Losing Weight Alongside University!

GothJuice

Hello There!

I am in the process of weight loss and have finally set myself up with some small milestone goals. One of my main ones is to reach 11 stone 3lbs (157lbs) by the time I start my final year of university in October. Currently fitting in exercise and stuff is no real problem, I have some exam resits I need to revise for and the occasional day at work but still have plenty of time to get myself moving.

What I am concerned about is that once I start my final year I am going to be conducting my own science research project (from which I will be published in a science journal) I will be spending the majority of my time researching for my project, writing about my project, or in the lab conducting experiments and processing data. I also agreed to take on a second research project (with all the same requirements and results) and will also be having to read, learn revise and do coursework for another five modules!

Does anyone with hectic schedules, or even studying at University (or college for anyone in the US) have any good tips on maintaining a good exercise and healthy eating regime while under large amounts of stress and really busy schedule? How do you keep yourself going?

jalla2

Hi there. GOOD LUCK FINAL YEAR! Does your Uni have gym - try getting in before classes /research in the morning. it is a pain at the start getting up earlier but our bodies get used to it.. Always bring lunch and snacks as you will prob have late evenings in labs and so easier to eat well if you bring bag with meals and snacks in it. Think fruit, veg And humus as snacks, wraps or healthy sandwiches etc meals, Also see if there is fridge /microwave you can use in the department where you study- then you could do cooking on weekend day for leftovers to take to Uni during the week and leave in fridge and heat up later. also is ther yoga you can do - helpful body and mind to switch off from all brain activity and stay focused and not burnout as it is a busy year you have ahead.
Best of luck final year!

GothJuice

The uni does have a gym which I am using and will be attempting to get up early to use but it doesn't open very early in the morning so I am thinking I am going to have to try and cram it in at weekends and evenings! I am going to take fruit and veg and learn to make well balanced bento boxes into my uni. Unfortunately there is no place to heat meals due to my being in labs all the time, health and safety get in the way of warm food! :P

kateowp

Great goal- you can totally do it!! For me, the key was completely planning my meals once a week with a mind to keeping the meals as easy as possible to prepare while in my nutrition/calories range. When I was too busy I just reused a previous week’s meal plan. I would do all my shopping once a week so I wouldn’t have to think about it again- just remember to put meals with fresh fish, fruit, and veg that rot quickly at the beginning of your week, not the last day! One of my struggles was that I initially wanted to stress-eat, but since I did not have junk food in my house and I did not have time to run to the store, I started training myself to stress-drink water and herbal tea. I set a goal of running for 30 minutes first thing every day (not eating back my exercise calories in MFP) but did not beat myself up if I had to skip for a deadline or some sleep. Exercise was a bonus and made me feel better if I did it, and my weight loss would go a tad more quickly, but not running while I was swamped with a project did not “ruin” my weight loss goals. I used this approach when I was in school full time and working full time- and I lost about 30 pounds over a year. It was not too difficult to keep this up because I did not need to think “what am I going to eat?” more than once a week and my scale gave me positive feedback at my weekly weigh. When I graduated I had hit my goal weight and stopped managing my time/food/exercise so closely. I gained it back and now am starting again. My advice is to go into this knowing that if you set up a routine that works for you while you are in school you will need to have a plan in place for continuing your successful behaviors after graduation when you no longer have the same intense, regimented routine.

Ulwaz

goodluck, add me if you like

granuaile3525

Taking nuts and dried fruit are a great snack, that limits your need to go get food from unhealthy sources (my favorite is the chocolate covered almonds). Also maybe limit your sitting when doing these projects. Find a higher platform to do your work and stand. It'll help with not putting your body into rest mode. Also, find workout buddies. Just someone to walk with is great on a busy day, and you can do it whenever you have free time.

I don't know if this helped, but GOOD LUCK!!!

ClementineGeorg

Planning.

I did my masters degree and a full time job, along with losing weight.

The key was planning. Preparing everything the evening before (packing snacks, making sandwiches for lunch, figuring out breakfast). I left every morning with all the food I needed for the day, except dinner. I cooked during weekends. I searched the Internet during weekends for low calories recipies on the go. I had my staples snacks. I also did my research for university on weekends.

I had determination. I went to work in the morning, to university in the evening and when I got home I would workout even if it where 10-11 in the night (working out in the morning is also an option).

If you want it, you can do it. There are solutions, you just need to make a plan and be organized.
For me this was the best lesson in life. Now I have just work and being organized gives me so much free time.

osteological

For me, the key was completely planning my meals once a week with a mind to keeping the meals as easy as possible to prepare while in my nutrition/calories range.

^^ This, this, this! I just finished a full-time practicum and worked weekends, and I found this was the easiest way to go about things. I still do pretty much the same thing: make my breakfast and lunch options for the week on Sunday, and then plan my evening meals on one of those handy 'stick to your fridge' planners.

Good luck!

Aaron_K123

Honestly OP as a scientist or just as someone older I can assure you that life after university is MORE hectic and MORE busy at about the same degree as going from high school to university.

Sounds to me like you are expecting this time in your life to be the "busy" time and later to somehow be more relaxed. Hate to break it to you but that's not how it is going to be.

Take the time to figure out how to take caee of yourself while balancing your schedule now because it only gets harder.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.