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Are you familiar with the term "Freshman 15"?
What do you think it means?
Studies have shown that students, on average, gain 5-15 pounds during their first 2 years of college; most of this weight-gain occurs
during the first semester of freshman year.
I want to help you and your child become mindful of why this happens so you can help your college freshmen find ways to stay mentally and physically healthy in their first year and they can perform at their very best.
While gaining weight has proven to be an issue for freshman entering college, my concern is less about the pounds they might put on and more about the food they will be putting in to their body. 
Without healthy foods, they may notice that their energy lags and their concentration and memory suffer, they may get headaches,
skin problems and experience poor digestion.
College offers many temptations:
You're on your own for the first time, with the freedom to eat what you want,as much as you want, whenever you want. Your normal schedule will be very irregular depending on your class schedule. Not having structure can really affect your choices and their impact on your weight and overall health.
College dining halls-cafeteria style-are filled with a lot of food, but usually not very healthy. It can be tempting to pile on the portions in the dining halls, eating more than you would need, just because the food is there.
It can be tempting to choose sugary and salty snacks thinking they might help get you through late night study sessions, or eat dinners of ice cream and french fries with ketchup for the first time - just because now you have the freedom to do so.
BUT . . .
you also have the freedom to choose wisely,
to be in charge of your health,
to be mindful of your choices,
to choose what is best for you.
Keep in mind as well, that the food choices often do not change; they remain the same day after day. One girl I spoke with in her final year told me that at first she was "blinded" by the choices.
So when you first get there, and everything looks so good, don't overdo it.
What you don't choose on the first day, will likely be available the following days.
Don't feel like you have to "fill up your plate" with one of everything.
TIP: even before you go in, think about what you feel like having (maybe some brown rice with vegetables, a wrap or a hearty soup) then look for that and block out the other foods that may be considered temptations.
Think about what will keep you healthy
and what will make your body strong.
College is a time of change - it's hectic, fast-paced, brand-new, and it can be scary. People can sometimes eat in response to change which can be experienced in the form of anxiety, homesickness, sadness, loneliness.
College is a time of stress - the stress of acclimating to school can trigger overeating; stress from exams and deadlines and managing your own life for the very first time, this too can be overwhelming.
College is a time of social pressure - making new friends, co-ed living, wanting to eat what your friends eat so as not to attract attention or negative criticism can carry a heavy weight.
To be your best, you have to make smart choices and be strong about what you want.
Have that piece of pizza with everyone,
if you must, but have only
one and have a big salad with lemon as well.
Another contributing factor to poor eating habits: some of you might be on a budget and think that ordering pizza will save money, so opting for pizza over a healthier option becomes easy and affordable.
BUT PLEASE KNOW:
fast foods, processed foods and frozen meals are the worst things you put in your body.
So, what CAN you do to stay healthy?
Keep healthy snacks available
in your room and in your backpack:
fruits and vegetables, granola bars, bananas, fruit, raw nuts and seeds, a box of whole grain, high fiber cereal, trail mix, whole grain pita bread, whole wheat crackers, rice cakes with agave, mini peanut butter portions,
dried fruits and water
(they are low in calories and good for energy).
Buy a few of your own favorite spices,
or bring along sea salt in your purse, or Braggs liquid amino spray (a very low-sodium soy) so you control your seasonings.
Often cafeteria foods and restaurant foods are loaded with salt and butter - if you ask for it plain, you can control what goes into your body and cut out a whole bunch of unnecessary and hidden calories.
Buy or rent a small fridge or Nutribullet
to keep in your room so you can always have healthy snacks and smoothies available:
fruits and vegetables, grapes, oranges, apples, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, hummus, yoghurt, smoothies, celery, cucumber, rice pudding, olives, chickpeas, radishes
By having a fridge in your room, you can also store leftovers from a previous meal that was too big, thereby cutting portion sizes and calories and saving money - the cafeterias often close at 6:30, so bring back some healthy foods and put them in your fridge for later.
Information is so accessible today: you can always check your Apps on your phones,
there are free services that provide nutrition and calorie counts
(food scanner, daily burn, my fitness pal).
Make sure you get enough sleep, stay active, be mindful, and make healthy choices. 
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