Maintaining in college?

peanutbutterrunna

So the time has (finally) come for me to leave my childhood home and live on my own and attend college. I'm just a tad worried about the notorious "freshman 15". However, it's not as if I'm going to be gorging myself of pizza, cookies and ice cream day in and day out seeing as my weight loss journey has long since instilled in me the knowledge of nutrition, but I'm still slightly concerned. I'm going to try to make as many meals for myself as I can given the tiny kitchens each dorm floor has (I'll for sure make my favorite oatmeal every morning) but there's no way I can go all year avoiding the cafeterias. I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice for me. I already plan on keeping up with my love for running and possibly joining the cross country team. Not only that, but I'll be walking to and from class and activities every day.

Do you guys think it would be weird or "frowned upon" if I brought measuring cups or even a food scale to the cafeterias to measure out cereal or what have you for those times where I need to get food at the cafeteria? Would you do that if you were me?

I don't have any weight to lose. I just want to maintain my weight and/or keep any gaining to a minimum. Any and all tips, tricks, suggestions or comments are welcome and appreciated. Thank you!

cadaverousbones

If you would feel comfortable taking a food scale or measuring cup, go for it! I personally do not care what other people think, my body is my body and I want to keep it healthy. I know for me that I am usually able to guess when measuring foods, because I have used food scales for so long I know what certain foods look like when weighed out. I would do whatever makes you comfortable. I have not been to college so I don't have personal experience to give you, but I think you'll do okay since you have a good grasp on what is good for you and what isn't!

GingerLolita

Cooking should definitely help! I lived in a dorm last year as a freshman (this year I got an apartment) and I cooked almost everything that I ate in our kitchens. I would cook breakfast and dinner and bring lunch with me most days so I wouldn't end up eating something unhealthy. For early mornings, I would usually make or buy something healthy in advance so I wouldn't feel rushed. I actually ended up losing my freshman 15!

However, my school doesn't have a cafeteria (in midtown NYC), so the only alternative was to eat out, so it wasn't uncommon for students to bring lunch. If your school cafeteria provides nutrition information, that'll be really useful! When you arrive, pick out some options in the cafeteria that you know can become healthy staples. Feel free to ask the staff how certain foods are prepared to see if they're healthy.

geekyjock76

From what you've posted, you already seem to have a good idea.

If you are a high school athlete, then remaining active by participating in intramurals or joining cross country will make it more manageable since a perk to higher energy demands is a higher caloric intake - which means a great deal of flexibility in food choices throughout the day.

Regarding the use of a food scale or measuring cup in cafeterias: Make use of them and do not worry if people stare at you. Not to generalize, but those who may stare will likely be among the candidates to gain the extra pounds.

Reserve some time out of your day to use the dorm kitchen to prepare your meals the night before.

Most cafeterias and restaurants provide nutritional info a few weeks prior to the semester starting to the University which is then posted online. Thus, before the semester starts, check to see what foods you'd be interested in eating if you wish to grab something from those available venues.

If possible, schedule an hour break amongst your block of classes so you have enough time to eat your meals.

Most departments have their own break room or kitchen with a microwave. If you have food that requires reheating, ask faculty in departments for permission to use their microwave.

I noticed you eat Quest bars - protein bars, or shakes, can be ideal in between classes or when you don't have a prepared meal.

BinaryPulsar

I also agree with keeping active in sports.

I never gained weight when I went off to college. As far as eating goes, I did eat as much and whatever I wanted in the cafeteria because I had never thought about calories or dieting and was anti-diet/restriction at that time in my life. But I did make sure I ate a lot of vegetables, protein, and good nutrition, and I stopped eating when I was full. I probably balanced it out by not eating many snacks between meals (just occasionally). But, I was in school for dance, I also worked at the fitness center and worked out there, I didn't have a car, and for recreation I danced at parties (no drinking for me). So, I was extremely active. But, the only actual sports my college had was a soccer team.

