Tips for weight loss in freshman year of college?

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

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

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Go bucks!
<--- Alum

Alum here too! One week!

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!!