Viewer mail: college & weight gain.

by

I find your site entertaining, real, and informative. I’m a 21 year old college student and I’m pretty sure most of your demographic is older.  yes? I do still find your site is applicable to me.

But college is a whole different ballgame as some would say. Constant eating, constant drinking. Activity isn’t encouraged. I eat very well and exercise a lot. I was involved in two rigorous sports in high school and I miss the intensity of them. Back to the point. You’ve referenced your “freshman 15 and then some” many times. Do you have any tips for me… how to live healthy in college?

I’m going to be a junior. I want to be healthy and fit and still possiblyperhapsmaybe have some alcohol. It’s certainly a question for the rest of life, not just college. I think there are are bunch of inherent questions/issues within that post. Perhaps you could pose these to the Bumbling Band?

Quick question, I think I’m missing something — What does “please to” mean? I see it all the time on your site and don’t understand its usage!

I can’t tell you how much I enjoy your site and more than that, your attitude. As an athlete, I struggled with an ED my senior year. Now, I’m at a point where I exercise regularly, eat well, and have a few lingering “where the heck did these come from?” pounds that I’m pretty OK with but would rather lose. So I know what obsession (exercise, food) is and I don’t want to go back there ever. But college is quite a strange place and can be confusing when it comes to health.

This email stuck so many chords with me on so many different levels that I immediately responded & asked to share it with all of you as well.

The first remark which started me thinking was this: I’m a 21 year old college student and I’m pretty sure most of your demographic is older.

I concluded, after I pondered for a bit, that she’s probably correct. I dont imagine I have many college aged readers (or do I? only you can say…)

Although the more I thought the more I realized Im pretty clueless with regards to any of your ages.

Which then led me to mull whether or not age really matters?

Whether there’s a difference in the way we (the royal) approach this whole healthy-living endeavor depending on our age (not a rhetorical question. please to discuss in the comments.)?

I know Ive been tempted, at times, to look back on my own life and think: “ahhh it was all so easy when I was XYZ age. I had fewer responsibilities. I could workout whenever I wanted to & cook healthy elaborate meals for one. life was so so simple then.”

When Im honest with myself, however, I remember that when I was in college/grad. school/out as a swinging-single in the workforce my life was pretty dang busy & hectic.

Sure, it’s *different* busy & hectic now (that’s a shout out to you Tornado & your I.Wanna.Do.It.All.By.Myself.stage) but different does not necessarily always mean more challenging.

I do believe that, no matter where we are in life (20-80) or what our goals are (to lose one hundred pounds. to lose ten. or to train for a marathon), at the core we are all the same.

Struggles, whatever they are, are the great equalizer.

Id thought of a target MizFit-reader prior to launching my blog (an individual seeking health, fitness and balance in all aspects of life) but target-age? not so much.

And then the college question.

I have mentioned a few times that I gained my Freshman Fifteen and a few other people’s as well. I dove headfirst into my freshman year with all the socializing & all the beer andall the late night pizza it entailed.

And Im so very thankful that I did.

Yep. I got chubby.

So fluffy, in fact, that the buttons on all my jeans refused to go together.

For some reason, instead of becoming filled with self-loathing and growing depressed, I merely strutted around with the button undone & a big sweatshirt over top (thank you, Ohio, for not having many warm days during the academic year).

I think for me the key was that I gained weight while having FUN.

I packed on the el bees while making new friends & experiencing new things (from late night delivery of fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookies to Long Island Ice Teas).

After that first year I found that I naturally reigned it all in (even the gooey chocolate cookies lose their luster if you have them too often), decided to move more/drink less, and the pounds slowly came off.

Im taking the long, rambling, MizFit route to say that Im glad I spend not a moment of my college career obsessing about food or weight or looks or calories and, if I could tell every freshman that one thing I would.

Life is too short.

You’ll have plenty of time down the proverbial road to fret about how you look, how often you should exercise, and if you (fingerquote) measure up (unFQ) should you choose to do so—-but you only get one chance to enjoy the camaraderie of college.

In my opinion it’s about the constant striving for moderation.

  • Drinking (if you dont have a problem with alcohol) but not to excess.
  • Indulging and enjoying food with friends—but keeping an eye on whether the indulging becomes more & more a ‘done alone’ event.
  • Exercising in a way that builds social connections (from sports to tennis with a friend) and not in a form which isolates or is all consuming.

Im not denying the fact that, even in the Dark Ages when I attended college, there’s pressure to look a certain way to be accepted or viewed as sexually attractive.