Most people are busy doing their own thing and may not even notice you measuring. If they ask just explain it in a way you feel will be well received. They will just accept it as one your quirks that make you you (that's how college is, you learn about all different people and the different things they do and ways they do things).

arl1286

lol the freshman 15 is what got me to this site int he first place. I think you'll be alright, though. The lack of varsity sports ruined me (even though I went to the gym every day-- I just didn't realize that 25 minutes on the elliptical would be enough to manage the horrendous amount of cookies I was eating because our dining hall had nothing tasty and vegetarian).

One thing you could do if you don't want to be seen measuring stuff is to bring a to-go container and eat back in the dorm/apartment, measuring everything there.

coffeepuff

Yes, and no. While you want to be healthy, I think there's also something to be said for health in moderation.

Socially, it's not exactly a condoned social practice to use those items in public. Be prepared for some resistance, odd-looks, gossip, etc about it. I think a good rule of thumb, is that if you wouldn't do it in a restaurant, don't do it in the dining hall. (For instance, you wouldn't bring a food scale to measure the ounces of meat in a hamburger at a restaurant because that would be rude. Measuring a tablespoon of mayonnaise or something I would also say is going "too far" for the dining hall)

Ideally, I would recommend you use those measuring items at home to get a better understanding of appropriate measurements and then ballpark it at the dining hall (chicken the size of your palm, a TBSP of jam the size of your nail, how much milk constitutes a cup, etc.).

If you want to bring a tablespoon to discretely measure salad dressing in the dining hall I would deem that acceptable (perhaps telling people who give you a look that you love dressing so much you tend to overdo it!) But I would strongly advise you against bringing out a ring of measuring cups or an ounce scale with you. That's going to cause a lot of negative buzz about eating disorders and food obsession.

Conversely, you could embrace it. Tell people that you lost a significant amount of weight through measuring portions and you're excited to stay healthy in college so that you can finally join the cross country team! Be prepared though for people that will not understand this, will resent you for moderation when they are not practicing it, and will put you down to make themselves feel better about their eating habits.

Good luck and have a great year!!!

dmprice17

it is not so much the food that gets to freshman 15 it is the ETOH

hananah89

You have a good idea, like another poster, college weight is what brought me here as well. Those all you can eat cafeterias are dangerous (mmhmm Lucky Charms and pizza and fries galore!) While I had problems with all you can eat, I also had problems when it came to late night study sessions. All I would want to eat (and all that was available that late) were unhealthy things i.e. candy and chips. Make sure you keep some fruit and pre portioned snacks in your backpack for study times. If not, just make sure you read labels. Also stay away from energy drinks....those got me through many all-nighters but I would feel horrible coming off of them the next day. Not to mention the calories and sugar in them.

Good luck! I'm only about a year out of college and definitely miss it, but I now work for the college I went to so it all worked out.

bcf7683

Sounds like you have a pretty good grasp on things. I wouldn't worry about people looking at you weird for measuring cups or a scale. The ones who look at you weird will more than likely be the ones gorging on the crap food. There will be people who understand what you're doing, trust me.

As far as preparing your own food, the George Foreman grill can be your new best friend if you don't already have one (if you're allowed one. I had one anyways, just don't get caught! :bigsmile: ) . You can make chicken, fish, burgers, veggie kabobs, anything you want pretty much. You can also make simple few ingredient things like tuna salad using greek yogurt, recipes that use protein powder & fruit (homemade protein bars, shakes, ice cream, etc.) It will also be a big help to pack your own lunches if you'll be in classes all day- take a piece of grilled chicken and a banana with you, for example. You can still go to the dining hall throughout the day, but having some healthy choices with you will help you out if there are days when the selection is crappy at the halls.

You just need to be creative with the amenities that you'll have available. It's definitely possible!

csuhar

I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice for me. I already plan on keeping up with my love for running and possibly joining the cross country team. Not only that, but I'll be walking to and from class and activities every day.

Do you guys think it would be weird or "frowned upon" if I brought measuring cups or even a food scale to the cafeterias to measure out cereal or what have you for those times where I need to get food at the cafeteria? Would you do that if you were me?

