going to college, and cant find way to be healthy

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dachinababe
dachinababe Posts: 185
in Food and Nutrition
okay..I just got back from a week of orientation. this week was totally chaotic. I mean there were sooo much to do in sooo little time. sadly the rest of my freshmen year is going to be like that. for the first time i find balancing school work, homework and sports sooo hard. as a result my bad eating habits are back. for the past week i have eaten for three days and not eaten anything for three days because I absolute dispite unhealthy food and i'd rather be hungry than eating junk. I know this is not a good way to continue, especially when school offically start. so I am here, asking my fellow mfps for tips to survive college life without starving myself. like what should i stock up and bring to college? i have mini-frig, blender,microwave in my dorm. I really want to be healthy. I have been so good this summer in setting up a regular eating schedule and actually followed it. I dont want to throw it away. ugh...help?:frown:

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  • dachinababe
    dachinababe Posts: 185
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    okay..I just got back from a week of orientation. this week was totally chaotic. I mean there were sooo much to do in sooo little time. sadly the rest of my freshmen year is going to be like that. for the first time i find balancing school work, homework and sports sooo hard. as a result my bad eating habits are back. for the past week i have eaten for three days and not eaten anything for three days because I absolute dispite unhealthy food and i'd rather be hungry than eating junk. I know this is not a good way to continue, especially when school offically start. so I am here, asking my fellow mfps for tips to survive college life without starving myself. like what should i stock up and bring to college? i have mini-frig, blender,microwave in my dorm. I really want to be healthy. I have been so good this summer in setting up a regular eating schedule and actually followed it. I dont want to throw it away. ugh...help?:frown:
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
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    The phrase "freshman 15" is not a myth!

    But some stuff you can make and put together--salads, squash (can cook in micro), soups (watch the sodium content), sandwich fixings, etc. Also remember yogurt, low-fat cheeses, etc.
  • heartshapdworld
    heartshapdworld Posts: 323 Member
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    Going away to college...that is awesome...try everything-sports, classes, friends-try things with an open mind and don't let preconceived bias get in the way of exploring life and meeting new people. And, of course, studies come BEFORE everything-even parties and bys. Luckily, with a little time management you can do it all. That my little piece of advice for my cousin when she went away to college last year, and she is having the time of her life.! I loved college!

    Okay now that I am done with my little piece of unsolicited advice, I will continue on to your question. It sounds like you have the essentials. You can cook nearly everything in a mircrowave. Think creatively, and maybe check out your libary (community orcollege) for cookbooks and nurtrion or google the internet for "easy" receipes specifically either raw or microwaved meals. They might give you some really good ideas on what to make with a micro only. Be careful of frozen dinners which can be quite unhealthy. Frozen veggies are good and easy and excellent on salads. I would stay away from canned food unless it is marked "low sodium" or "reduced sodium." You will want to look for items/recipes that aren't too exotic, and require few ingredients (especially if time and space are short)

    Bed, Bath & Beyond has some really great items that make microwave cooking easier and increase the variety of what you are able to cook like eggs.

    Plan your shopping list in advance. Like Shorerider said, salads, sandwhich fixings, yogurt and low-fat cheeses are good. You might also want bread, eggs, rice (minute rice variety or anything easily cookable in micro) and frozen veggies. Since space is likely to be an issue with a mini-fridg, you might want to think about buying the smaller size condiments and do the shopping weekly or every 3 days or so.

    It might be helpful for you to plan you meals and snacks a week in advance. It will make your shopping go fast, and keep you from either not eating or eating junk and wasting food. I am a big believer in plans-I plan my own meals in advance-ie what I am taking to work for lunch, breakfast when time is short, and dinner. Lastly, I enter my meals/snacks to MFP either night before or morning of and stick to it. That way I am less likely to eat junk, I have a good idea of caloric intake and I know exactly how much I need to exercise that day. It works for me, but it may not work for everyone.

    Good luck, but most of all HAVE FUN! :flowerforyou:
  • lsalazarii
    lsalazarii Posts: 144 Member
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    What an exciting time in your life. Hope you make all the teams you want.

    A couple of other things to add to Shoreriders list. Eggs (can cook scrambled eggs in the microwave), turkey or Canadian bacon. The tuna and salmon packs are great too. They are packed without water or oil. Just open and eat.

    Good luck to you.
  • jules1984
    jules1984 Posts: 439 Member
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    I am just going to say, be wary of the dorm food!!! I gained in my freshman year eating the food at our cafeteria. Everyone around me ate burgers and pizza and while I steered clear of THOSE things I still gained a ton!! Something about cafeteria food is just unhealthy. Seemed like everyone around me gained weight as well.

    Watch your portions and don't assume they know the healthy way to cook ANY FOOD. I swear they must have used lard in everything or at least cooked with so much oil... I wasn't eating traditionally unhealthy foods either. I was eating the chicken breasts and spaghetti and normal everyday food.

    Here's the kicker, I went home for winter break and lost 8 pounds just eating my mom's good cooking for nearly a month - and she's not a health nut when she cooks. She uses butter and salt and stuff. So I know the dorm food was worse.

    Oh, and ramen noodles are really really handy, but really pretty terrible for you. They should be a treat, not a staple!

