Starting college is a time for new choices and decisions. Many college freshmen notice a weight gain during their first year of college. This weight gain is attributed to a number of causes. Students are less active in college than they were in high school with less sporting activity. There is an unlimited amount of a variety of food choices in the dining halls.
Students also tend to increase their consumption of alcoholic beverages and sodas.
One other reason for the weight gain is the late night snacking that goes along with the late night studying. The trick to maintaining a healthy weight is to balance energy intake and energy expenditure. It takes 3,500 calories to make one pound of fat. The most effective way to lose weight is to exercise and watch what you eat. A reasonable goal is to decrease 500 calories for a day for a week to lose one pound of fat.