Im simply pointing out that there’s plenty of time to worry about that (or *not* — who can say?) later.

If your ‘where the heck did these come from’ pounds are a result of some memories created with friends (perhaps passing up a workout in favor of a girls night out) I say leave em be.

And you, oh patient with the long-winded-MizFit, readers?

I know you all have some suggestions for our emailer.

Please to hit her—-and the rest of us—-up in the comments below.

(And this: What does “please to” mean? I see it all the time on your site and don’t understand its usage! It’s just me being, well, silly and a MizFit. I love that you asked and please to remember if any of you have any other questions: email me!)

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Comments

  1. Great reply and a great question! As one of the older readers of your blog, all I can add is that nowadays when I look back at old photos of me, I see a picture of a healthy, attractive slim woman, who was totally convinced she was ugly and fat.

    I feel sad about all the times I didn’t fully enjoy something because of feeling bad about myself. What a total waste of precious time and opportunities for fun I missed!

    Enjoy your body for what it can do, it is an amazing piece of kit that we do rather take for granted.

  2. I am definitely not college age, having just turned 50 this year. However I am now fitter, and happier with my body than I have been since my early 20s. So, does age matter ? Nup.

    I like this saying, “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are ?”

  3. What a great post!

    I AM college age- 22 to be exact. I’ve found dining halls to be something of an adventure. My freshman year in undergrad, I did gain quite a few pounds… but I guess it’s all really about learning moderation (And watching those drinks! :P)

    I love that you just rocked it and had a good time. Great post. Keep it up 🙂

  4. Oh Andrew! Awesome saying!! I love!

    This reminds me of what I was saying last week with my “I Miss You” discussion. Everyone should have a time in their lives where they just *live*. No worries other than the job at hand (good grades and etc.), no pressure…just living life! There is something to be said for those carefree days. I do not stress about stuff like weight or anything now, but I do feel the pressure of just being older and having 3 little people with big bug eyes staring at me all the time looking for direction (or mediation, depending on the situation.lol).

    The best thing she can do is be herself. Stay true to herself. And live/love life. Enjoy just like you said! If she walks to the beat of her own drum, and her drum is spitting out some healthy tunes, then she will naturally stay healthy in college without too much thinking.

    Good luck with school, girly!:o)

  5. I am waaaay older than college age yet what you said is so true for me still.

    If I gain a few pounds from celebrating I don’t mind if it is eating to fill a void THAT’S A PROBLEM!!

    Good advice as always, Miz.

  6. I AM 34 YEARS OLD!!! I love my age and am not ashamed or afraid of it at all!

    That being said, I do think age matters, but a lot less than your life situation. College, marriage, kids, jobs, all of these affect our lives. And living healthy through all of it may not be easy. But since we all go through these things, then aren’t we all the same? Like Miz said…it’s the great equalizer.

  7. Oh MizFit this sparked an Ah Ha! moment for me:

    Exercising in a way that builds social connections (from sports to tennis with a friend) and not in a form which isolates or is all consuming.

    My exercise is not that. It is isolating and bleeding into all of my relationships (not in a good sense).

    Thank you for being our Fitness Guidance Counselor.

    I need to think about this more.

    Hannah

  8. I, too, am far older than college (44) but I DO look at all the young people around me and think how easy it was then.

    I guess it is hard to remember how busy life felt even before kids.

    Time to stop my whining and get to working out this morning 🙂

    Have a great day all!!

  9. GOOOOOD MORNING! it has been a discombobulated week here in Casa MizFit but Im slowing getting my life back on track (no thanks to losing my email, calendar, and contacts from tmobile)

    Hannah? If Im this for you—-then I am succeeding. Im honored.

    Thank you for being our Fitness Guidance Counselor.

    More after I wrangle my daughter and morning into submission.

  10. I am obviously over college age since my oldest is in college. But then I also have a 2 year old!

    The college weight gain? This rarely happens, but I think I do take a slightly different take on the fun of college making weight gain not important than does MizFit. Why?

    Because my weight gain began in college, and although I was having fun, the weight gain led to inactivity, which led to more eating, which led to gaining 150 pounds within 9 years of graduating from college.

    So for some, a small amount of weight gain is easily managed, for others, it may take years and years of pain and hard work to erase. I wish I had learned the moderation lesson much, much earlier!

    Just my little two cents from my own little corner of the world.

    Love ya MizFit!

  11. I am 25 and successfully lost the freshman 15 and then some during my senior year. My biggest issue in college was that I didn’t do ANYTHING in moderation.

