Tasteful Ways to Avoid Gaining the ‘Freshman 10’

The first year of college can be a time of unwanted weight gain, fueled by too many midnight pizzas, parties where alcohol is served and overloaded schedules that cause erratic eating patterns, according to a dietitian with Weight Watchers International.

Dubbed the “Freshman 10,” this tendency is particularly difficult to avoid for women and the only way to escape it and maintain a trim high school figure is to continue healthy, low-calorie eating habits started while at home.

“Leaving the nest to go to college implies independence, a time to become your own person,” said registered dietitian Judy Marshel. “It’s also a time to leave behind mom’s home cooking.” But college students are encouraged to resist sampling too many new and unfamiliar foods or going on all-out binges of favorite foods and keep nutritional meals part of their schedule of activities.

Keep a Positive Attitude

Above all, said Marshel, keep a positive attitude. “There’s no need to despair. You can enjoy college life without gaining the Freshman 10,” she said. “The key is to plan ahead--set realistic goals for yourself and stick with them. Don’t let college friends coax you into eating things you’d rather avoid.”

As an aid to college students, Marshel offers the following list of tips to prevent the frustration and depression this syndrome can create:

--Check out your choices before making a selection. Decide what looks good and is good for your figure, then make selections. When planning meals, keep in mind variety and moderation.

--Try to eat three meals a day. A good breakfast starter is fresh fruit juice or fresh fruit. Supplement with dry cereal and low-fat milk, whole-grain toast with cheese or peanut butter or a muffin without butter. Avoid the typical, high-calorie fare--bacon, eggs and home fries, pancakes and syrup, etc.

--A fresh salad is a good choice for lunch. Combine cottage cheese and fresh fruit or use the salad bar to create a chef’s salad of tuna, sliced turkey breast or lean roast beef. Watch out for prepared tuna, chicken or egg salads which are often loaded with unwanted fat.

--Stick with broiled, baked or roasted poultry, meat or fish rather than fried foods for dinner. Remove the skin from chicken and ask for any gravy or sauces on the side.

--Desserts don’t have to be sacrificed. Enjoy fresh fruit or plain yogurt with fruit instead of rich cakes and pies. On occasion, when a favorite dessert is served, opt for it, but return to sensible eating the following day. One portion won’t hurt.

--Keep a survival kit in your room when the temptation for late-night snacking hits. Include non-fat dry milk powder, individually packaged cereal, reduced-calorie hot chocolate, sugar substitutes, small boxes of raisins, unbuttered popcorn, bread sticks and sugarless gum.

--If friends want to order something in, don’t deprive yourself as long as you’ve planned for it. A slice of pizza can be a nutritious snack and only contains about 200 calories if you skip the extras such as sausage and pepperoni. Complement your snack with diet soda.

--Make wise choices at the vending machine. One ounce of pretzels contains about 110 calories and goes a lot further than one ounce of chocolate with 150 calories or one ounce of peanuts with 170 calories.

--Remember that no single food in and of itself is fattening. It depends on how much of it you eat or drink in relation to your total daily calorie intake. If you choose to drink an occasional beer or a couple of glasses of wine, work them into your plan for the entire day’s calories. Or try alternating alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic ones such as soda water with a twist of lemon or lime.

--Beware of munchy foods at parties and take small portions of items like potato chips, pretzels and peanuts.

--Build exercise into your daily routine. Wear sneakers to class so you can take advantage of the time between classes to take an exercise break. Find a classmate to exercise with and make it a social event. Don’t eliminate exercise because of time pressures. It burns calories and gives you more energy, making late night studying that much easier.

Easy-to-Prepare Entrees

The following are some easy-to-prepare entrees, snacks, a sauce topping and dessert that come together quickly and are in line the above guidelines for sensible campus eating. We’ve featured items that college kids like, but fat and calorie-wise, they’ve been scaled down.

The cheesecake, for example, is lower in calories than the traditional recipe, boasting about 60 fewer calories per slice. And the salsa topping, a stand in for those with a penchant for salsa dip and chips, is an ideal sauce for omeletes, broiled fish or chicken, rice, baked potatoes, beans and pasta. Or, toss it in a tuna salad for a zesty light flavor or spice up grilled cheese sandwiches by putting the salsa topping inside.

LIGHT-STYLE CHEESECAKE

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons flour

2 pounds part-skim ricotta cheese

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

Dash salt

1 1/2 pints strawberries

Combine cracker crumbs and butter in bottom of 8 or 9-inch springform pan. Press onto bottom only as crust will be crumbly.

Combine sugar, orange and lemon zest, flour, cheese, vanilla, eggs and salt in food processor until smooth. Pour onto crust.

Place pan in roasting pan and pour hot water into roasting pan, halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake at 375 degrees 55 minutes to 1 hour or until top is just set. Cool and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Meanwhile, puree 1/2 pint strawberries. Arrange remaining whole fruit on top of cooled cheesecake. Drizzle puree over fruit and serve. Makes 12 servings.

Note: Fruit puree will not set.

SPICY CORN SAUCE

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon thyme, crumbled

1 (11-ounce) can condensed zesty tomato soup/sauce

1/4 cup water

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup whole kernel corn

Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, garlic and thyme about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in soup, water, chiles, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and corn. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer, covered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over grilled or broiled fish, if desired. Makes 3 cups.

QUICK CHICKEN AND PASTA

1 chicken breast, skinned, boned and cut into strips

2 tablespoons white wine

1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, rotelle pasta, corn and carrots with garlic dressing

Place chicken in 2-quart microwave-safe casserole. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on HIGH 4 minutes, stirring halfway through. Stir in wine and vegetables and pasta. Cover and microwave on HIGH 6 to 9 minutes or until thoroughly heated and vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring halfway through cooking. Makes 4 servings.

SALSA TOPPING

3 medium tomatoes, diced

3 tablespoons chopped red onion

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno chile

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Dash ground cumin

2 teaspoons lime juice

Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, chile and cilantro. Mix well. Stir in cumin and lime juice. Serve over omeletes, rice, baked potatoes, beans, broiled or grilled fish and poultry and pasta, if desired. Store in refrigerator up to 2 days. Makes 1 pint.

BIG CHEESE CHICKEN FAJITA

1/4 cup oil

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno chile

1 whole boneless chicken breast, skinned, cut into 1/2-inch strips

1/2 onion, cut into 1/4-inch rings

1/2 green pepper, cut into 1/4-inch rings

3 flour tortillas

1/4 pound shredded Cheddar cheese

Combine oil, lime juice and chile in 10-inch skillet. Add chicken strips and refrigerate at least 1 hour, stirring once. Drain.

Add onion and green pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender. Divide chicken mixture between tortillas and sprinkle each with cheese. Serve with salsa or chopped tomatoes, if desired. Makes 3 servings.