Being a teenager is hard enough without having to worry about the food pyramid every time your tummy rumbles, but the “freshman 15” is evidence enough that teens are doing something wrong.

New college students make lifestyle choices for the first time, which can be both exciting and scary. Unfortunately, most tend to abuse their freedom with less sleep, more alcohol, and fewer fresh fruits and veggies. A typical college diet seems to consist of ramen noodles, beer, and cereal (yuck). They are also prone to skipping meals and over-caffeinating.

Sound harmless? Bad habits that rule college campuses can cross the line into dangerous territory. A study of 4,000 students by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that young people, particularly white men, engage in “risky eating behaviors,” including the consumption of moldy food and undercooked animal products. These dangerous foods contain fungal poisons and bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Major yuck!

While junk food and dangerous eating habits add health risks, food is not to blame for the college weight gain. A number of studies show that the real problem is the lack of physical activity college kids get. Freshman in college actually consume less calories (on average) than they did in high school yet they are still gaining weight. The activity level of freshmen decreases a huge amount from their activity level in high school.

The excuses for poor health and fitness on college campuses are endless. It’s true that freshman are new to the kitchen, have busy schedules, are crunched for cash, and forced to endure some pretty terrible cafeteria options. That’s still no excuse for college kids to have the worst nutrition habits out of every age group.

One girl’s guide against gluttony:

Daphne Oz was determined to avoid bad eating habits when she began her first year at Princeton. And guess what…she was successful! So she decided to share her secrets with the rest of us in her book “The Dorm Room Diet.” Daphne grew up in a family of doctors but she was still overweight for most of her childhood. She knows what it’s like to be a “big girl” (as she says) and the insecurities and frustrations that go along with it. Her book presents practical tips for eating and living healthy while away at college based on her own experiences. It is a witty, down-to-earth and educational guide to navigating through the cafeterias and avoiding the college pitfalls.

Daphne’s five principles of healthy eating:

• Always eat breakfast
• Drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily, including one glass before every meal
• Eat at least ever three hours (small snacks between main meals)
• When you crave something really bad, count to your age and then decide if you really need it
• Stop eating two hours before bed

For fitness, “The Dorm Room Diet” suggests you spend about three days a week in the gym and mix-up cardio, strength training and yoga or Pilates. Many of these are offered as courses, so you can burn calories and earn credits at the same time!

More Food DOs and DON’Ts:

• DO the sniff test! You can drink milk a day or two after its use-by date but sniff it first! Keep milk and eggs in the coldest areas of the refrigerator
• DO check expiration dates. Duh! This goes for food at the store and food in your kitchen. They should have an expiration date “Best If Used By” dates are different and food experts say that it’s not dangerous to eat a product after that date.
• DO invest in a cooking thermometer to make sure that meat has been cooked thoroughly, rather than relying on visual clues.
• DO make time for meals! Eating 3 meals per day plus snacks will give you energy that will last all day and keep your metabolism active.
• DON’T eat that pizza sitting on the counter from last night! The USDA says that perishable foods should not be left out for more than two hours.
• DON’T eat old eggs! The UDSA recommends using eggs between three to five weeks of purchase.
• DON’T forget dairy! At home mom may given you milk at every meal but now you’re on your own!
• DON’T eat more than you need! It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you’re full. When eating at the dining hall, take smaller portions to start and go back for more if you are still hungry.