Barbara Rolls, Guthrie Chair of Nutrition in the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State and one of the authors of “Volumetrics: Feel Full on Fewer Calories” (with Robert A. Barnett, published by HarperCollins, 2000), offers the following advice to incoming freshmen:

1.         Calories count. If you eat more than your body needs you will gain weight.

2.         Get in touch with your body. Recognize when you are hungry and avoid eating when you are not.

3.         Snacking is okay because it can help to control hunger so that you do not overeat at meals. But you must eat the right foods.

4.         Eat plenty of veggies. These fill you up with only a few calories. Find a grocery store so that you can keep a stash of your favorites to snack on instead of candy and chips.

5.         Eat plenty of fresh fruit. Like veggies, they can fill you up with few calories.

6.         Moderate the amount of fat that you are eating. Fat packs a lot of calories into small portions. For many young women the biggest source of fat is salad dressing.

7.         Include some lean protein in your diet, such as lean beef, turkey or chicken breast without the skin, fish and beans. Your body needs protein, which can help control hunger. But remember, as with any food, if you eat more than you need, it will end up as body fat.

8.         Increase your fiber intake. Fiber can help control hunger. Choose high-fiber cereals and breads and leave the skin on fruits.

9.         Don’t skip breakfast. Eating breakfast helps rev up your metabolism in the morning so you will burn more calories. If you skip breakfast, you may end up eating more calories over the day. Excellent choices are high-fiber cereals, low-fat milk, and fruit.

10.      Watch your soda intake. Calories from sugar-sweetened drinks (including fruit juices) add to food calories. One 32-ounce soda contains 500 calories.

11.      Limit consumption of alcohol which, like soda, adds calories. Alcoholic beverages are high in calories and are often accompanied by foods that are easy to overeat such as nuts, chips or pizza.

12.      Don’t eat because you are stressed or lonely. Choose healthy, low-calorie snacks while studying. Emotional overeating can lead to too many calories and may play a big part in the “Freshman 15”. 

13.      Be aware that eating with friends can lead to overeating. In groups we often eat when we are not hungry and eat foods – such as desserts – that we might not eat otherwise.

14.      You will encounter many foods that are unfamiliar. Try to learn about the calories and nutrients in these foods. Limit portion size of foods high in fat and calories and increase portions of low calorie foods such as fruits and veggies.

15.      Exercise is critical to maintain your weight. Participate in sports, walk to classes or climb stairs. Find friends who enjoy the same activities that you do.

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Contact: Barbara Rolls at (814) 863-8572 or e-mail bjr4@psu.edu.