    When I drank, I drank way too much. When I started doing triathlons, I never had any fun and obsessed over what I ate. My senior year I finally found a healthy balance between partying and being an athlete, and I was so much happier than I had been for the beginning of college!

  12. Interesting!
    I fall between you and Diane.
    My weight gain began in college having fun and spiraled out of control after college.

    HOWEVER I see your point in clarifying the reasons behind the gains as I was quite depressed after college and ate alone.

    The key for me is the word ENJOYING when I gained weight (kept gaining) after college the enjoyment and social piece was gone.

  13. How did you discover your normalcy?
    Have you always been a moderation person?

    I would love your take on this.

  14. I don’t know – the one thing I keep coming back to is how hard it is for people to break the bad habits once they start them. Once the freshman 15 is there, it is hard to lose. I think moderation is the key, but too many times people don’t understand moderation as well as they perceive they do.

    Not necessarily disagreeing, just thinking while typing. 🙂

  15. I rarely comment and always read as I am a struggling compulsive overexerciser and have found myself thinking:

    I am quite different from the rest of Miz’ readers.

    Thank you for identifying the fact that exercise when it isolates is never good.

  16. You’d better sit down, Carla…I’m DISAGREEING with you about something!

    I wish I HAD been concerned about my diet and life habits in college. If I were, it wouldn’t have taken so many years to undo all the bad habits and learn to enjoy using my body.

    51 years old now, and much more physically fit than I was in college.

  17. Oh, the young people. That’s how you know you’re old…when you start referring to them as the “young people.” I’ll be 40 this November.

    I didn’t gain weight in college because I didn’t have a car and had to walk and bike everywhere. It was only after college, when I had a desk job and a car, that I started to gain.

    “Please to + infinitive” is called the subjectless imperative. It’s not common anymore, but it’s certainly fun.

  18. Ah, as I sign my name.. Jody- Fit at 51 which is going to turn to Jody – Fit at 52 very soon so no guessing on my age! 🙂 I am in better shape than I was in my early 20’s so I have learned a lot along the way.

    It was tough in college. For me, not the partying or anything like that but just so much studying to do & I worked as well. I think trying to enjoy is good BUT also being aware of what you are putting in your mouth is important. Weight gain is hard to get off & sometimes it does effect the mind.. we get depressed which leads to more eating & before we know it, we have 40 pounds on us at 25 years old. Try to be mindful is my advice while enjoying life too.

  19. still wrangling my morning but had to say I *love* the disagreeing!
    Even from my seemingTWIN D’Mamma 😉

    Love it….

    More thoughts when the day is going.

  20. I’m about to turn 28 and finally no longer count myself among the student population! I’m really very excited about being an actual adult.

    I know I joined the freshman 15 by having fun just like Miz. In fact, I didn’t even realize I had gained anything until I tried on this one particular pair of pants and couldn’t get the zipper up! I did manage to lose the weight the following summer, but I managed to pick up some bad habits during college.

    One thing, dear letter writer, is to learn to manage stress. As you start all those upper level classes, you’ll be under more stress and more deadlines than your first two years of school. Don’t be like me – I coped with stress by binge eating! Learn stress reducing techniques now, and they will serve you for a long time. It’s much easier to learn to deal with stress in a healthy way while in college than it is to change your unhealthy ways once you’re older and suffer from chronic-stress-induced heartburn.

  21. Miz gained weight while having fun; I lost weight while having fun.

    If you miss the intensity of sports, find a club sport! My personal suggestion is the triathlon team (assuming your school has one; not all do). Advantages:

    -Triathletes are intense
    -Triathletes work out so much it’s almost impossible to gain weight while you’re training
    -Triathlon usually means travel, which involves lots of opportunities to over-stuff hotel rooms, sneak too many people into condos, and enjoy house-stays with athletes at other colleges; in short, it’s a great social outlet.
    -Triathletes are never opposed to knocking back some insanely unhealthy (and extremely un-kosher) nachos, beer, and jell-o shots.

    And yeah, I speak to all of those from personal experience.

    But there are other club sports that will give you just as much intensity and camaraderie and opportunity for drinking beer. Best ones at my alma mater were Ultimate Frisbee and the skiing/snowboarding club. The advantage to joining a club sport is that (at it’s heart) it’s still a club–it’s a good way to meet people, a good way to pass some time, and it happens to also be pretty healthy.

  22. Each stage of life certainly does come with its own challenges! Gotta say, I wouldn’t trade being 30 for 20 again for anything;) I’m glad your reader is on the right path to figuring it all out! That’s what college is all about, isn’t it??

