HELP. (College student starting terrible food habits)

hiddenconflict

Hi MFP,

I have a background a bit different from the typical "not adjusted to college" freshman 15 weight gain. I lived on my own for the past four years at boarding school (high school) and was able to keep my weight in check. That has changed.

Some context:
It has been a month into freshman year of college and I am the unhappiest I've been in years and years (ever since my parents got separated when I was in high school). I went to a quite academically challenging "college preparatory" boarding school for four years, but unlike many of my classmates who also worked their a*ses off and went onto universities of their choice, I was waitlisted at my top choices and ended up in one of my "safety schools". After being devastated, I decided over the summer to accept the situation as it was and resolved to come into freshman year happy, forward facing, ready to do well.

Now:
My self motivated attitude quickly fell short of realities. I do not feel like I belong at my current school, both in terms of my studies and my non-class passions. It has been a month in and after going with it for the first two weeks, I've slipped hard these past two weeks. I procrastinate. I am not at all excited to go to my classes. I do the minimum amount of work. And I've turned to food. The sinful temporary satisfaction of food. Like any distressed eater, I've tried to make that sinful temporary satisfaction last longer by gorging on food alone in my room by the chip bag (literally a whole big bag of Doritos), ice cream, crackers, snack cookies etc. I KNOW that I should stay away from such terrible-for-you junk foods (etc the whole spiel etc) but I am obviously not rational in the mind at the moment. I am on my way to throwing away a first year of college education and ruining any chances of transferring to a better university more suited for me.

To give you an idea of a day in my past couple weeks. Today went down like this:
1) Skipped first lecture class on material I covered in high school.
2) Was in room alone and had to do work that I purposely procrastinated and put off because I didn't want to touch it over the weekend -- so I bought comfort food in the form of a hot bagel and a pastry...
2) Made it through first class. Felt like I wanted a slice of banana bread (which is more like cake) to "reward" myself/keep me going
3) Made it through second class. Bought chocolate bar, another slice of banana bread, granola bar (I guess those carbs are the best comfort emotional foods)
4) Made it through third class. Bought dinner in the form of salad with pasta, some fruit, bag of bagels to keep in room for grab on the go breakfast for the week. (Except I knew even at the time that they wouldn't last me the whole week.)
5) Stuffed myself in 10 minutes with my meal...then proceeded to gorge myself on three of the bagels.
6) Felt so sh*tty that I went to sleep in my room. Just woke up and showered to feel less disgusting. Decided in the shower to come onto this site to at least let SOMEONE know.

I am a short girl whose BMR is only around 1300. I've been gorging on upwards of 4000 calories daily (think an entire container of Haggen Dazs + an entire big bag of Tostitos + jar of creamy dip at 12 midnight after an entire day of eating already) -- I've gained close to ten pounds in the past three weeks. Please help. I know I am not living up to my potential. I did not go to four years of boarding school to knowingly f up my first year of college and eat myself fat. Please help.

rojoritz

Hey I'm actually a sophomore in college so this was something I dealt with last year. I found comfort in working out at the gym...i know it takes a lot of motivation to do it but i felt better about eating the bad food here and working out makes you feel happier. Give it a try.

K_Rae_Riess

Hang in there, girl. I am a college senior and I had a hard time adjusting as well, albeit for different reasons. I was a competitive dancer and swimmer for years growing up. When I got to college, I opted not to join a sport's team because they are so time consuming. Not my best decision - I wasn't motivated enough to push myself in the gym and lacked a social network that I was so used to in high school. I gained weight and have been unhappy with myself for a while now.

Anyways..my question to you is this: does your school offer free group exercise classes? That would be a great way to offset some of the unhealthy eating you will inevitably do and give you some endorphins to ease the pain of your less-than-stimulating classes. You may also meet some people that will get you out of your dorm room and your mind off food.

Also, a year goes by faster than you think. I'm here if you want to talk.

karbhat

Hey!!

I'm a sophmore in college this year and I went through EXACTLY what you're going through right now. Here's what you can do:

1) Take a deep breath: it will be okay. I know this feels like a horrible cycle in which you'll tell yourself "this is the last time I'm going to eat this unhealthy, I'll make it better tomorrow" but it never happens. I promise you it will be okay - trust me (just believing this will take away half the stress you're dealing with).

