By ALEJANDRA TAPIA/Contributor
The weight gain of the ‘freshman-15’ is a reality for students with busy lives struggling to maintain eating and exercise habits.
“I think about my weight every year,” Debora Loua, a junior majoring in mass communications, said. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about it. I guess most people maybe. Most people think about their weight from time to time.”
Loua is not alone with her concerns.
A study by the National Institute of Health revealed that one-quarter of students gain a significant amount of weight in their first year of college due to a change in environment, diet, and academic and social stress.
Aaliyah Talton, a sophomore majoring in math, can deal with the challenge of eating healthy.
“I have been getting really stressed out lately,” Talton said. “I’m on an E-sports team, while also working and being a full-time student. I used to eat everything without having second thoughts, but after gaining weight, I’ve decided to start reading food labels and trying to go for healthier choices. It can just be hard, especially with all the easy fast-food temptations around.”
Lori Faullon, a sophomore majoring in nursing, who has taken a nutrition class, emphasized the importance of making healthier choices.
“Taking the class has taught me about nutrition,” she said. “It makes me wish that students like us all had access to that kind of information. People always feel like eating healthy is too hard, but with proper preparation, it can be easy. I personally haven’t been doing it though due to the stress school has been bringing me.”
Faullon’s eating habits have changed since moving from home.
“I used to make a lot of food at home, but these days I will mostly rely on microwave or fast-food,” she said. “I know it’s not the best or healthiest option, but it has been the most convenient for me. My nutrition class has also taught me that a way to combat this problem is to meal prep. Planning my meals ahead as well as packing healthy snacks such as fruit or nuts has helped a lot.”
Sodexo, which provides food services on campus, says on its website that it is committed to providing healthy selections based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
“Each meal part is limited in calories, has fewer than 30% of calories as fat, fewer than 10% of calories as saturated fat, and is restricted in sodium, and cholesterol,” says the website.
Students can also download the Everyday App, which directs them to nutrition and allergen information, and shows what the Met is planning to serve. All information can be found at https://uttylerdining.sodexomyway.com/en-us/.
Although diet plays a significant role in weight management, exercise does too.
Loua shared her frustration with trying to exercise with a busy academic schedule and a desire to pursue other interests.
“Lifestyle wise, I like to put my time into more of my passions, more into developing my talents and skills that will set me up for careers. I like to connect with people and that’s what I would rather put my energy into,” she said.
Faullon finds it hard to work exercise into her schedule.
“For me, I usually don’t exercise due to time,” she said. “I’m constantly studying and if I exercise, that’s two to three hours out of my day I could put towards studying. I used to exercise often, but I would wake up early to do so. Lately it’s just been hard. A lot of the time I’m studying until midnight, so I honestly would rather get my sleep than wake up early to exercise,” she said.
Simon Griffith, a junior majoring in kinesiology, implements exercise while doing something he enjoys.
“I used to be very fit. I played basketball in high school, and I still enjoy doing that now,” he said. “I try my best to keep myself active. I like to play basketball—not for the school, but to keep myself active.”
Brandi Drake, a junior majoring in finance, shared her motivation for exercising.
“So, I do run for UT Tyler. I’m a student athlete here,” she said. “The main thing that motivates me is knowing that the work I’m putting in now will pay off when we are in season.”
She said exercising with others is what keeps her motivated.
“The team works out together five days a week and I work out by myself at the HPC on Wednesdays, but I honestly enjoy working out with a group more. I’m a very competitive person, so being the best is my biggest motivation,” Drake said.
Although balancing school, exercise and a good diet can be difficult, making small changes can make a difference.
Drake finds ways to incorporate everything into her routine, despite being busy with school.
“I cook more. We stick to the healthier side. I do a lot of chicken and rice. I always got to have my greens, my salads. I also always have to get in my protein. It’s usually always about the protein,” she said. “I always meal prep. Meal prepping and finding the motivation to exercise is really how I am able to balance everything.”
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