  23. I gained the freshman 30 and then the “first year of teaching” 40. I had no idea about what “balance” was, and thought OMG i’m never going to have pizza and beer again!

    Once I figured out that it wasn’t the case, I started to “watch it” but let me tell you, it’s not nearly as much fun taking the weight off as it was putting it on! I wish I’d been as conscious about it at 21!

  24. Hmmm, I’m thinking that I’m skewing your demographics for you…. tipping the scale, so to speak, toward older readers!

    I did not gain much weight in college, but after college, working a desk job, still doing a lot of *ahem* socializing, certainly packed on the pounds.
    I’m still battling that bulge, but feel like I’m finally getting the upper hand.

  26. I am about a decade older than her (31), but as I’m still in grad school I’m still in a weird merger between the two (college versus “older” 🙂 ). The thing that changed for me is a wilingness to do something about my health instead of whining and crying about X diet not working for me. This is where she has a head start on a lot of us!

    I do have a hubby to consider as well. It makes working out a little more challanging to fit it, and also eating healthy given that his preferred meal is pizza. And, not the veggie kind. But, if she has roomates then it’s similar.

    Like MizFit said – have a great time NOW! Just try to make better choices for the majority of the time. You can’t have beer every night and not have adverse effects of all sorts, but you can have it! Moderation in everything.

  28. Hmmm…I have to fall in the “no” camp, as well. If you think something is wrong…then something is wrong! Why is eating properly not fun? Why is developing a bad habit that will be a bitch to break later a good idea? That being said, as long as the check in pants still fit – we’re good, right?

  29. My weight gain started with my first full-time desk job. Up until the point where I realized I was gaining, I had never seriously thought about my weight – it just seemed like something I didn’t need to worry about. And unfortunately, I have never been able to lose the weight that I gained.

    I think your emailer is in a good position as she is aware. She is paying attention. It seems like she has an interest in developing healthy habits which is a good thing. I think (my totally un-expert opinion) that it is about balance. Yes, enjoy yourself! Just don’t go overboard.

    Moderation when it comes to alcohol is never a bad thing – doesn’t hurt to start that habit now. Find some fun activities to do. Eat some pizza. Eat some veggies. You can have fun and still live a healthy lifestyle.

  30. and it all depends on what your definition of “bad habit” is as well.

    for me drinking period was something I did in college and dont do now.

    for me drinking was a fun “bad” habit and something I now see more as a waste of calories (not inherently “bad” or “good”) as Id rather choose dessert over a couple glasses of wine or a beer or 2.

    I know that lots of it for me goes back to my days as a resident advisor.

    It was heartbreaking for me to watch girls who LONGED to jump in the late nite pizza fray and didnt…for fear they would “give in” (their words) and have a piece of pizza.

    Life is too short.

  31. Yesyesyes: it’s a DIFFERENT kind of challenging. That little five-year-old who loses her favourite toy? Just as devastating to her as it is for a major traumatic event to an adult. It’s all a matter of perspective.

    Age doesn’t *really* matter, but we’re at different places at different stages of life. Our priorities are likely to shift with age/experience!

    Your tips are perfect. The only things I’d add are that food/drink don’t have to be the centre of EVERYTHING- and if they are, you can always take extras home.

    Also if you’re in the mood to get really really super extra plastered one night but you’re annoyed that the alcohol will go straight to your thighs etc, then alcohol is the perfect time to do exercising. No, don’t hit the treadmill; that would go over badly. But dancing or going for a long adventurous walk with friends are good ways to burn off the calories without really noticing that you’re doing it when you’re drunk!

    But from a healthy perspective- find workout buddies (there ARE friends out there who will want to do that!), get friends to play a team sport, go to bars to see local bands play (rather than get hammered every night), plan your meals. Take advantage of being too busy with school work to be able to mindlessly eat.

    …I like it when you address questions related to us college/university students. I could yammer on and on but I shall stop now and let someone else get a word in edgewise 🙂

    PS I adore your use of language (such as with the “please to”).

  32. I’m in college now and agree with Marianne!
    I watch everything I eat/weigh daily so that I do not gain the fifteen.

  33. While I agree that one shouldn’t obsess about one’s looks/size to the exclusion of having a good time, that’s true at any age, not just in one’s 20s.

    The trick is to stay balanced. I don’t think it’s a good idea to allow oneself to gain weight for any reason other than pregnancy or post-menopause. Sure, adding a few pounds doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it slows the metabolism and makes one more likely to keep gaining. It’s much easier to maintain weight than to lose it.

