college student.

roliepolienicolie

i'm in college and eat at the dining hall twice a day. i'm new to this and i don't know what to eat to be healthy and lose weight. we have a salad bar, a place for sandwiches, and then of course the homecooked meals. any ideas?

roliepolienicolie

i'm in college and eat at the dining hall twice a day. i'm new to this and i don't know what to eat to be healthy and lose weight. we have a salad bar, a place for sandwiches, and then of course the homecooked meals. any ideas?

Fit2btied

Wow, that's tough! Since you don't give options, all I can say right now is to try to eat as much fruits and veggies as you can, along with a nutritious cereal and lean meats if available.The salad bar is great as long as you skip the dressings that are unhealthy. Do they have a vinegar available flavor the salad? A plain baked potato is also a good choice. It's a challenge to eat on campus and I wish you luck!

roliepolienicolie

yes they do have vinegar avaliable. lately all i have been eating has been turkey sandwiches and salad...but i don't think that is the way to go.

Fab140

So long as you eat whole grain/ whole wheat bread, you're getting more nutrition than white bread. Also, it depends on what's on the sandwhich. The cheese, the condiments.... Unless you make your own and you know exactly what is on it, I would steer clear! Salads, cereals, lean meats, LOTS of veggies and fruits.

Watch that alcohol too. Not only is it packed with empty calories, it raises the binges too. I know I go into crave everything mode when I have any alcohol. :laugh:

And then there's the sodas and the coffees. If you can plan out your day so you don't have to pull too many all nighters. Those lead to binges as well.

:flowerforyou:
Best of luck!!

Fit2btied

Also consider portion control. Yes, you will get tired of turkey sandwiches very quickly if that is all you eat. If they offer baked chicken breast, that is a good option. Roast beef at the deli is usually lean as well. Yogurt for calcium with fruit. cottage cheese (watch your portions on this) with fruit...YUM! Have you checked out the exercise facility? You have to worry less if your burning lots of calories at the gym...and you'll meet other people looking to be healthy as well!:flowerforyou:

Teria

I am aslo a college student and its okay to eat what you want, just not in large portions. Eat as though you were at home. The dinning hall is a great opportunity to eat healthily while on the go and not have to worry about cooking ,waiting, or things like that.

Think of the whole experience as a friend not a foe. Take advantage of the salad bar with soup. Eat yogurt, eat fruits. Skip the hamburgers and french fries and head for the baked chicken and mashed potatoes. In the morning skip the cinnamon rolls and grab a whole grain cereal with fat free milk and fruit. It's all about what you choose to eat. While everyone else is pilling on the entree's and sampling everything, you take it all in moderation. Drink water, tea, or cofee and skip the juices or any beverage with tons of sugar. You may be grabbing food for a little longer than your friends but hey, it is worth it in the long run and as soon as people realize how healthy you are eating they will either a.) join in or b.) go "wow you eat so healthy!' (it might not be much, but it feels good to hear, ecspecially when it's true)

Piecing together little 100 calorie meals won't work either. I've seen girls eat like half a bowl of soup and think that they are gonna suddenly lose weight doing that. Or like half a sandwhich with peanut butter. Not only are they left unfufilled but also sabotaging their diet.

I had a dinning hall in highschool (it was like a college dinning hall) and I lost about 25lbs. It is actually easier than cooking (what I do now) and its fun to see whats for lunch everyday!

So some tips:
go for the entree that seems less fattening (i.e. roasted chicken vs. a hamburger, a baked potatoe vs. seasoned fries, fish vs. casserole, tostadas vs. burritos)

always get a salad, with extra veggies on the side, and a side of fruit(Fill up a plate with fruit and a plate with salad) with 2 or more cups of water (not juice!)

Eat your fruit and salad first and then go for the entree (you'll be so full, you probably won't really desire it much but don't worry because of the fiber in the fruit veggies and salad, you won't feel hungry after)

Avoid white bread or bread with additions (ex. Garlic bread, cornbread with honey butter, rolls with butter, ect.)

Save a few (about 100 or so) for some sweets or something pleasurable for yourself (like half a mini cinnamon roll, juice, hot chocolate, chocolate, or that piece of cake!)


Good LUCK!

Fab140

Also consider portion control. Yes, you will get tired of turkey sandwiches very quickly if that is all you eat. If they offer baked chicken breast, that is a good option. Roast beef at the deli is usually lean as well. Yogurt for calcium with fruit. cottage cheese (watch your portions on this) with fruit...YUM! Have you checked out the exercise facility? You have to worry less if your burning lots of calories at the gym...and you'll meet other people looking to be healthy as well!:flowerforyou:

Yep! O! And get a pedometer. When you see how many steps you take a day, I think you'll be surprised (or want to find ways to walk more!).