When it comes to measuring devices, you might be able to bring them, but I'd avoid using them in the food lines. Hungry college students aren't the most patient of individuals, and the sanitation folks might have a fit if you're using your own measuring cups / spoons to get items off the line.

As people have said, it will be a good idea for you to maintian your activity level. The biggest surprise to me was the amount of "free" time (the time not spent in the classroom) that I had in the middle of the day. You can definitely use this to your benefit.

This is just a theory, so you can take it or leave it, but I think part of the origin of the "Freshman 15" lies in college cafeterias that are only open for brief periods, which might prompt students to eat more in order to get through to the next meal time. At my school, we had the benefit of a cafeteria that was open from 7 AM through 10 PM. Sure, they weren't producing food all the time, but you could always count on being able to stop by and get something to eat as needed. Of course, access to lots of food at mealtime that you don't have to cook for yourself is also probably part of the problem.

In general, if you're active and pay some degree of attention to what you're eating, it won't be hard to keep your weight under control.

myrasays

Cooking should definitely help! I lived in a dorm last year as a freshman (this year I got an apartment) and I cooked almost everything that I ate in our kitchens. I would cook breakfast and dinner and bring lunch with me most days so I wouldn't end up eating something unhealthy. For early mornings, I would usually make or buy something healthy in advance so I wouldn't feel rushed. I actually ended up losing my freshman 15!

However, my school doesn't have a cafeteria (in midtown NYC), so the only alternative was to eat out, so it wasn't uncommon for students to bring lunch. If your school cafeteria provides nutrition information, that'll be really useful! When you arrive, pick out some options in the cafeteria that you know can become healthy staples. Feel free to ask the staff how certain foods are prepared to see if they're healthy.

I agree with this! I lost 15 lbs that I actually DIDN'T need to lose in my Freshman year because of cooking @ home (& quite frankly, not having a lot of extra spending cash to splurge everyday at the cafeteria). Here in FL some of our universities have fast food restaurants & bars in the student unions (Idk how it is up North, never been!) so it can be tempting. If you don't bring extra cash w/u & pack a lunch - you will stay w/in budget & stay healthy Plus, no need for packing extra measurement tools. Getting a feel for what the cafeteria offers is a good idea for future reference. Prepared foods for mass quantities of people usually involves some cutting of better ingredients somewhere (usually in the oils). Obviously salads with some protein & fruits are great in a pinch, just avoid using too much dressing (again, cheap oils). Good luck & many congratulations!

jackjackattck

it is not so much the food that gets to freshman 15 it is the ETOH

I am going to have to agree here. My first two years in college I did not gain weight, in fact I lost weight. My schedule was crammed with 8 classes and working 35 hours a week, and I flat out didn't have time to eat too much. If I went to the dining hall, it was for a short amount of time just to eat something small and leave for class. It only takes a little bit of discipline to not eat everything in sight since mine was a buffet style cafeteria, but once I learned to limit myself I was okay. My dining hall also had the option to "cash out" your meal for the day, taking items from the store to count as a meal like an apple, a drink, and a frozen burrito. I was so active walking to and from classes that I did not gain any weight. I did drink then, but I mainly stuck to vodka cranberry's and hated beer.

I did gain weight once I moved to the on campus apartments, surprisingly with a full kitchen inside. Instead of learning to cook, I found beer... and pizza.. and nights out with my friends.

I think you will be totally okay as long as you have a conscious mind about it, which is something not many 18 year olds have! I only wish I knew this much about nutrition that long ago.

As for the food scale and measuring cups, I would leave them in the dorm room and use them for your own cooking in the kitchen, but leave them out of the dining hall. Like someone on here said, it is a little unheard of to be measuring things like that in public.

simsburyjet

My daughter was so nervous about college that she was down to 87lbs... came home this summer 105 lbs...
I do not think she brought a measuring cup. I was very glad for the 18lbs she gained but it is very easy to
lose control with all of the fried and fast foods at college.

