What could be packing on those ‘Freshman 15’ and how to avoid them

Melissa Dilley

12 oz. can of Keystone Light beer

• 103 calories, 0 g fat

• How to burn it off: Run

1 mile at the track for each beer you drink.

• Alternative: It doesn’t get much lighter than this. If you don’t want to give up drinking, be aware that it causes an increased craving for salty and high-calorie foods. Keep light and baked snacks on hand for after a night out. Also, sip your drink slowly instead of chugging it to limit your consumption.

Starbucks grande vanilla bean frappuccino with whipped cream

• 470 calories, 14 g fat

• How to burn it off: Walk almost six miles, or from the Student Center to Starbucks and back twice.

• Alternative: Try the same drink, minus the whipped cream, and make it a tall to save 210 calories and 12 grams of fat.

Package of chicken flavor Top Ramen Noodles

• 475 calories, 17.5 g fat

• How to burn it off: Jump rope in your dorm for 50 minutes.

• Alternatives: Add vegetables such as peas, carrots or mushrooms. It will add about 50 more calories, but it will make this college staple more delicious and nutritious.

Slice of Hungry Howie’s large cheese pizza with butter crust

• 208 calories, 4.9 g fat

• How to burn it off: Throw a Frisbee at Manchester Field with friends for an hour for each slice of pizza.

• Alternative: Have a salad, light on dressing and cheese, with your slice of pizza to make sure you’re too full to eat an entire pie. Also, use a napkin to dab grease off cheese to save as many as 50 calories per slice depending on how greasy and cheesy the pizza.

Einstein Bros. plain bagel with 6 tablespoons of reduced-fat whipped blueberry cream cheese

• 470 calories, 16 g fat

• How to burn it off: Run up and down residence hall stairs for 47 minutes.

• Alternative: Instead of a plain bagel, try honey whole wheat. It has the same amount of calories and fat (260 and 1 gram) but will stay with you longer. As for the spread, ask for it on the side, and sparingly add your own or eat your bagel plain to save up to

210 calories and 15 grams of fat.

Pint of Ben & Jerry’s chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream

• 1,080 calories, 56 g fat

• How to burn it off: Ride your bike around campus for four hours.

• Alternative: Those counts are for the whole pint, so if you can resist, only eat a few spoonfuls. For those who can’t fight the temptation, try Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked FroYo. It has swirled chocolate and vanilla frozen yogurt with brownies and chocolate chip cookie dough, and you can eat the whole thing for only

520 calories and 12 grams of fat.

Contact news editor Melissa

Dilley at [email protected].