    What worked for me, and what might work for others, was to never buy clothes bigger than the ones I already have. (I opted out of having kids, but maternity clothes would’ve been the only allowable exception.) My clothes have kept me honest over the years and have proven a good benchmark. If the waistbands are getting tight, I need to reevaluate my habits. The rest of the time, I enjoy my life and don’t worry about it.

    A twenty-something with a healthy metabolism should have no problems drinking alcohol and going on a pizza binge now and then. Just mind how the clothes fit and adjust the lifestyle accordingly.

    As for exercise, I recommend choosing active dates and vacations over passive ones as often as possible. Going hiking vs going to a movie, for example. But solitary exercise can be good, too. I’m an introvert, and I treasure my solitary runs. They’re what keep me sane, and I only wish I had known in my 20s that I was an introvert, instead of constantly forcing myself to do social things that I didn’t really want to do.

    Learning to be true to oneself is the hardest lesson of one’s 20s.

  34. Ah college….yup it’s where I put the majority of my weight on that lead to me to be morbidly obese in my 20’s. Once I was in that environment where I was making choices about my eating habits on my own I got a bit out of control. When in high school I had parents who where making a lot of those choices for me so when I got to college I really went crazy with having a bunch of unhealthy things my parents didn’t allow us to have growing up. Wasn’t until I educated myself on what makes a healthy meal plan that I figured out how to mange that. Also, recognizing activity is an important part of health also was helpful.

    It is interesting now cause I currently work and live on a college campus as my job. I observe my students and it is no wonder many of them put on the “freshman 15” and then some. Many of them don’t know how to cook even though they have full kitchens in their apartments. Honestly, food service on campus isn’t too bad because there are healthy choices but many of our students are choosing the not so healthy choices. The lifestyle choices they make such as sleep patterns, stress management, physical fitness and use of alcohol are contributing to the issue for many of them.

    Part of my position is to provide educational programming to help students learn about some of these things. I always have at least one program each semester that covers health/nutrition/ fitness. Also many of my students have watched me go from morbidly obese to fit which has had a positive impact on some of them. One of my student staff members has lost over 70lbs by joining me on the journey to better health.

    My advice to parents of future college students would be to take the time to teach your children the fundamentals of a healthy lifestyle including nutrition. My advice to current students would be to take the time to learn the fundamentals to healthy living by seeking out the many campus resources that are likely available on your campus.

  35. College should be about fun but definitely in moderation. WHen I was in college (eeeek I started 10 years ago) I just ate whatever and like you I gained my freshman 15 plus others as well.

    I think that balancing some activity in with the traditional fun is great. I remember sledding and long walks with friends were great ways of exercise and fun. I loved my study abroad when we would walk to the club and then walk home. Nice way to combine the two.

  36. i LOVE your answer to this email! I guess I was expecting something different, but the fact is, you’re right, life is short and the reason why is just as important as what is.

    because of all the “reason whys” i gained and lost the freshman 15-35 all the time. it never really got to be a total problem until post-child. glad you posted this! glad your motto is to enjoy life and youth!

  37. I think it also depends where you are in college and what your studying.

    I am a theater arts major and it is easy for me to get in activity.

    I go to a school in a warm climate and it seems as though movement is just an easy part of my life.

    Friends who are in colder climates and studying things like math (my BFF) seem to need to make more of an effort and it really is hard to find the time.

  38. I also think that with everything we fit what we hear/read into our own framework or life-view (ok that isnt the precise wording I want…but I dont think SCHEMATA is either?).

    For example:

    what lara heard marianne saying wasnt what I heard marianne saying.

    I cant BOLD comment #36 (not at computer) but to is VERY WORTH READING AND REREADING for a college resident NONstudent POV….

  39. OOoooOOOooo… good discussion. College can be such a tipping point in one direction or the other, health/weight-wise. So many new influences!

    Me? I lost 15 my freshman year. Mono. Bummer. That aside, I enjoyed all that there is to enjoy about college, much as you-the-Miz did: alcomahol, cookie delivery, late night chickenfingersBBQsaucepizzameatballsubsyounameit. And I had a blast while doing it. I had fabulous friends, and we often bonded over food, but not ABOUT food.

    I was also on the dance team all 4 years. Movement was built into my life, and then some. Most of my friends were too, and those who weren’t did see some weight gain.

    My fondest memories involve the people, though, and how we studied but also just did what we loved, which is the great thing about college – having the opportunity to really find that THING that lights your fire. We ate what we enjoyed and we moved by doing things we liked (dancing, running, band-marching, beer pong, snowball fights). I eat MUCH cleaner these days, but sometimes I look back at college and wonder if it wasn’t actually one of the healthiest times in my life to date.

