Coming into college, it seems as if one of the biggest fears people have is gaining the “Freshman 15.” We’ve been hearing our parents and older friends toss that term around like it’s nothing and basically assure us that we are guaranteed to gain at least 15 pounds during our first year in college. For people like me who are extremely obsessed with their health and fitness, this was a very scary thought; just because I started college seemed to mean I would gain so much weight all of a sudden.
So, there are a few ways you can look at this situation. One is just to listen to what everyone is telling you is the norm and allow yourself to gain 15 pounds. You’re only in college once and that is a totally okay answer! But for those who are more worried about that number on the scale going up, there are two ways you can handle being immersed in so much food freedom: dieting or intuitive eating.
Dieting has been the answer that people have chosen for decades. When we don’t like the way our body looks, many of us automatically decide to go on a diet. This so-called “helpful” tactic can range anywhere from cutting out all carbs to not eating sugar to going on a juice cleanse. To tell you the truth, none of these solutions are actually good for your body. Sure, if you refuse to eat sugar ever again in your life you will likely shed a few pounds, but is that really healthy? The answer is no. Mental health is just as important as physical health in college and in any other time of life as well. Nobody wants to go out to a restaurant with friends and only be able to eat two things on the menu because they are the two items that don’t have carbs in them. That is why dieting is not the right solution to feeling healthy in college or to force yourself to not gain weight. Just like letting yourself loose and eating 24/7 even when you’re not hungry is not good for you, choosing to cut out entire food groups from your diet is not either.
The good news is that there is a solution. A solution with no rules, no restrictions and no taking out foods from your diet. A solution that allows you to be happy when you go out with friends and eat anything you truly want. This is called intuitive eating, or the non-diet diet. The definition of an intuitive eater is someone who makes food choices without experiencing guilt or an ethical dilemma, honors hunger, respects fullness and enjoys the pleasure of eating. It’s what I like to call the perfect balance between shoving your face with food even when you don’t want it and dieting.
Intuitive eating comes down to a few simple principles. If you’re hungry, you should eat. If you’re not hungry, you shouldn’t eat. If you’re craving that milkshake or that margarita, drink it! If you’re not in the mood for it, skip it and know that you can have it any time you want, it’s not going anywhere. The most important part about this solution is to know that it doesn’t matter how much you weigh, that respecting yourself and honoring what your body wants is better than any diet.
There are going to be many temptations in college to munch throughout the day and have late night snacks. If that is what your body is craving, then do not be afraid of eating. Eating foods that you are hungry for and honoring your natural eating cues is the way to stay physically and mentally healthy in college without resorting to dieting or restricting yourself from eating. It is okay to eat a piece of chocolate cake or a slice of pizza at 2 a.m. if you’re craving it without freaking out that you are going to gain 15 pounds.
At the end of the day, your weight is simply a number on a scale. Who do you think truly cares if you gain a few pounds in college? Instead of measuring your self-worth based off of that, measure yourself on the fun times you’re spending with friends, the great foods you get to try around Tallahassee and the memories you get to make over the next four years. You only go through the college experience once, so no matter how you decide to handle your eating, always make sure you’re respecting your body and allowing yourself the freedom to be who you are.