Articeluvsmemphis

do what makes it easiest for you to feel comfortable about what you're putting into your body. great job on losing your weight and making it to goal. i did the reverse 15, i loss weight instead of gaining it, it's all about choices and they're yours to make

k3yp33p

Nothing wrong with drinking, at least from a weight loss perspective, as long as you take the calories into account. Calories are calories. Drinking can be bad for other reasons, and feel free to post about that stuff, but again a calorie is a calorie.

kkveggie

Don't worry about it too much. You said you already have an understanding of what you need to be eating to feel good and maintain a healthy weight. The reason most students gain weight when they go to school is because they finally have the freedom and ample opportunity to eat junk food all the time, and alcohol (but I'll get to that later). Since you already have a general idea about the nutition content of food and proper serving sizes I wouldn't worry about bring a scale or measuring cups to the cafeteria. In my cafteria the lines were always packed and moving quickly, so measuring out things would likely bak up the lines and annoy those around you who are in a rush to get to class or somewhere. Also, counter space is limited in the cafeteria and you'll likely be carrying a tray and backpack which will make it extremely difficult to measure everything out. But, if you really feel like you HAVE to measure things, just ignore anyone complaining and do what makes you happy.

At my university and the other schools I have have visited food is put into disposable containers. When I was at school I usually ate lunch in my dorm room so I could study during that time. A lot of people bring their food back to their room, so you can easily do that and measure it there and store anything extra in your mini fridge. My school also had a c-store that we could use our meal points at, and sometimes I would buy food from there because everything is pre-packaged with nutitional info printed on the package. Mine has veggie sticks, hard boiled eggs, cheese sticks, friut cups, and hummus that I could spend some of my left over points on to make sure I had healthy, portioned out snacks for studying or late nights.

I think one of the hardest calorie punches to manage in college is alcohol. A lot of students start drinking regularly in school and pack on the pounds from high calorie drinks like beer and late night snacking after drinking. I love going drinking with my friends so I've memorized what I can drink for low calories (vodka and tequila are my friends) and I never drunk eat, which helps a lot.

So to wrap it up, don't stress about it, college is supposed to be a fun learning experience. You already have the basic knowledge of how to live a healthy lifestyle, so use that and you'll be just fine. Do what you can to make healthy choices, avoid most temptations, but don't forget to live a little because you are going to have some of the best times of your life in school :bigsmile:

kcusnem

You can do it!! I lost 40lbs when I went to college. Too poor to buy food, I ate mostly cottage cheese and lettuce at the cafeteria. All the last minute speedwalking to classes helped a lot. Visiting friends that lived off campus helped as well, as long as we were walking! So... don't get a credit card ( = no pizza), and ditch your car/public transportation (for a week at a time). Join intramural sports and when the time comes stick to the 'Skinny' drinks!

TribeHokie

Yes, and no. While you want to be healthy, I think there's also something to be said for health in moderation.

Socially, it's not exactly a condoned social practice to use those items in public. Be prepared for some resistance, odd-looks, gossip, etc about it. I think a good rule of thumb, is that if you wouldn't do it in a restaurant, don't do it in the dining hall. (For instance, you wouldn't bring a food scale to measure the ounces of meat in a hamburger at a restaurant because that would be rude. Measuring a tablespoon of mayonnaise or something I would also say is going "too far" for the dining hall)

Ideally, I would recommend you use those measuring items at home to get a better understanding of appropriate measurements and then ballpark it at the dining hall (chicken the size of your palm, a TBSP of jam the size of your nail, how much milk constitutes a cup, etc.).

If you want to bring a tablespoon to discretely measure salad dressing in the dining hall I would deem that acceptable (perhaps telling people who give you a look that you love dressing so much you tend to overdo it!) But I would strongly advise you against bringing out a ring of measuring cups or an ounce scale with you. That's going to cause a lot of negative buzz about eating disorders and food obsession.

Conversely, you could embrace it. Tell people that you lost a significant amount of weight through measuring portions and you're excited to stay healthy in college so that you can finally join the cross country team! Be prepared though for people that will not understand this, will resent you for moderation when they are not practicing it, and will put you down to make themselves feel better about their eating habits.

Good luck and have a great year!!!

