Healthy living
By Amy Johnson
Skiff Staff

Almost all high school graduates have been warned about gaining weight their first year away at college. In fact, weight gain is so widespread among new college students that it has a name — the “Freshman 15.” And 20 years ago this phenomenon was known as only the “Freshman 10.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 20 percent of college students are overweight and 40 percent are attempting to lose weight.

Why is weight gain becoming more and more common among college students?

Juan Tovar, director of personal training for Bally’s Total Fitness, said the answers are staring us in the face — poor diet and not enough exercise.

“The main problem is a bad diet,” he said. “College students usually wake up 20 minutes before class, skip breakfast and then opt for fast food for lunch because it’s convenient and they’re starving. This will lead to overeating and the consumption of a lot of fat.”

Students vastly underestimate the importance of eating breakfast, Tovar said.

“I can’t say it enough — eat breakfast, eat breakfast, eat breakfast,” he said. “If you eat breakfast you’ll be energized throughout the entire day, which will help you stay awake in those 9 a.m. classes, and you’ll eat less at other meals throughout the day.”

Tovar said the other main problem is a certain degree of laziness.

“It’s not that hard to dedicate an extra five minutes to prepare yourself a healthy meal or to find three hours a week to spend at the gym, but many students would rather spend their time having fun,” he said.

Kim Fortin, a TCU physical activity instructor, said too much partying can play a huge factor in weight gain.

Beer intake and late night greasy food that usually accompanies drinking can be disastrous for anyone who is trying to lose weight, she said.

Tovar said students should workout at least three times a week for no longer than one hour, unless you’re training to be a competitive body builder. Your workouts should combine strength training with some form of intense cardiovascular activity, he said.

It’s better to eat four to six small meals daily because the constant intake of fuel will give your body lots of energy, Tovar said.

“If you wait too long between meals, your body will start to store fat and use muscle as energy,” he said. “Also, if you don’t feed your body enough you’ll start to crave unhealthy foods.”

Both Tovar and Fortin agree that planning plays a vital role in any weight loss plan.

“Lots of planning goes in to losing weight,” Tovar said. “If you don’t know what you’re going to eat each day, you’ll end up at a pizza parlor or a fast food joint.”

Fortin said it’s a good idea to monitor your exercise and food intake by keeping track of what you eat and how much you exercise in a journal. Setting specific goals, with a specific deadline, can also be beneficial to a weight loss program, she said.

Whatever you do, don’t give up. Weight loss is not as easy as taking a pill or chanting some magic spell, it takes work. Just remember that you are not alone. According to the CDC, more than 61 percent of Americans are overweight.

“There’s no secret to losing weight,” Tovar said. “You just have to be motivated and dedicated to achieving your goal. Keep on track, but remember, nobody’s perfect.”

Fortin said there’s no secret to losing weight and keeping it off.

“I do not feel that quick, easy ways to lose weight, such as diet pills, enable people to maintain any sort of weight loss,” she said. “Weight loss and weight management takes a lot of hard work and commitment.”

Fortin said her recommendation to the many students who constantly approach her asking how to lose weight is always the same — the Body-for-LIFE weight loss plan by Bill Phillips.

The Body-for-LIFE program works by combining short, intense workouts with a healthy diet, she said.

“The plan works because it promotes lifestyle changes and health, the principles are based on extensive research, the exercise program doesn’t require a lot of time — just high intensity, and the nutritional program promotes eating small, frequent meals with one free day to eat what you want,” Fortin said.

College students who can only eat at the cafeteria may have problems sticking to the plan, she said. But Fortin promised that if you follow the program, you will see results.

“The results have shown that it is effective for weight loss and maintenance,” she said.

However, Fortin said, it’s imperative that you plan your meals and exercise in advance to succeed.

Here’s how it works:
1. Weight train intensely, for no more than 45 minutes, three times a week.
2. Perform 20 minutes of cardiovascular activity, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, three times a week.
3. Eat six small meals a day, one every two to three hours.
4. Eat a portion of protein and carbohydrates with every meal.
5. Drink at least 10 cups of water daily.
6. Once a week, on your free day, eat whatever you want.

To learn more about this weight loss program visit (www.bodyforlife.com) to find information on how to buy “Body-for-LIFE” by Phillips. Or, you can purchase the book at (www.amazon.com) for $18.87 plus shipping and handling fees.

Amy Johnson

Need a place to work out?

Weight training is an important part of any weight loss plan because muscle mass speeds up metabolism and helps you burn more calories at a faster rate. It’s a simple equation, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn. Below is a list of area fitness centers where you can start pumping some iron.

Bally’s Total Fitness
Bally’s Total Fitness — (817) 738-8910
Ridgmar Mall
6833 Green Oaks Blvd.
Fort Worth, Texas 76116

Cost to Join: $5 down and then $32.85 a month for 36 months.

The good: After paying the monthly fee for three years, you get a lifetime membership, which is good at any area location, for only $12 a month.

The bad: Members have to pay additional fees for Passport classes such as Pilates, yoga and spinning.

Specials/Promotions: Three personal training sessions for $99, plus a free 30-day trial membership if you sign up this month.

24 Hour Fitness
24 Hour Fitness — (817) 370-9200
5001 Overton Ridge Blvd.
Fort Worth, Texas 76132

Cost to Join: From $31 to $49 a month depending on the type of membership purchased.

The good: Open 24 hours Monday through Friday for students who can’t find enough time in the day to workout. You also don’t have to pay extra for exercise classes.

The bad: The facility isn’t as large and doesn’t have as many cardiovascular machines as Bally’s Total Fitness.

Specials/Promotions: If you join this week, 24 Hour Fitness will drastically reduce the registration fee for TCU students.

Curves
Curves — (817) 869-5346
2739 S. Hulen St.
Fort Worth, Texas 76109

Cost to Join: $149 to start and then $39 a month.

The good: You will get a complete aerobic and strength training work out in only 30 minutes.

The bad: Curves is only for women and can become dull because you don’t work out at your own pace.

Specials/Promotions: If you sign up to join this weekand bring a bag of imperishable goods such as canned foods, the $149 registration fee will be waived.

University Recreation Center
TCU Recreation Center — (817) 257-PLAY

Cost to Join: Free to TCU students

The good: The University Recreation Center is your best bet — at least until you graduate. The recently finished $30 million renovation is awesome. The 50 cardiovascular machines even have personal flat-screen televisions that are linked to the TCU cable stations and, there are more weight training machines than any of the fitness centers discussed above. The facility is also open until midnight every day of the week.

The bad: You do have to pay for the 44 exercise classes that are offered weekly. Students can pay either $5 a class, $35 for 10 classes or $100 for an entire semester worth of classes.

Specials/Promotions: Not applicable.

*All information was obtained either from individual company Web sites or from a program representative at a program facility.