Meet Malorie Catlett. Malorie is a sophomore Kinesiology major from Hot Springs, AR. She is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and enjoys volunteering at the animal shelters in Fayetteville. Her favorite restaurants in Fayetteville include: Hugo’s Hammontree’s, Wasabi, Andy’s, and Rick’s Bakery. She has always wanted to come to the University of Arkansas and loves Fall in Fayetteville.
Avoiding the “Freshman Fifteen”
Many students at the University of Arkansas worry about gaining the “Freshman Fifteen”. In case you haven’t heard, that is the reference to the weight that freshman usually gain when they head off to college. One reason that this happens is because students might have had a regular work out schedule at home, and when they leave for school they just stop following that routine. Another reason that this happens is because students are usually up late at night and if they are hungry or even bored, they decide they will just go hop in their car and drive to a fast food restaurant to get something quick to eat. The Freshman Fifteen doesn’t have to be an issue for your student. There are many ways to avoid gaining this weight.
Where to Work Out:
The University of Arkansas has recreational gyms on campus that students have access to via their University of Arkansas ID. On the second floor of the Arkansas Union, there is a gym called the University Recreation Fitness Center (http://urec.uark.edu/2603.htm ). There are classes offered there every day of the week, and if your student is not into working out in a group setting there is individual work out equipment as well that they can use at their own convenience. There is also the University Health, Physical Education, and Recreation building (http://urec.uark.edu/7521.htm ). It is referred to as the HPER by students on campus. There are classes offered there, as well. The HPER also offers an indoor walking/jogging track, basketball and volleyball courts, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center where people can go at their own time and use individual equipment, racquetball courts, and many more options. If exercising inside isn’t your student’s favorite thing to do, then the hills on campus will provide an excellent workout. There are also many trails and parks around the Fayetteville area that are so much fun to run or walk when the weather is nice.
Dining Hall Options:
Another factor is that many students want to go out to eat all the time. If your student goes out to eat every night, then they are more likely going to gain some weight as fast food isn’t always the healthiest option available. The dining halls do a good job of providing healthy and well balanced options for students to eat at every meal. Fruit and salad bars are offered at every meal. The dining hall also does a good job of providing vegetables at almost every different food station. While there are healthy options, there are also some not so healthy options out to choose as well. Your student just has to use their discretion to decide what the best thing is for them to eat. Another reason students gain weight is because there is no limit on how much food they can get at the dining halls. If your student wants to eat a plate of pizza and French fries and then decides they want to get a burger and fries after that, they are able to. There is no one there to tell them that they shouldn’t do that. There are also many different kinds of desserts offered at every meal every single day. Many students don’t realize that eating a dessert at every meal of every day will eventually add up.
My Experience:
At the beginning of my first semester, I was overwhelmed with all the options that the dining halls offered. I was especially overwhelmed with the dessert options. I would eat a cookie, a slice of cake, or a bowl of ice cream with almost every meal just because it was there and it sounded good. After a while, I began to notice that I didn’t feel very good, and I was becoming out of shape. I decided to cut out the desserts, and I began eating the fruit offered with every meal instead. I also began to go to classes at the HPER and the gym in the Arkansas Union. I noticed that I began to feel better, and I have been able to keep a healthy lifestyle while living on campus. It can be hard to find time to work out at first, but if your student will make time and work it into their schedule then it will be worth it for them. Also, it is important to remember that splurging every once and a while won’t hurt and sometimes can be just enough to balance out a late night sweet tooth craving.
Make A Plan:
If the “freshman fifteen” is something that your student is worried about, talk to them and help them brainstorm a workout routine that they can do every week. You can also remind them about all the resources available on campus for them to be able to exercise. The group work out schedule can be found at http://urec.uark.edu/fitness/group-fitness/class-schedule/index.php. One suggestion that might help your student is to find a work out partner. Another thing that you could do is help them think about portion sizes and food options for the dining halls where it is so easy to get one of everything. Some students are affected and some are not. If your student does gain weight, reassure them that it isn’t the end of the world and it happens to almost everyone. They should just be sure that they are remaining healthy for their own well being.