By ERIN BASS

Staff Writer

Are you a freshman?

Has your belt shortened since Sept. 10?

If you answered yes to these two questions, chances are you have gained the infamous "Freshmen 15."

Fifteen somehow being the magic number of pounds one gains when coming to college where the family does not take care of them anymore and has less extra-curricular activities.

Popular opinion suggests that the cafeteria is to blame for the red digital numbers on their weight scales escalating.

But some do not even look.

"I'm really not that concerned about weight gain," Brian Rike, a freshman mechanical engineering major, said.

"But watch out for the eggs, they are kind of watery."

Despite the water surplus in the scrambled eggs, Hollie Best, retail operations manager, said healthy food and unhealthy food balance out to about 50/50 every day, and sometimes healthy food outweighs 60/40.

"The three words students have to keep telling themselves when pertaining to their diet are variety, balance and moderation," Best said.

Variety: "Eat various foods, not just continual hamburgers or pizza every day at every meal."

Balance: "Try to eat two healthy meals for every one unhealthy meal you eat."

Moderation: "Explains itself. Do not gorge yourself to the point of where you eat mass amounts of food. Even eating healthy food in very large amounts is not good for you."

Best said increasing physical activity and taking advantage of the Maxie Lambright Intramural Sports Center are also factors in avoiding the unwanted weight gain.

Joel Moreno, a freshman kinesiology major, said he is on the other end of the spectrum.

Moreno, also a member of the powerlifting team, said he wants to gain weight to maintain his weight class.

"The cafeteria does offer healthy food which mostly contains a lot of protein," Moreno said. "When I need to gain weight I still eat healthy foods, just mass amounts."

Moreno said he also tries to stay away from greasy foods, but really likes the waffles.

"The best thing is to eat lean meats, vegetables, fruits and to stay away from fried foods," Alisa Washam, a registered nurse for Tech, said. "Eating healthy is hard to do on the run, but it is the best way."

Mike Michelle, director of food services, said, food offered in the cafeteria is also based ultimately on what students want.

"We would love to serve healthier food than we already do," Michelle said.

"[The] fact is the students simply won't eat it."

Michelle said the cafeteria introduces new foods, but if it is not being eaten, keeping it out there would be a waste.

Waste is also a large problem that keeps the food service financially frugal. "We throw out as much food as we serve," Michelle said.

Michelle said if waste was not such a setback the food service could afford a lot more "specially" themed meals.