    Bike everywhere and use your GYM! Most colleges have free rec memberships for students! Check it out!
  • jlwhelan1
    jlwhelan1 Posts: 664
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    The other advice has been great. You have a blender....

    bananas
    yogurt or soy milk or juice
    frozen fruit (pineapple, berries, mango)
    nut butter (optional)

    Your own, portion controlled smoothies. Far less calories than jamba juice or other similar product.
  • dachinababe
    dachinababe Posts: 185
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    thank you thank you thank you...did i mention..thank you... :flowerforyou:
  • jlwhelan1
    jlwhelan1 Posts: 664
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    Are you allowed a crock pot? Even a small one? There are sooo many options if you are.

    Also, check this out and modify the tips to be healthy for your goals.
    http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/college/dorm_room_cooking.html

    http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2007/09/cheap-healthy-college-food-tips-for.html

    http://health.msn.com/fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100134702
  • dachinababe
    dachinababe Posts: 185
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    Are you allowed a crock pot? Even a small one? There are sooo many options if you are.

    Also, check this out and modify the tips to be healthy for your goals.
    http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/college/dorm_room_cooking.html

    http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2007/09/cheap-healthy-college-food-tips-for.html

    http://health.msn.com/fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100134702

    what's a crock pot? lol sorry... i never used one b4..or heard of one..so idk if i would be able to cook with it... thanks for all the great website though..
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Ok...no one has said this but....steer away from the alcohol.

    I know being away from home you feel you are in control for the 1st time. You are and you can set the tone for the next 4 years (and possibly your life) by choosing not to drink. If you think about each beer, glass of wine or mixed drink in calories-you might not even want it!

    My son lost 60 lbs in highschool and made every team he went out for-he worked so hard I was so proud.

    Freshman yr he gained 30 pounds! He said the biggest difference was the beer.


    Anyway-not preaching just passing on info from my son.

    You are going to have a great time-enjoy!
  • greeneggsam
    greeneggsam Posts: 121
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    I had to laugh a little bit when I read this thread because I am on MFP to lose the weight I put on AFTER maintaining through college.:happy:

    If you have a cafeteria at the dorm, I would honestly say to take advantage of it. My cafeteria always had oatmeal in the morning (even though I brought my own sugar-free syrup) and a variety of veggies, salad, and lean protein at lunch and dinner.

    In the dorm room, I always kept dry cereal (e.g. Fiber One), some fresh fruit, and granola bars (again, Fiber One is good) for snacking on. AND, don't forget to eat breakfast to get your metabolism started. But like arewethereyet said, keep an eye on your beer intake. :wink:

    Don't fret too much about the freshman 15 - if you are hiking across campus with a full backpack and making smart food choices, you will be just fine.
  • BunnyHop
    BunnyHop Posts: 58 Member
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    Learn to work the cafeteria to your advantage.

    Find out when they have fresh fruit and milk, and scavenge for later eating, storing the extra in your fridge.

    Also, be careful of your sodium intake. A lot of my college friends ate tons of ramen noodle soup, but that stuff is LOADED with excess sodium, which is no help in keeping off weight.

    Learn your way around the town, so you can find any markets where fresh produce might be available.

    Will you be able to keep a food diary regularly? Just write things down in a notebook or journal as you can, the same way you would here, just to keep track.

    Try and remember that bread has lots of calories, but it's no sin to eat some of it as part of your diet. Just be careful of the extras like margarine or mayonnaise, those extra calories really add up.
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
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    A crock-pot is a cooking device.
    you can find them at a store like walmart, target,....It just plugs in to an ordinary outlet, comes in various sizes, etc.
    Basically it has the mentality of toss it in and let it cook all day while you are out at class. You just have to make sure you crockpot is the right size for recipes (if you are following one), that you have a safe place for it to site (counter, table), and that you cook it long enough.
  • chelsey787
    chelsey787 Posts: 261
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    these are some of the things i've learned in the past few years at college...

    1) even if you have to live on dorm food, there are still usually healthy options. most people just tend to gravitate towards the unhealthy junk (pizza, burgers, mounds of pasta with cheese, etc.) Even some of these options can be made healthier by omitting a few items (cheese on a burger, lots of creamy dressing on a salad)

    2) make healthy choices!!! Make sure each meal is balanced. have tons of colors on your plate (different veggies, fruits, etc.)

    3) Plan your meals in advance. This usually takes more time and effort, but many schools have their nutritional information on the website for student dining services. I know mine did :happy:

    4) ALCOHOL!!! - it will get you every time. Not only does it slow your metabolism, but it will make you feel lie crap for days at a time. (it took me 3 years to figure this one out... haha; now im glad i only have the time and energy to be an occasional drinker)

    5) late night snacks (or meals for that matter) are a killer. my freshman year, my roomate never wanted to eat by herself late at night and would, no joke, make me EZ Mac and serve it to me in bed. yeah. sad, right?

    soooooooo needless to say, there are a lot of ways to screw up. find a work out buddy. it will help, i swear. hold yourself accountable.

    I'm living proof that being healthy in college can work. instead of gaining the freshman 15, i lost it! wooo go me! haha

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