college students!

bflovesmusic

I already posted something to introduce myself but I figured I'd come to the motivation and support thread to see if I can get advice from other college students.

I'm a freshman in college and live on campus. I have a meal plan but my roommate and I do like to eat out. It's been hard eating this college food and I know my body definitely doesn't like it. I've also been super stressed with school and it hasn't been helping me lose weight at all. Any tips from other college students who have successfully lost weight on a college meal plan? I don't really have any other choice right about now. Also add me if you'd like

frankerzzzfit

i totally understand!! I eat dorm food all the time and I go home and end up eating out on the weekends...it kills me!!!! But..at the dorms I avoid anything fried..I'm at University of Hawaii so I eat like salad and ahi for lunch and fruit and something else for dinner haha... breakfast is my weakness cause thats when the best foods come out! So I buy special K chocolate cereal to avoid dorm food. As for eating out..I'm working on that myself!

dawnyl25

Hey, i feel your pain. im finishing up my last semester of undergrad and let me tell you it is a challenge. my first two years i gain A LOT and just now got a handle on my weight loss again. i would say your cereal is always great for breakfast. BIG salad for lunch and small portions of what they are having. and dinner same as lunch. things to stay away from is the fast food lines at college and those forth meal runs at 2 in the morning at Taco bell. (they get you every time) and make sure your going to the gym 3 to 4 time a week mini.

i hope this has helped. if i could change anything about my college experience it would be gaining as much weight as i did. but you will be fine! work hard and never go alone.

misskelly121

Hey, Im in college too. I make sure everytime I go to the dining hall I get a piece of fruit. Also, I like to get sandwiches that I can make the way I want. My dining hall always has broiled chicken and some sort of veggie and a vegatarian meal. I love salads too so I get those a lot. I also keep my room stocked with yummy healthy snacks like rice cakes, nuts, baked chips, some 100 calorie packs, popcorn etc... Hope some of that helps you out. Feel free to add me as a friend!

ksumm21

I actually found it a bit easier to eat healthy while I was on the meal plan my freshman year of college lol. But that was also because we have 4 dining halls, each one offering something different, and they have a lot of healthy choices offered. But it could get boring eating the same thing all the time so I would just have to get creative and work with what they had lol. So I then felt like I had no excuse for not eating healthy. My sophomore year I decided to live off campus and not pay for the meal plan since I had a full kitchen and such. But then I also learned how expensive it can be to eat healthy when you're buying groceries so I fell off the bandwagon and starting eating out all the time since it was so much more convenient even though I love to cook. I'm in my senior year now and have gotten much better about eating healthy and cooking more.

So I guess a suggestion could be to try to take what they offer and try to get creative with it lol. Often times I would find a recipe that looked really good and see if I could replicate it with what was offered at the dining hall be it a sandwich or special salad.

stuartme123

I should probably preface this by saying that I HATED my school's meal plan - and I was stuck on it for 3 years. That I got to ditch it and cook for myself is probably the thing that I love most about moving off campus (even more than having my own room!)

If your school posts nutrition facts for food that it serves in its eateries and dining halls, I would suggest that you take the time to peruse them before you go to your meals. It WILL surprise you, I don't know how, but my school's dining halls turned half a grilled chicken wrap into over 500 calories - and it really wasn't that filling. One of the cafes make a small grilled chicken and pesto sandwich into 650 calories. Uncool. I make a sandwich at home and it's 250-350 calories and higher nutrients. They tend to lather healthy things with (delicious! but) fattening spreads/sauces.

If you go for breakfast, get eggs - any kind of eggs. I loved that they make custom omelets for you. Order and omelet, load it with veggies, add some cheese if you want and go to town.

The best advice you can have for ANY type of eating is portion control.
The best advice for losing weight/being healthier in college is use the gym. It's free! (or at least mine is) and should have a variety of equipment. Tag along with a friend who goes to the gym regularly. Don't be embarrassed about going if you've never been before. Trust me when I say NO ONE is looking at you for more than a passing glance or judging you at all. But working out consistently will help to combat all the crap that the dining hall injects into the food they're serving you!

You say you and your roommate like to eat out, and that's definitely good bonding time, but I would suggest that you turn some of those occasions into cooking for yourselves (This is of course, if you have access to a kitchen/kitchenette in your dorm). Good bonding, good meal, usually cheaper and definitely healthier.

bflovesmusic

thanks so much for all the advice

kayladiane5

I am a freshman at college, and Although I didn't gain the freshman 15, I def gained a few pounds. Me and my friends do a combination of eating out and eating at the dining hall.
But recently, I've cut back on eating out.. It saves you money, gas and calories that you don't need late at night. I also avoid the grill and the pizza stations at the dining hall and try to stick to the salad bar, sandwich bar, vegetarian bar and pasta bar.
I think it's really important to hit the gym 3-4 times a week at least. We're young, we can afford to do this. Our bodies are suppose to be in the best shape at this point in time. Don't be afraid of the athletes there, they are really encouraging.