2) Freshman year is hard - you have social responsibilities and academic responsibilities and everything you do is an academic/social mush...that separation between work and home no longer exists. So, you have to make it exist - especially your freshman year. Make yourself busy doing homework and extracurriculars from your first class in the morning to about 6 in the evening. Take a 1 hour break at 6, and work out from 6-7 (you don't have to do something too vigorous, maybe elliptical on a low setting for 20 mins and then walk for 10 mins and then crunches/toning exercises for 10 mins and stretching for 5 mins...whatever works). Then get dinner at 7 and shower and wind down.

3) IT IS OKAY TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF - I always used to worry that I wasn't doing enough, or wasn't being social enough or wasn't taking the right classes, wasn't going to the dining hall with my friends like everyone else was. Don't compare yourself to other people. Just do what works for you and take care of your own needs.

4) Eat 3 meals a day...the snacking throughout the day thing is just a fad. I'm taking a nutrition class right now and it's debunking a lot of diet myths and fads that are going around in the news currently. CONSCIOUS snacking throughout the day is the worst thing you can do for yourself. Just stick to 3 meals a day. Also, to burn pure fat while you're working out, don't eat 3-5 hours before your workout session. So if you work out at 6, make sure you don't eat anything after 3 (at the latest).

5) Get your vitamin d levels checked. I used to hate going to class and did bare minimum for a lot of my freshman year and during my spring semester I found out I was really low on vitamin D. I was put on the highest prescription dose of it and suddenly now have a lot of energy and just a positive vibe. I feel more in control of my life now.

6) Just don't eat stuff that's processed or bad for you. JUST DON'T DO IT. My freshman year I had to be on meal plan...and my canteen served everything buffet style. WORST THING EVER. I would often tell myself that I could have a piece of cake if I put it in my calorie count. Ummmm no. Just pick one thing to eat for each meal, and that's it. Don't let yourself have more.

7) Find something to do that makes you feel happy - for me that was music. I could spend hours in the music room recording music. Whatever it is that makes you happy, do it.

8) Make a schedule - even if you don't follow it completely, it'll make you feel more in control of your life.

FINALLY - I know reading this will not help. If I had read something like this when I was going through what you're going, I would have thought "have heard this advice a gazillion times, and I still can't find a way to apply it to my life." But please do not give up! Don't give up on yourself and don't give up on your weight loss journey! Please please please feel free to send me a message with any specific questions or to add me. I would be more than happy to help in any way possible.

I TOTALLY know what you're going through. I feel like I epically screwed up part of my freshman year. I gained 15-20 pounds and just felt horrible a lot of the time. But now, I'm at 135 pounds 5'5 (hoping to get down to 120-125), in better control of my out-of-control college life and a lot happier. Don't ever hesitate to reach out!

SomeoneSomeplace

Hi,
I was in boarding school too and I think our adjustment to college is unique compared to the experiences of the rest of our peers and can be kind of isolating at times. This is especially true when you're at a school you don't particularly want to be at. I think you need to start writing down your feelings and thinking about what's causing you to eat and when. It will help you identify what your triggers are and how you can combat them. It seems like you're emotionally eating. You may want to consider speaking to a counselor at your school they have many available to help freshmen adjust to college life. It might help you with your diet too. Also start exercising I reccomend C25K then you can use that when you're feeling stressed.

Mendelianparakeets

Hello there,

As a current college student at a relatively rigorous university, I understand what you are going through. I tend to procrastinate myself, but instead of food, I turn to my computer, and just can't draw myself away from it. What makes matters worse is that a lot of my work is done on my laptop, so it takes extra will power to not open another tab for a game or some kind of blog.
I am a very perfectionistic writer. Hell, as we speak, I am trying to compose a decent PARAGRAPH to show my professor tomorrow at our conference, just a minor paragraph mind you, but I just feel so intimidated. So here I am trying to avoid it on the Internet.

One thing that makes me feel amazing is a long, long, long walk. When it's nice out, I almost feel bad going back inside because I just love the feeling of moving my feet and listening to my music. I can walk for hours, and still be full of energy. This in turn motivates me to go do something else productive. I saw someone mention that they enjoy going to the gym. Find something you like to get yourself moving. You will most likely feel great afterward, rather than disgusted with yourself and exhausted.