Subtle lifestyle changes could help new students avoid the dreaded “freshman 15” and encourage everyone at Baker University to live healthier lives.
The “freshman 15” is commonly known as the average amount of weight a student gains during his or her first year of college. Wendi Born, assistant professor of psychology, said when she was in school, it was called the “freshman 10.”
Born led a special session during Welcome Week entitled, “What is the Freshman 15?” Born said she wanted the emphasis of the session to be viewing diet and exercise in the context of living healthier lives rather than for appearance sake.
“You will live in the same body for the rest of your lives,” Born said.
Born also said young peoples’ lifestyles change in college and many people may notice more than the fact physical activity has dropped out of their routines. It is also very important for the students to first be comfortable with themselves, Born said.
“It is a losing battle if the student sees exercise and diet as a way to change themselves because they don’t like the way they are,” she said.
Ruth Sarna, director of student health services, said staying lean is all about balancing the intake of calories with the rate in which you burn them off. Getting with a partner and taking a walk or using the campus fitness center, located in the basement of Mabee Hall, are just a few ways that students can get active, Sarna said.
“It’s the whole idea of taking the holistic approach with an emphasis on taking care of yourself physically, mentally and spiritually,” Sarna said.
Born said students should start by making one tiny change and keep it up for a month. These changes can be as simple as walking to class if you live off campus or eating two pieces of fruit in the afternoon as a snack, Born said.
“When people try to change everything overnight, then they are set up for failure,” Born said.
Born said she even uses exercise to wake up her class when she thinks they are lacking for energy. The movement improves the attention span and participation in the classroom.
“I turn on music and force them to stand up to exercise,” she said.
Born said Baker could do more to encourage students to be more physically active if steps were taken to update the physical fitness center, not allow students to park on campus or funding made possible for a walking and jogging path.
“I think some yoga and aerobics classes would be really great,” Born said.
Freshman Stephanie Brown said she believes that the freshman 15 probably varies from person to person. Brown said she stays in shape by doing cardio for 40 minutes a day, lifting weights every other day and doing abdominal workouts.
“This campus is nice because we can walk easily from class to class,” she said.
Brown said working out should be left up to the individual since some students come to college to focus solely on academics. The university should discuss physical activity with the students but not force it upon them.
“When I exercise, it alleviates my stress,” Brown said. “When I eat healthier foods, I feel like I can perform better in school.”
Freshman Makenzie Gorman said she has not used the fitness center yet but plans to. Gorman said she gets her physical activity by walking around Baldwin City.
She also said the university could do more to encourage students to stay active by influencing more outdoor activities. Baker’s intramurals are a good idea so students who are not collegiate level athletes can still be involved with sports, Gorman said.
“It is very important for students to stay in shape because it sets up your lifestyle for the rest of your life,” Gorman said.