As much as I would love to tell you to do whatever you want because it's your health and your choices, I'm going to have to agree with this ^^^. Use measuring devices at home to get a good idea of what different sizes and weights look like so you can eyeball it in the dining halls.

I don't know where you're going, but a lot of the larger schools do a good job of publishing the nutritional content of their food. My undergrad school had everything published on the dining services website, so it was super easy for me to figure out what to have before going down and getting something. One of the main reasons people gain the freshman 15 is that they don't know much about nutrition and calories, so they don't realize that a steady diet of muffins and lattes for breakfast, burgers and fries for lunch, half a pizza for dinner, smoothies for snacks, and late night study ice cream will pack on pounds. You know better so as long as you pay attention to what you're eating you have quite the advantage over most of your class in avoiding that weight gain.

xxghost

I definitely have experience in this area, though my freshman 15 ballooned out to a freshman 30. I was super overwhelmed my freshman year. I didn't have many friends, and I had nothing to really get involved in. So I would go to class, come back and eat, then sleep. That was my entire routine. And my campus is so large that most of the time, I ended up riding the bus. I ate SO much food, I can't even think about it without shuddering.

However, that was not the cafeteria's fault, but my own. The next year, I started watching what I was eating. I was never a big alcohol drinker, but I limited my pop intake. I ate a salad or fruit with every meal, and only allowed myself to have a dessert once a day (I used to have one with every meal, and then some). I joined the polo team, and joined a few clubs that kept me out of the dorm and away from the food. I also started hitting the gym for even half an hour a few times a week.

They weren't big steps, and I didn't lose dramatically. But I lost a few pounds, then maintained.

So in the cafeteria, be sure to watch what you're drinking. Free pop can get you in a lot of trouble. I normally did milk and water, sometimes juice in the mornings. Limit your sweets, and try to avoid the bread that comes with almost everything (sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs). That was my big problem!

As for measuring utensils, I wouldn't worry about what is "socially acceptable." However, my cafeteria was very strict about germs and such. We weren't allowed to use anything but their utensils, and we could not even bring in water bottles. You may have problems if you want to use measuring cups. You may want to ask someone, or just try to get a feel for what a cup of cereal looks like, so you can do it by memory next time.

Outside of the caf, join everything! Try everything once. I did everything from polo to paranormal club. It kept me on my feet, kept me away from food, and made me so many great friends once I finally left my dorm. And be sure to watch your drinking! If you are going to be having alcohol, be aware at all times of how much you are drinking.

If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me!

Good luck, and have fun!

emelia_

I wouldn't take that stuff to the cafeteria but maybe that's just me. It is not hard to stay in shape in college, it turned out to be the opposite for me. A gym is close by, friends typically like to go together and besides the first day no one really treats the cafeteria like a all you can eat buffet.

I am maintaining in college as well and I measure things at home but would not do it in public because I see it as a huge hassle to bring that with you. It's not that hard to eye what 3/4 cup of cereal looks like after being on MFP for almost two years. I would give it a go and in a week or two you notice you are gaining you should maybe think about bringing in the scale and measuring cups.

michelle7673

Honestly, I think it's beer and late night delivery (pizza and wings) that are most of the "freshman 15". Which is not to say that you are wrong to want a good plan to maintain. As some others have pointed out, the good thing about college is access to a lot of great athletic/exercise opportunities. I agree that the issues with measuring cups are probably (a) time and (b) the hygiene/code issues with using outside measuring utensils. But you may want to consider this: I am sure that the juice glasses and coffee cups in the dining hall are all alike (or at least there are a limited number of different ones). Early on, figure out how much volume is in a juice glass and a coffee cup (use your measuring cup and some water, or hey, take one out with you). I am sure you could put salad dressing in a juice glass and then pour out the right amount. Coffee cup will work great for things like cereal. I am sure you know by now the things it's really easy to over-measure, and you could avoid those if you're that worried about it (ie, too many baby carrots is probably ok on the margin, but peanut butter is easy to get really wrong).
Don't underestimate the benefits of a lot of walking. I did a ton of it just for stress relief/pleasure, in addition to it being how I got from point a to point b. Bottom line is that if you're running X-C, or working out seriously in general, just being pretty good most of the time, with an odd splurge here and there, you will probably be just fine. I was a rower, and a lightweight rower at that (a truly special kind of crazy), and I still had whatever I wanted in the dining hall every Sunday morning.

