Tips for weight loss in freshman year of college?

Cara2628

I just moved into my dorm yesterday and I am on a meal plan where I will be eating 2 meals a day around campus. I feel as though I won't gain weight because the campus is big so I will be biking daily, I won't be snacking since I have the meal plan, and there is a rec center on campus with a gym where I can workout a few times a week.

I know all about the "freshman 15" but I just feel like it is not too difficult to avoid.

Anyone who is in/has bene in college want to share their experiences with weight gain/loss or maintaining in a completely nrew environment? Was it easier to lose or more difficult?

Thanks

gshoemaker06

When I went to college I was 210 lbs. I joined crew, stayed very active on our oval and turf fields, and realized I didn't need to eat as much as I did. I still drank and partied plenty. I dropped 20 lbs that year, then 20 more over the summer.

Side note: You look jacked and I don't think you'll have an issue. Also props on us joining the same month/year

ssteinbring677

Well, with your meal plan in the dining halls you're going to have healthy options, and not so healthy options. Our dining halls always have a huge salad bar, but they also have a pizza bar. So it's all about making healthy choices. If it's "all you care to eat," that doesn't mean "go back for seconds and thirds every meal" (I was definitely guilty of that).

Also, as we all know colleges generally have a big party atmosphere. Be wise about your alcohol choices--there are lots of threads on here about low calorie alcoholic drinks and things like that. I'm not condoning underage drinking, but I've been there (I'm a senior now) and it's just par for the course unless you don't like to drink.

It sounds like you're on a fairly large campus, so it will help a lot that you get to bike and walk around everyday. Also, with having only two meals a day it might be a good idea to bring some snacks with you to class so that you don't feel starved by the lunch/dinner time and don't eat the whole buffet!

Good luck and have fun!

ToughTulip

I lost 20 pounds my freshman year.

I avoided the dining areas, and made food in my dorm room. I either used a microwave or a little george foreman grill.
Go to the fitness center on campus
profit

I thought it was easier. I could eat what I wanted. No more parents cooking meals i didn't know calorie count of. No more junk food i could be tempted by

ckay220

Stay working out, don't snack too much...just be aware of your portions and don't eat pizza and french fries every single day!! Stay active..these are the things I have to keep in mind too, since I'm a direct result of the freshman 15..lol.

ssteinbring677

Side note: You look jacked and I don't think you'll have an issue. Also props on us joining the same month/year

Agree-- it doesn't look like you have much to worry about! Just keep doin' what you've been doing. Looks like it's working!

lovinmyselfagain

It is easy to not eat as healthy or stay active on a college campus-the fast food restaurants, the parties that involve alcohol, etc...You just have to make very conscientious decisions to what you choose to eat, how often you exercise, how often you party, etc...try to surround yourself with people who are trying to stay healthy, as well. Have fun-it is your freshman year after all, just don't go overboard .

genuinelyfrans

I definitely was wondering about this as well since I am moving into my dorm next friday! I am worried about the nutrition aspect (my university is divided into 5 different campuses so there will be a lot of walking for me) since the dining halls do not have the healthiest foods. Not worried about the alcohol because I don't drink nor will I probably be partying too much

OhKelsey1

I didn't experience the freshmen 15, but I DID experience the Junior 10. I had a lot more time for exercise my freshmen year, but when I hit those upper-level classes and took over the school newspaper, I had no time for anything, ever. I dropped down to 125 over that summer, and my senior year I maintained that until the very last semester, wherein stress skyrocketed and I bumped back up to 136.

I guess what I'm saying is, college will make you busybusybusy and stressedstressedstressed at times. I dealt with the stress by drinking a lot of sugary coffee drinks, eating a lot of (I hate to say it) Taco Bell and not exercising much. If you push yourself to exercise and bike around campus, and you don't turn to fast food, you'll probably be fine!

I also didn't have a scale, so that really allowed me to bump up in weight without realizing it. I'd recommend having one around--not so you can step on it everyday, but just so you can keep a monthly track of where you are.