  40. I didn’t gain weight in college as I was into sports and being active. My eating was not very evolved at that time, but with youth and activity I was OK. My roommate gained 50 pounds that first year on the all you can eat plan.

  41. This is such an interesting post! I’m also really impressed that you have such a diverse group of readers and commenters, Miz! It brings depth of perspective, which is really important/fun to read.

    I was an athlete in college so I never really thought much about weight. In fact, my freshman year, I dropped 4 pant sizes (thank you, Division 1 rowing). Of course, all I was doing was eating, sleeping, working out and going to class. So I wasn’t having much fun.
    But then I transferred after my freshman year and realized what I was missing. I kept rowing for another year and a half or so and then I decided that I would rather act like I was in college. I never gave a thought to my size or how much I was drinking or eating or gaining. Those 4 pant sizes came back super fast but I was having so much fun and surrounded by such awesome people and doing all of the things that I loved, that it never occurred to me that I wasn’t healthy.

    Until I graduated. And took a good hard look in the mirror. Maybe it was the thrust of being thrown suddenly into the “real world” where people were mean and skinny and judgmental, but I became obsessed with my weight and (like so many others) developed an eating disorder that basically took over and proceeded to destroy my life one day at a time.

    Where I went to college, moderation didn’t exist. Everything was done in excess and it was fun! Even my freshman year I ate whatever I wanted without a second thought (two workouts a day will do that to you). But out in the real world, there is a whole new set of expectations. You don’t get to huddle with your friends and eat pizza and drink beer and watch Empire Records three times in a row (seemed like such a good idea that one night..)

    College isn’t about moderation and that’s the challenge I think. Dining halls, late night snack places, kegs, fast food, all you can eat buffets, garbage cans of jungle juice…How to have fun and enjoy yourself in a world of excess? And how not to become so unhealthy that you turn to even more unhealthy things to “fix” yourself. It is a vicious cycle.
    I’m envious of your reader. If I had had things like this site when I was in college, resources and motivation, I wonder if my whole experience would have been different.

    I love college. But if I could go back and do it over, I would have a made more of an effort to take care of my health. Because, while its true that you have plenty of time to worry about food and exercise and how we look later, old habits die hard. I still struggle with my old eating (and not eating) habits. Starting off my college career on a healthy foot would have a lifetime of healthy choices so much easier. If you can be healthy in the land of excess we call college, you can be healthy anytime, anywhere!

  42. First I want to say how much I adore your blog and your readers!
    What a great conversation.

    I don’t fall into one camp or another I just wanted to share my thoughts.

    For me college (I graduated 2 years ago) was a time unlike any other.
    All of it was not quite reality as I went to a small school where we were pretty isolated from the world.

    I like Becky above was more shocked after I gradiuated at what life in a big city was like and how much emphasis there was on looks.

    When I was in school it didn’t see to be a focus at all as we all sort of gained weight together (males and females).

    I can’t decide if I had to do it all over again if I would choose to watch what I ate and try to make healthy eating “fun” as I had a great time in college and it’s an experience I will never be able to have again.

    Great conversation.

  43. My turn 😉

    Fous on getting a real education, 85% of college students don’t.

    Enjoy the parties and the social life. If you wake up in a bathroom a lot, you’ve taken it too far.

    Enjoy doing fun physical activities with like minded people…..walk a lot.

    You’re young….ENJOY IT!!

    Marc

  45. I had the opposite problem. I STAYED at 135 all thorugh my college years. In fact, it wasn’t until I married that I began to put on the weight. College life kept me very active: running up and down stairs, PhysEd classes, etc.
    I am working so hard now to get back to that 135.

  46. I’m loving the comments today.

    Did not gain weight in college -but I was living at home. Didn’t gain weight until I went on a low-fat, (hence high-carb) diet to lower cholesterol. And gained 25# at the real start of menopause.

    Through it all, I lived that day-to-day I would eat healthy. And allow myself extravagances when out doing something social.

    It works.

  47. In fact, it wasn’t until I married that I began to put on the weight.

    OOOH which all makes me wonder about that statistic. Can not remember what I read typical weight-gain is for the first year of marriage.

    I think it IS comparable to the freshman 15 and for some reason Im tending toward thinking it is 30 pounds?

    anyone know the statistic of which I speak? 🙂

  48. I found the following from a USAToday article from 10/23/2007 that is related to your question about weight gain and marriage:

    “Many married and single people in their late teens and early 20s gain a significant amount of weight — an average of 15 to 30 pounds — over five years. But newly married men and women in that age group gain 6 to 9 pounds more than their peers who are single and dating.”

