Losing Weight in a College Cafeteria?

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missrenahope
missrenahope Posts: 44 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Next week is my second semester at college, and I'm going back with a different game plan. I wanted to come here, though, and ask if any of you have had any experience eating healthy/losing weight when dealing with university dining halls.
I managed to lose about 15 pounds my first semester to add on to what I lost this summer, but I know I could have done better had I known what to do with my eating situation. I honestly have no idea how to plan my meals in a cafeteria. There's Chicfila, fried chicken, burgers, fries galore, and a very lacking salad bar with no lean protein. I first tried eating the salad bar and felt like I was starving myself. There is nowhere to get grilled chicken as an entree. Towards the end of last semester, I tried out eating greek yogurt with granola and a banana for lunch/dinner, and even then I felt and knew I wasn't fueling my body enough.
Any advice as to what I should look and plan for?
Note: I do have access to protein bars via the university "convenient store"

Replies

  • delaney056
    delaney056 Posts: 475
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    I'm in the same boat as you, about to start my second semester of college. We have a Starbucks on campus, fried chicken sandwiches, pizza, all kinds of junk everywhere. I don't know what healthier options your school in particular offers, but mine has hummus,side salads, and fruit available, and a salad bar in the cafeteria (which has no meat on it at all), but that's about it as well. We also have a less than great Subway.
    The only thing I could suggest is leaving campus to eat. A lot of it depends on your living situation. I don't live on campus, and sometimes I will leave on my break between classes and eat somewhere else. I don't have a meal plan either, so I pay for all of my food. I don't take my food with me because there's no place to put it.
  • missrenahope
    missrenahope Posts: 44 Member
    Options
    I'm in the same boat as you, about to start my second semester of college. We have a Starbucks on campus, fried chicken sandwiches, pizza, all kinds of junk everywhere. I don't know what healthier options your school in particular offers, but mine has hummus,side salads, and fruit available, and a salad bar in the cafeteria (which has no meat on it at all), but that's about it as well. We also have a less than great Subway.
    The only thing I could suggest is leaving campus to eat. A lot of it depends on your living situation. I don't live on campus, and sometimes I will leave on my break between classes and eat somewhere else. I don't have a meal plan either, so I pay for all of my food. I don't take my food with me because there's no place to put it.

    Exactly!! That's how mine is. Don't really understand why the salad bar doesn't at least have chicken on it or something.
    Unfortunately I live on campus and have to use my meal plan as my primary way of getting food. I love living on campus, to be honest this is the one thing that is not so great about it. I'll be living on campus for at least two more years after this as well, so I'm trying to figure out how to carry this out gracefully. I'm like you, though, I try to eat off campus as much as I can. If only food weren't so expensive!!
  • delaney056
    delaney056 Posts: 475
    Options
    I'm in the same boat as you, about to start my second semester of college. We have a Starbucks on campus, fried chicken sandwiches, pizza, all kinds of junk everywhere. I don't know what healthier options your school in particular offers, but mine has hummus,side salads, and fruit available, and a salad bar in the cafeteria (which has no meat on it at all), but that's about it as well. We also have a less than great Subway.
    The only thing I could suggest is leaving campus to eat. A lot of it depends on your living situation. I don't live on campus, and sometimes I will leave on my break between classes and eat somewhere else. I don't have a meal plan either, so I pay for all of my food. I don't take my food with me because there's no place to put it.

    Exactly!! That's how mine is. Don't really understand why the salad bar doesn't at least have chicken on it or something.
    Unfortunately I live on campus and have to use my meal plan as my primary way of getting food. I love living on campus, to be honest this is the one thing that is not so great about it. I'll be living on campus for at least two more years after this as well, so I'm trying to figure out how to carry this out gracefully. I'm like you, though, I try to eat off campus as much as I can. If only food weren't so expensive!!

    I just had an epiphany! Try getting a really good cooler, keep your food in it and then when it's time to eat, take it out of your car or wherever you decide to put it. That way you don't have to spend extra money on expensive fast food and can use what you already have in your dorm room.

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