For many first-years, adjusting to a college lifestyle that correctly balances classes, social activities and work is extremely difficult. For many students, emphasis is placed onto their social life. For others, their academics take priority. However, nearly everyone has heard of and is worried about the “Freshman 15.”
The Freshman 15 is an expression used to refer to the amount of weight that freshman typically gain after their first year of college. The sudden change in lifestyle and eating habits for many freshmen contribute to the sudden weight gain. And even though many studies indicate the Freshman 15 is actually much closer to the Freshman 7 or 8, it certainly is something to pay attention to.
For many, the ding of fresh cookies in the Umphrey Lee Dining Hall is irresistible. But don’t worry – Southern Methodist University has a ton of resources to help its students beat the Freshman 15.
SMU is already dedicated to fighting off those first-year pounds that many of their students put on. SMU is dedicated to their “Healthy for Life” policy, which includes using fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains. They also promise to serve foods that are lower in sodium and unhealthy fats. Even though desserts are included in the meal plan, the cafeterias on campus are dedicated to having a wide variety of healthy choices.
A big part of avoiding weight gain in college is knowledge. SMU does an amazing job of compiling information about nutrition in general on its campus dish website. These links include websites from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Center for Science in the Public Interest, the National Institute of Health, USDA and more. Here you can find the latest news in food science and agriculture. And, if you’re an athlete, vegetarian or diabetic, SMU has links to institutions dedicated to diets and research catering towards these groups.
The SMU’s Healthy for Life information illustrates many basic principles of nutrition and wellness. They have the new “myplate,” which is a modern and better representation of what students should eat than the traditional food pyramid. They also have articles on the impact of certain minerals, such as calcium, on your body.
The science behind nutrition and dieting can be daunting for many students. SMU has a registered dietician, Lauren Hickman, on campus to help guide students through the information regarding healthy eating habits and the multitude of options on campus. Students can schedule an appointment to talk to her about the food on campus or eating healthy in general by calling or emailing her.
Another huge source of information that is often overlooked by SMU students is the free Campus Dish Menu iPhone and Android application. It contains the menu for the Fresh Food Company at Arnold and the Real Food on Campus at Umphrey Lee. More importantly, it contains full nutritional information for each serving of food at the cafeterias. In addition, foods are able to be searched and organized by calories and even amount of nutrients and minerals.
If you’re not eating on-campus, SMU offers a lot of resources and links to websites with huge databases of recipes, specifically geared towards cooking healthy, low-calorie meals.
All students get access to the Dedman Recreation Center, which is filled with exercise machines, treadmills and an indoor track. SMU also offers Groupx classes to help spice up a normal workout routine and personal trainers that can help you get started at the Dedman rec.
Even though SMU makes it so hard for us to stop the Freshman 15 with its amazing food, they do offer many resources to eat and live healthily with its treasure trove of information, a dietician, food facts application and an amazing recreation center.