    Doesn’t break it down to the first year but seems to me that it is comparable to the freshman 15 in terms of gaining more weight in the start of marriage.

  49. Funny. I started university at the very low end of MY “normal weight.” I gained a little weight the first year (5 pounds? 10? certainly not more), and then spent the next few keeping it off by developing a borderline eating disorder. When I got OUT of college, I gained weight, also due to an eating disorder.

    I think I’d have been better off if I’d just made peace with that 5 or 10 pounds! 😉

  50. I enjoyed college, and I don’t think I have any regrets about the Freshman 15, but I do wish I had given more thought to the life after, with regard to developing better fitness habits. I saw the most dramatic weight gains and fitness declines every time I hit the desk job (internship, post-college jobs, post-stay-at-home-mom job).

    Every once in awhile I’d try to do something more active, but exercising was like dieting in so many ways. I saw it as something unpleasant. I also had this very drastic mentality, no easing into things. For example, when I bought my bike, for example, my boyfriend and I went on the hilliest ride in town, and I felt horrible afterward, so the bike ended up collecting dust until last year. I think I tended to have more inflexible ideas about how to exercise, and what I liked to do, than I do now. And as soon as something changed in my life, or another area needed attention, it was the first thing that would get dropped.

  51. Love this post…it sounds so sincere! I am…ummmm hanging on to my thirty’s for dear life, lets just say…and I didn’t have a problem with the college days only happened after all those babies I had…once the dust settles all comes into place!

  54. Having fun is important. College is about living it up – don’t let those years be spent worrying about a few extra pounds. It’s not worth it.

  56. I am also a college student myself. I think the trick is to not obsess about your weight on the scale and to just make healthier choices on a daily basis. For example, if you are in the dining hall, reach for the oatmeal instead of the chocolate donut. Also, try to engage in physical activity a couple times a week. This doesn’t mean just the gym. Go on a walk with your friends, ride your bike, or even go on a hike. The possibilities are endless.

  57. My first thought was: oh my gosh, just enjoy the fun of college – worry has a large place in the rest of your life, don’t let it wreck your “fun” years.

    …but then I realized that college (university for me here in Canada) WAS a serious time. Even a scary time. I spent much of it trying new things, experimenting, discarding. I was trying to find myself and my particular path in the world.

    While it was a time of great fun, it was also a time of great confusion and even angst, especially when it came to figuring out who I was and who I wanted to be. There were so many others, people who seemed to have it all together (or looked that way) and I wondered how they seemed so sure of themselves.

    So I wonder now, am I looking back and romanticizing those years, if I say to just enjoy yourself?

    And the answer is yes. I AM guilty of romanticizing.

    Because I think I’d love to go back and have all of the fun and little of the uncertainty and confusion that equally ruled those years.

    But upon reflection, I realize that it is perhaps better to work through that uncertainty and confusion so you can emerge stronger and on your own path. Because what better time is there to find yourself than in college?

    So from my experience – as that is all I can speak to -have fun, but if you feel confused and uncertain, realize that you are not the only one.

    But don’t waste too much time looking outside yourself at others. Instead, look inside to your passion(s).

    If you miss the two sports you played before, perhaps try them again. If you find yourself too intense with them, perhaps look for a recreational league, and go for that beer or pizza – or both – after.

    Or try something new? Who knows, you will have to find what is right for you and it may not happen right away, or be the obvious choice.

    Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned during those years was that it is okay to be uncertain, unsure and unformed because no matter what age I am, I will always be a work in progress.

    …and that is okay with me.

    I prefer it that way.

  58. Great post!!

    I graduated from college 2 years ago and definitely wish I had spent less time in the gym trying to beat my body into perfection (never happened) and more out socializing.

    I agree with the others who say that college is a time to form proper healthy habits yet know that college is also not the time of a lot of moderation 🙂

    I say enjoy life.

    I wish I had. Five or even ten pounds would not have been a bad thing had I been happier then.

  59. I completely agree with the “you need to live your life and have fun and have no regrets” philosophy; that’s sort of my credo, that no matter what you do, you should do it with joy and life and…well, you know.

    But I do think it’s important, at that age, to be aware that your body is still building itself, and the raw materials you give it to DO that building will affect you for the rest of your life. I DON’T, DON’T, DON’T think it’s a time to worry about weight! Weight is not health.

