Don’t worry, the Battle of Bulge can be beaten.

NBC News reports.

College Students: That Dreaded Freshman 15 Is Avoidable

The Freshman 15 is one of the most feared side effects of a student’s first year of college.

And though studies have found it’s not as bad as it sounds — and that the average weight gain is actually around 2.5 to 3.5 pounds — the threat is still there.

“Visible weight gain is real,” said Joy Bauer, TODAY’s nutritionist, who credits the power of temptation for the belly-bloating phenomenon.

“Bad eating is contagious, and there’s a lot of camaraderie, whether you’re studying or coming home from a party and you have a buzz on,” Bauer said. “Once one person starts with the pizza, chips, candy bars — it’s really difficult to go against the norm. It’s not a peer pressure thing. It’s just hard to keep your resolve up.”

“Physical activity goes down, and pizza might go up.”
At Tulane University, registered dietitian Sarah Walsh counsels students who are looking to escape the slippery slope of pigging out.