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 By: Phil Campbell The "Freshman 15" and the "Holiday 7," titles for the average amount of weight gain that people experience during the winter holidays and during the first year in college, keep popping up in articles. Are these statements true? They are close to being true for about 25% of the population.
So what's the big deal? Wouldn't this information perhaps motivate college freshman to become more aware of their eating habits? Maybe not; researcher's report just the opposite can occur. The "Freshman 15" was found in this study to play a role in "perpetuating negative attitudes toward weight."
This study also revealed that during the sophomore and junior years, "stabilization and reduction in weight" occurred once the women moved away from cafeteria style food services offered by dorm living. More recently, David Levitsky, a Cornell University professor, reported that college freshmen gained an average of 4.2 pounds just during their first 12 weeks on campus and from this he concluded that the "Freshman 15" is real. Richard Clark, a nutrition professor at the University of Connecticut, agrees that the "Freshman 15" is real for some students.
Most people gain less than one pound during the 6-week period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, report researchers. And this is much less than the suggested 7 pounds that's being tossed around. However, this study also shows that overweight individuals gain 5 pounds during this time4. This research should be a real concern for those who are overweight. While it's not quite as bad as the "Holiday 7," gaining 5 pounds every year during the holidays means 50 additional pounds over the next ten years.
While the Freshman 15 and the Holiday 7 are not as bad as reported for most people, small gains in bodyfat over time can contribute to the condition "Metabolic Syndrome." Metabolic Syndrome has to do with how the body acts as it puts on extra bodyfat. Starvation diets may temporarily pull off a few pounds after the holidays; but these diets without exercise can make matters worse. Symptoms Of Metabolic Syndrome
Insulin Resistance
This is why someone lean and in shape can eat some traditional holiday meals without too much concern, and someone overweight will gain 5 pounds during the holidays.
The cure for Metabolic Syndrome is not a fad starvation diet, but rather a consistent diet of moderation and a real commitment to exercising regularly. Extra bodyfat is at the center of this disease, and this means that you should add exercise to build and tone muscle. Adding muscle will raise your resting metabolic rate so the muscle, in essence, eats away the bodyfat for you while you're resting.
Personally, I'm partial to weight training at least three times a week along with an anaerobic exercise (sprinting types of exercise) program to make the body produce exercise-induced growth hormone7. Growth hormone released from exercise will facilitate the bodyfat burning and muscle building and toning process.
Make the commitment today to add weight training to your fitness plan and enjoy meals... in moderation, of course. Author Bio Phil Campbell. M.S., M.A., FACHE is the author of Ready, Set, Go! Synergy Fitness www.readysetgofitness.com Free Newsletter on this topic at www.readysetgofitness.com References
National Institutes of Health studies summaries cited:
Phil Campbell Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here! Visitor Reviews Of This Article!
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