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Beating the Freshman 15

by: Paul Buckley

Copyright 2005 Ardmore Internet Marketing, Inc.

It's a fairly accepted 'fact' among college age women that they will gain weight their first year away from home. It's so well accepted, in fact, that nearly anyone will know immediately what you mean when you refer to the 'Freshman 15'. The research doesn't quite bear it out, though. One study conducted 15 years ago found that incoming freshman did gain weight at higher rates than their peers who did not attend college, but the average weight gain for the stressful freshman year was 7 pounds, less than half the mythical 15 pounds they'd been told to expect.
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Even more encouraging is that a more recent study of college weight gain monitored the weight and body fat of freshman women. More than half the students put on weight, but for most it was less than five pounds. One third of the students lost weight. Interestingly, those students who most worried about gaining weight believed that they had gained weight even when the scales showed that they hadn't.
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If you're concerned about gaining weight in that first year away from home, here are some concrete suggestions that can help you avoid the dreaded Freshman 15.
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Adopt a Healthy Attitude Toward Food.

Researchers place part of the blame for the Freshman 15 on the tendency to turn to food for comfort. In an unfamiliar setting, with new stresses and new worries, students may turn to the familiar foods that make them feel good to help them get through. Train yourself to eat when hungry - and deal with stress through other means.
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De-stress.

The corollary to the statement above is that the less you allow changes and worries to affect you, the less stress you'll have to deal with. One of the best ways to stress-proof your body is by eating a healthy diet. Regular exercise and making sure you get enough sleep play a big part, too. When you're body is well-nourished and well-rested, you'll find it much easier to deal with stress without resorting to major snacking.
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Watch out for the parties.

Away from parental supervision for the first time, many college age students give in to the urge to party. Try to keep in mind that beer, even light beer, has 100 calories per every 12 ounces that you drink. You're also a whole lot more likely to snack on high fat junk food like chips when you're drinking. As for other drugs - there are all sorts of reasons not to smoke. Add the fact that it's fattening to the list.
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Exercise.

Take advantage of the gym facilities and any student privileges you might have by getting regular workouts. Swimming, tennis, aerobics - any sport that you play, any activity that you do will both burn calories, and help reduce the stress of your first year at school.
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Socialize.

Find a group of friends and be a part of it. The more you feel like you belong, the less you'll be missing home, and the less you'll be snacking to make up for it.
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The Freshman 15 isn't inevitable. Just remember to eat healthy, exercise, sleep well and have fun. The weight loss will take care of itself.

About the author:
Paul Buckley is a full-time pilot and part-time webmaster. You'll find plenty of great information about weight loss and healthy eating at the Healthy Diet Zone http://www.healthydietzone.com

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Mom's Job Stress May Spread to Kids
by: Rita Jenkins

Low job satisfaction in working mothers increases the stress levels of their children, but allowing them to spend more time in childcare can help overcome these effects, according to new research published in Developmental Psychobiology.

Children whose mothers found their jobs emotionally exhausting or otherwise less rewarding had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol than children whose mothers reported more enjoyment from their jobs, researchers found in a study involving more than 50 nursery school children.

Levels of cortisol in the evening were more than double in the children whose mothers experienced less job satisfaction. Placing those children in childcare would help to significantly reduce their stress, the research suggests.

The researchers also found that children from families that were either highly expressive or very reserved exhibited higher than average cortisol levels.

Greater support is needed for working mothers to help improve their job satisfaction and increase the availability of affordable childcare options, says the report.

More Time in Childcare

Dr. Julie Turner-Cobb, a health psychologist and senior lecturer at the University of Bath, Dr. Christina Chryssanthopoulou from the University of Kent and Dr. David Jessop, a neuroimmunologist at the University of Bristol collaborated on the study.

To measure cortisol levels, they took saliva samples in the morning and evening from 56 children aged three to four years old. They also surveyed mothers about their workplace conditions and home life over a six month period.

"Spending more time in childcare makes a big difference to the stress levels in children whose mothers have low job satisfaction," says Dr. Turner-Cobb.

"It can help protect children from the effects of their mother's low job quality and emotional exhaustion. Ensuring that mothers of young children have good support in the workplace is essential for supporting both mothers and their children," she adds.

"Improving the job satisfaction of working mothers means that they are less stressed themselves," says Dr. Jessop, "and extending the availability of affordable and adequate childcare may not only improve the quality of life for the mothers but, in doing so, may improve the long term health of their children."

Healthy Adaptation to Stress

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that regulates blood pressure and cardiovascular function and immune function. It also controls the body's use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Cortisol secretion increases in response to stress, whether physical -- such as illness, trauma, surgery or temperature extremes -- or psychological. It is a normal and essential response without which we would not be able to function in everyday life.

When these levels remain high or become disrupted in some way over a prolonged period of time, however, they may have consequences for health. It is important to promote healthy adaptation to stress in children, and good quality childcare is one way of doing this, say the authors.

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