There is a good chance you have heard of the dreaded freshman 15 – those sneaky 15 pounds that take up residence on your hips before the end of your first year of college.

Chances are, for every time you have heard of the freshman 15, you have heard an equally good excuse for how to combat it: Eat your vegetables. Exercise daily. Skip the midnight snack runs. The list goes on and on.

One of the reasons behind unexpected weight gain during the freshman year is moving out and being on your own, said Jill Englett, a nutrition instructor at UNA.

“Part of it is being away from home and making your own decisions,” she said. “(There is also) the rush of a different schedule, with no regular schedule for eating. (New college students are) going through a lot of change.”

Englett said not having parents or guardians to make meals or buy food on a consistent basis also leads students to make poor eating choices and consequently, gain weight.

“Sugary soft drinks and coffee drinks can add calories fast,” she said. “The sugary coffee drinks from Einstein’s average out to about 500 calories per drink. One pound is equal to 3,500 calories, so you could gain a pound a week just from coffee alone.”

The university offers a variety of ways for students to stay fit, especially during the freshman year. One of these resources is the Student Recreation Center (SRC), said Glenda Richey, coordinator of fitness.

The SRC is open daily and offers free group fitness classes such as Ab Attack and Flow, Richey said.

Richey said it is far easier to avoid gaining the freshman 15 altogether than it is to try to lose it.

“Stay active and get to the (SRC),” she said. “Make sure you’re not eating out of boredom or for social situations.”

Trevor Beasley, a sophomore, said he agrees that someone should not eat for arbitrary reasons, nor should they always choose the easier options when it comes to food.

“Don’t go out with your friends just to eat,” he said. “Only eat when you’re hungry. Stay away from Coke, and just drink water.”

Some students said they gained the 15 pounds and then some. Student Amanda Daniel said she gained 20 pounds but then worked hard to get rid of it after her freshman year.

“I started walking, cut out soda, quit the Taco Bell and eventually joined a gym,” she said. “It’s so convenient to eat unhealthy, especially when it’s cheap. But if you eat unhealthy, you’ll look unhealthy. You are what you eat.”

While some students gain the weight, others said they ended up losing weight their freshman year.

“I actually ended up losing about 10 pounds because I detested Towers (Dining Hall) so much,” said UNA senior Luke Hunter. “I ate maybe two small meals a day.”

Whether the freshman 15 is fact or fiction, Richey and Englett both said it’s a good idea for students to be aware of their caloric intake, no matter their classification.

“If students can be very aware of their calories and stay active, it is much easier to avoid the freshman 15 in the first place,” Richey said.

Senior Staff Writer Ann Harkey and Student Writer Lauren Daley also contributed to this report.