All that said, have fun! I graduated in May and I miss college! It was the time of my life--Well, so far.

artbkward

Don't overindulge in the Natty Light and in the all-you-can eat dining rooms.

LNZimmer

Not sure if your school has one, but mine had a free rec center that was AMAZING!!! Take advantage of that!!!

Faintgreeneyes

If you have a plan and stick to it, you shouldn't gain the "freshman 15" I know that I lost weight my freshman year of college.

The pounds come on with kids that have left home, have dining halls that offer all you can eat for one price ( I know some colleges are different in this respect) and then do copious amounts of drinking and eating on the weekends, and do not exercise. That is what puts on the pounds- eating all the time, not exercising and not being mindful of what you put in your mouth.

As long as you keep yourself to a routine, and allow yourself to have fun and enjoy college, you should avoid gaining the freshman 15 or any weight for that matter. Heck, you may come out of college looking better because you have access to a gym facility, inter-mural sports and other active things.

Espressocycle

Don't drink. Alcohol's empty calories are the primary reason for the freshman 15.

blink1021

I lost weight in college because 8 days after arriving I ended up with food poisoning from the dining hall. Not trying to scare you but it happened they found out it was from the salad bar so unlucky me. My advice to keep your weight from going up on campus is to walk whenever you can stay away from late night eating, do not order pizza with the roommates, and try not to eat at the student center, limit the partying that always leads to bad eating and inactivity. Also if you have to take an elective course take one of the exercise courses like weight lifting or aerobics. I went to a small college so we had smaller classes not sure how large your school is. Other than that have fun and enjoy yourself they were some of the best years of my life.

gshoemaker06

Don't overindulge in the Natty Light and in the all-you-can eat dining rooms.

Go bucks!
<--- Alum

vytamindi

Be active! Marching band for me was great at first, but eventually my bad eating habits caught up.

Use the gym! It should be free for students.

See if your catering company for the cafeteria offers online nutritional info. If I would have had MFP while in college, I'm sure I wouldn't have gained as much as I have since HS.

Make like-minded friends. It's SO easy to split a piece of cake with friends who don't put too much stock in losing weight. Associate yourself with people who eat healthily, ask you to accompany you to the gym, run around the track, etc.

Party!!! Well, attend them, but try to be mindful of your beverage consumption. College is so much fun, don't deny yourself that, but be responsible. If you overdo it one night, try to make up for it as soon as possible. Or BYOB so you can accurately keep track of how much you're consuming. Jungle Juice has tons of sugars and calories, so be mindful of that.

Walk everywhere. Keep your car at your apartment/dorm/condo/whatever. If you're commuting, park it once and try not to move it to get from class to class (not sure how open your campus is, though, so that might be unfeasible).

This is the most important: Keep your brain on track. It's WAY too easy to think "yea, I kinda overdid it, but that won't happen again," Be mindful of your decisions as it's too easy to not notice weight gain. Use your scale just as much as you do now.

Will all of this work for you? Not sure, I'm just writing a letter to my freshman self. Good luck, have fun, and you can do it!

EmilyTwist1

I started college weighing between 105 and 110 (I'm 5'6"). My freshman year I gained 15 pounds, and then I lost it all and then some my sophomore year. My junior year I struggled to keep enough weight on. This past spring I gained 10 pounds (this was intentional, and why I joined MFP). I'm in my final semester and I weigh about 125.

