitness. Lewis, president of the 25-student-run group, said the group taught her everyday calorie-burning tips such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
She also learned about nutrition and "everything in moderation." She now limits her favorite drink, sweet tea, to once a week. And she's learned how to make a chicken buffet healthy by opting for baked over fried pieces and by adding green beans and sliced fruit to her plate.
She worked on maintaining her weight in college but she didn't think of it as dieting. Changing her eating habits became part of a more holistic approach to wellness. She regularly does yoga. She said she's learned she's the type of person who gets bored easily with exercise, so she's constantly trying new classes such as aqua-Zumba classes, and hip-hop urban line dancing. After graduating from Spelman, she plans to continue her schooling to be a nurse practitioner.
Meanwhile, Heather Noyes has already met some incoming freshman and asked a fellow student to be her "workout buddy."
Her mother, Marcia Noyes, gave her some motherly advice about getting exercise regularly.
"Even if it's just 20 minutes," she said. "My number one advice is to address your health needs. You need to pay attention to your mental state and you will be under stress in college."
Heather Noyes plans to fight the urge for late-night pizza and buffalo wings and refrain from something else full of empty calories but often associated with college living.
"I don't plan to drink at all," she said.
Tips for healthy living in college
Mom and dad: Send healthy care packages. Skip the homemade cookies and instead send nuts, popcorn, fresh fruit and cases of carbonated water to help keep your child on track.
Teach your child how to shop and cook: Teach your child easy alternatives to fast food and ramen noodles (i.e., pre-washed bag salad with rotisserie chicken and healthy canned soup).
Exercise, even it's just 20 minutes a day. Exercise is a good way to fight stress and a little every day can go a long way in staying healthy.
Walk on campus. Skip the shuttle and walk to classes, walk to your dorm room, the library, everywhere. All of those steps add up and help establish a good habit. After college, you will be more apt think twice before jumping in the car every time you need to get from A to B.
Plan ahead. If you have sliced apples and almonds in your dorm room, you are less likely to grab a bag of chips in the vending machine.
SOURCE: Marisa Moore, a registered nutritionist at Spelman, and and April Masini, who writes the "Ask April" advice column online.
