As a freshman in college, I, like many of my peers, fell into the very common trap of poor diet, lack of exercise and too much partying — all of which tends to lead to what is often referred to as the "Freshman 15", or the propensity of college freshman to gain weight during their first semester (or year) of college. Daphne Oz, daughter of celebrity physician Dr. Mehmet Oz, wrote "The Dorm Room Diet" back in 2006 describing her own weight battle and how she avoided the dreaded 15-pound weight gain at Princeton University. The national bestseller has recently been updated, and Ms. Oz shares with readers how they too can either maintain or lose weight while away from home.

Even with the very best of resources living in her house, Daphne said she was overweight from age seven until seventeen. At her heaviest, she weighed 175 pounds (she's 5'8") which placed her body mass index (BMI) at the unhealthy level of 26.6 (under 24.9 is considered normal weight). She did what most of us do: cycle between a restrictive "diet" and falling off the wagon into old habits of overeating and using food as an emotional crutch. Until she made a decision to change her lifestyle, she couldn't keep the weight off.

Daphne offers advice not as a health professional (dad didn't read the book until she had a "full-fledged draft"), but as someone who has "been there, done that." The Dorm Room Diet is based on the idea that health is a long-term commitment, not a short-term goal, and that establishing healthful habits early in life is important for a long life. She describes the healthy college student as one whose nutritious diet and regular exercise program actually contribute to reducing stress and improving concentration — all while still enjoying new independence as a college freshman. (Read: you can still have pizza.)

The book describes a 10-step approach to achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in college and beyond. Step 1 offers inspiration and motivation for establishing goals. Step 2 specifically looks at the reasons college students find it so difficult to commit to a program of healthy eating and helps the reader move beyond the obstacles.

Steps 3 through 5 details a nutrition plan for what, how, and where to eat in college. In particular, she encourages reducing simple carbohydrates and sugars in the diet and increasing the amount of fresh, unprocessed foods. She also talks about how to navigate some of the most common college danger zones that lead to poor nutrition habits (caffeine, vending machines, late-night fast food).

Step 6 emphasizes the importance of exercise, even with the hectic schedule of a full-time student. She suggests "social workouts" so they are more enjoyable, but also because working out with a friend makes you more likely to be accountable.

Steps 7 through 10 begin to expand on the role of nutrition for a healthy lifestyle by adding chapters for nutritional supplements, how to become a conscious eater, and fun-to-make recipes that can be prepared in a typical dorm room. Also squeezed in there is a chapter on "Getting Happy," as chronic stress not only often leads to overeating, but also produces a hormone called cortisol which may be responsible in many chronic ailments including obesity.

Today, Daphne is a vegetarian who also follows a gluten-free diet. She leads a campaign to encourage college students to take charge of their health early in life, not only for their own health, but also for the health of the nation. Her advice? GET INSPIRED. GET INFORMED. GET STARTED!

This post was included in the Personal Development Book Reviews Blog Carnival, Edition 5.