    So I think it’s okay, and even good, to enjoy yourself and have fun and eat some things that might not be great for you – but I also think it’s important to learn and practice moderation and be sure you’re giving your body what it needs to build itself healthy. I didn’t, I really didn’t, and I wish I could go back and change that. Not because of weight, but because of health. I have done damage I cannot undo…

    Of course, I’m also a bit biased because I have a daughter starting college next year, and I worry about her. She has the worst eating habits on the planet – oddly reminiscent of mine at her age – and is completely set in those ways. I haven’t managed to instill much health wisdom in her and I am so worried about her crashing and burning when she’s completely on her own. I don’t try to control her, because it’s (a) impossible and (b) not healthy to control an 18-year-old anyway, but at least while she’s here I can remind her that she can’t go all day without eating and then eat nothing but carbs all evening, or she’ll crash and burn. When she’s gone…I don’t want to be one of those moms calling her every night and saying, “Did you remember to eat? You know you have to eat – remember your blood sugar!” (Yes, Fran Drescher accent and all, thank you very much!)

    So…I’m ambivalent. Life is short and you can’t get a single second of it back, and there is so much joy to be had. I think it should be done with some sense of consequences, and some thought for one’s health – but not fanatically. With love and appreciation for and joy in oneself and one’s body. Unfortunately, that seems to be something that comes more with age. I wish we could bottle it and give it as a coming-of-age gift for young women…

    All that said…for the emailer, it sounds like she knows about healthy eating and exercise, so I doubt she’s in much danger of going completely nuts. And since she’s following MizFit, she’s already got the best tool she could have for healthy moderation and enjoying life. 🙂

    V.

  61. 24 and happy! Married, working a job I less than love until while my husband completes his degree at which point I’ll get myself a nice shiny new one. I could ask that there be a little less flab around my stomach and love handles, but I’m about hit the four mile mark on my runs which just amazes me! I used to think that running three miles was a huge task to be in awe of and I passed it by without even noticing. If I think about it I’m in awe of what my legs and lungs can carry me through these days!

  62. I’m 28, so my college years are behind me now, but not so far that I can’t remember them. First year of college I put on quite a bit of weight (ok – first half of first term), then I found a sport I loved, with an awesome team of people, and although I continued to eat and drink like a loon, I was a happy loon, and my weight slowly started to equalise again over the next 3 years. I wish I’d learnt that lesson though, and continued that way when I left uni, instead I went to work in London and fell into the trap of drinking to socialise and feeling isolated (and therefore eating) the rest of the time, and the more weight I gained, the less I felt like joining in on the sport front. I eventually turned it around, and after a few ups and downs over the next couple of years, I’ve finally found my life balance this year, and I’m well on the way to getting myself where I should have been after uni. I NEVER regret how I lived at uni. I regret that I didn’t continue with those values, and I left it so long to find them again.

  63. Hi Miz! I just wanted to comment on your comment about weight gain and marriage being like the Freshman 15. I have heard that statistic too.
    If I recall the reasoning was too many nights relaxing together in front of the TV with a pizza instead of dancing the night away while dating! haha
    For me it was eating the same amount / same things as my 200 lb (ex)husband. Ya, that is a recipe for being 200 lbs yourself…
    Love your site, I’ve been a lurker for a while! 🙂

  64. Thanks to all of you for your input.
    I have to say I love that people feel entirely comfortable sharing their opinions here and everyone is respectful of differences.

  66. I would just add that even daily exercise doesn’t have to be crazy style, getting in 20 minutes of cardio is often enough…

    The one major thing I regret not doing in college is utilizing my surroundings. I just started cycling less than 6 months ago. One of my good friends from college cycled while we were there and I never took her up on the opportunity to go for a ride. I went back in March and took the most gorgeous trail ride all through the hills and ocean front, which if I wasn’t so closed off to invitations to MOVE I could have been enjoying the whole time!

    Also, I gained way more the first year after college at my desk job. Law school is WAY worse.
    It.is.a.constant.struggle.to.find.time.to.exercise. :/

  67. p.s., if you are a study snacker, switch to pre portioned grapes, raw nuts/seeds, 100 calorie pack popcorn, etc rather than M&Ms, Goldfish/Chips, etc. Mindless snacking can add up to a lot of calories quickly w/out realizing it, especially since snacks often dont have the same “bad” factor as pizza/booze.

    Its not so much what your eating just that the eating keeps you awake and at least for me makes sitting down with a book for hours more bearable.

  68. I think I would have done better at college if I had just eaten normal meals and not snacked in between meals. The occasional drinking and late night food would have been more manageable had I not spent my days at the on-campus vending machines!

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