I have a theory about the freshman 15. For most women, the late teens and early twenties is usually a period in their lives where they build up fat stores for having children. I would be interested to see if women in their late teens who don't go to college also gain about 15 pounds. I'd like to know how much of the freshman 15 is due to the college situation and how much is due to biology.

beansprouts

I've been told that cafeteria food has gotten a whole lot better than it was way back when I was a college freshman...Best suggestions watch snacking while studying and avoid junk food at the local grill...and oh yes don't get in the habit of sleeping through mealtimes.

aelitaangels

I felt that way too when I first went to college, I had a 14-meal plan (2 meals a day), lots of walking around, lots of stairs to walk up and down everyday, I figured I wouldn't gain weight, that I might actually be able to lose weight
I gained 10-15lbs my first 3 months there lol.
You really have to make an effort to stay inshape while in college. Almost everything "around campus" is bad for you. I know because when I got hungry inbetween meals, there weren't many choices other than dunk n' dounuts and other similar stores around campus.
Also, I wasn't really much of a coffee drinker before college (hated the bitter taste) but I relied on it my first semester for the extra energy. So I'd load it up with sugar to make it bearable. Be cautious of liquid empty calories (this includes binge drinking)
Go grocery shopping on a regular basis to keep around healthier foods (and also get in that 3rd meal). Try to get regular meals in. Only eating twice a day will cause your metabolism to slow down. And of course, exercise regularly
I'm heading back to school myself tomorrow. Gotta stay fit and healthy so I don't regain the weight lol

dswolverine

i started to gain (damn you froyo machine) but then i made a conscious effort to avoid all the bad stuff and go to the gym regularly, so i ended up losing the weight i gained plus 15lbs. I managed to keep it off until i studied abroad... too much going out and drinking

The walking on campus helps a lot - my school had a huge campus so i walked quite a bit. Walk everywhere and avoid 2nd helpings in the dining hall. It's very easy to over eat when you're eating buffet-style all the time.

jswartz2

avoid drunk eating!

wadesha

I joined this site last summer before my freshmen year. I was determined not to gain the freshmen 15 and instead of gaining I actually lost 10 pounds. My high School clothes are actually kinda big on me now. I workout at least 5 days a week but its mostly about calories in and calories out. Also, look at some of the foods you eat and switch them for the more healthier version. For example, instead of regular chips you can get vegetable chips or the snap pea crisps, Whole wheat bread and oatmeal instead of white. Try to eat meals high in protein and drink lots of water. Greek yogurt has around 15g of protein per serving and only about 130 calories. Good luck with freshmen year and staying healthy

Lina4Lina

When I went to college, I actually lost weight (initially). I went to a small school but it was built on a hill so I was constantly walking up/down stairs and hills.

I also lived on sandwiches and avoided the hot meals. I loved the sandwich and salad bars.

twinmom14ek

Walk everywhere. Keep your car at your apartment/dorm/condo/whatever. If you're commuting, park it once and try not to move it to get from class to class (not sure how open your campus is, though, so that might be unfeasible).

This was the most important one for me. I didn't gain any weight my first three years of college because I didn't have a car and walked everywhere. The closest shopping center was almost a mile away, and while many of my friends insisted on driving or taking the bus, I had no problem walking there and back. It wasn't until I got a car after my junior year that the junk food and alcohol started to catch up.

CallMePat

Eat right at the cafeterias.
Watch the alcohol cals.
Don't Eat at like 3am

artbkward

Don't overindulge in the Natty Light and in the all-you-can eat dining rooms.

Go bucks!
<--- Alum

Alum here too! One week!

cowgirlashlee

I thought like you when I was a freshman...big school, healthy options from dining, lots of walking and a gym...gained almost 30 pounds.

But, I was guilty of 3am eating binges. Just pick healthier options, keep active, and don't drink all weekend away and you'll be fine.

careyannal

I gained weight at college because the dining hall was basically all you can eat, with a lot of different options at every meal. A little of this, a little of that, and a little from the dessert bar every day .... bam, 15 lbs.

That said, if I was actually watching my diet (which I wasn't) it would have been very easy to avoid the gain, and eat healthy, since there were so many options, including a huge salad bar.

Good luck!!

ktied

Its not the food from the cafeteria or dining hall that gets ya. Its the booze, and then the late night fast food runs after said booze

Cara2628

thanks so much everyone!! i will try my best to eat as healthy as i can and avoid too much snacking if i can haha

i really appreciate the help!

sportybrewerschick

BUMP!