The infamous 'freshman 15.' Those words strike fear in our hearts and in our hips. Even if you are no longer a freshman, you may still worry about that weight gain, especially when beer and pizza is on your weekend dinner menu.

In the past two weeks, I feel that I have made a new friend, a person who understands most college females' concerns about image, food and health, because she has been in the same position.

Daphne Oz, author of 'The Dorm Room Diet: The 8-Step Program for Creating a Healthy Lifestyle Plan That Really Works,' shares her step-by-step instructions for keeping fit, eating healthy and feeling great through sensible eating, exercise and vitamin use.

Oz, once known as a 'fat kid,' decided at end of her senior year in high school it was time for a permanent and healthy change, without relying on fad diets with extreme restrictions either. Through her research, Oz, now a junior at Princeton University, created a healthy lifestyle plan to share with her peers.

In the summer before her first year at Princeton, Oz lost 10 pounds, and within the first three months of college, she lost another 10 pounds.

'Going to college helped me get myself healthy, but only because I had the inspiration ' and the information.' Oz, 20, wrote in her book. 'College proved to be my motivation.'

In her book, she reports that 'only about six percent of American college sophomores report gaining 15 or more pounds during their freshman year.'

Even though 50 percent of freshman can expect to gain two to five pounds, the fear of tremendous weight gain is a myth.

Oz explains how to manage healthy eating habits with the time, money and space restraints of the dorm room life. While cafeterias serve many fried foods, cheesy and creamy sauces and all the candy bars imaginable, she suggests instead going for the grilled or baked foods, low-fat milk and cheese, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit (dipped in chocolate for that sweet-tooth craving).

'Everything is about balance and nothing is off limits,' she wrote. 'If you overindulge today, eat healthfully tomorrow and the next day.'

Beware of the common pitfalls that Oz refers to as the 'danger zones.' During late-night study sessions, skip the simple carbohydrate snacks like chips, pretzels and cookies. Instead, keep baby carrots, almonds or an apple on hand. These healthy snacks take your body longer to break down, keeping you fuller and assuring a better night's sleep.

Tailgating and sporting events, as well as parties and campus gatherings, present the challenge of eating as a social activity. So if you are going to eat the unhealthy stuff, Oz says to do it in moderation, recommending a 'bunless' hotdog and a handful of chips.

Her 'Get Moving' chapter presents information on the important of exercise, advice for going to the gym and illustrated instructions for workout routines. Exercising not only burns calories and controls your appetite, but it also increases alertness and concentration, gives you more energy, helps you relax and distress and helps your ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well.

The book's conversational, first-person, optimistic tone encourages readers to find their inspiration to make a transformation and stop settling for a 'second-rate you.'

Scattering her practical tips throughout her book, 'The Dorm Room Diet' proved to be a quick, easy and fun read as I did my cardio workout on the elliptical. This is certainly a great book to help you become fit and healthy now and stay healthy throughout your life.