BinaryPulsar

Yeah, I do agree with a few points here.

1) College weight gain is probably mostly from drinking. I only drank alcohol a few times when I was in college. It was not something I did regularly. I went to parties and I danced my heart out.

2) There could be a negative response to the measuring devices. I would not bring it in right off the bat. Go and get a feel for things. Make friends. See if you think it would work or not. In the end you need to decide what you think it best for you though. You have gotten a lot of good advice here.

You can do mfp and maintain without measuring. I do not have a food scale. I only occasionally measure with a spoon or cup. I go by estimates and it works fine for me.

RosyBest

When I moved to college I lived in the dorms, had a meal plan and ate in the cafeterias. I gained 20 lbs my freshmen year. So my word of advice is do whatever you need to do. There will be a spread of food...just get what you would normally get.Eat a well balanced meal. I used to have a plate with pizza, fries, cookies, soda, etc. Mainly because it was there. Sign up for a gym class too. It's an easy A and you can workout too. Hope this helps. Good luck girl!

nelliepooh

After the first month you'll get tired of the food and eat small portions no worries

BinaryPulsar

After the first month you'll get tired of the food and eat small portions no worries

I think it depends on the school. The school I went to had great food.

I went back to visit last year and brought my kids to the dining hall (food was still great).

FitnessBeverlyHills

The Freshman 15 is tough I think its a combination of

1. Cafeteria Food
2. Increased Alcohol and Partying
3. Lack of Exercise

Most colleges have their own gym and even exercise classes you can take for free

don't worry about what others think if you have to bring measuring cups go for it

reduce the carbs like rice and potatoes and increase your veggie intake. If there are not enough healthy options dont hesitate to make a complaint, they are required to have good choices

be careful with the late night partying, lack of sleep, stress from classes, and drinking too much

foxymoxeyxo

You don't have the measure the food IN the food line. Just put some on your plate & measure it back at your table. Eventually you'll realize they kind of serve the same things & you'll know how much of something looks like. I don't think it's realistic to tell you to that just because you should know how a certain amount of something should look like already is enough.....Especially when you first get there & don't have a feel for everything yet. The rice you get at school could have fifty million different things added in comparison to when you make your rice at home, lol. Get a feel for things in the first few weeks & then ditch the devices. I'm learning to adjust now that I'm back at school with this crazy dining hall again!

runlilyrun

You can try to stick to things which are a definite portion rather than free-flowing - I'm thinking a piece of chicken or fish rather than a helping of spaghetti bolognaise?

dswolverine

I don't know that I would avoid cafeterias totally - though that certainly can't hurt if you have access to a kitchen and are committed to cooking for yourself. When i was a freshman I LOST 15lbs mostly due to the fact that I would make myself awesome salads (within caloric reason) at the salad bar. Making a salad for myself was a pain in the *kitten*/impossible in the dorms, but with the salad bar, all the work was done! My tip would be to avoid the soft serve/froyo machine, if your cafeteria has one. That thing is evil!

carlom18

im going to suggest an alternative that might make you think WTF.

It is called Intermittent fasting. No you are not depriving, its just strategically choosing when you eat and when you don't, perfect for the uni/ college student!

You can do the Warrior Diet style of IF or the Leangains style

Warrior Diet: you fast for around 20hours of the day and have a 4 hour eating window in which you consume all of your calories for the day. This may be difficult at first but after a few weeks you will adapt to the lifestyle. http://www.warriordiet.com/

Leangains: you fast for around 16hours minimum and have an 8 hour eating window. http://www.leangains.com/

With IF you have to fit it to your schedule. Just research it and find more info

What i'm saying is that with IF, you can skip eating during the day and completely avoid cafeterias and just eat at night with meals you've made or know the contents of.

Just food for thought