How to lose weight at college

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LazyCatNap
LazyCatNap Posts: 15 Member
in Getting Started
I just got out of a long term relationship at college and thought it would be the perfect timing to start losing some weight. The only problem, besides my general lethargy and love for sweets, is that all residents are required to have a meal plan and my school does not provide many healthy options. It is also set up buffet style including all you can eat desserts.

If anyone has any tips they can give me for living in this situation, especially resisting the dessert table, it would really help me out.

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  • zipperfall
    zipperfall Posts: 45 Member
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    I feel your pain. I'm in the exact same dilemma; it's so tempting when there's just buffets of food surrounding you. Does your college offer to-go meals?
  • sharra199
    sharra199 Posts: 7
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    As a fellow sweet-loving college student, I had a similar problem when I lived in the dorms.

    The first advice is to not use one of the food trays. Rather than grabbing a tray and piling on several different plates of food, the first step is to leave the food tray behind and only fill one plate at a time. This way, while you can go back for a second plate, you tend to pay more attention as to what you fill your first plate of food with. You also eat more slowly, if you have to get back up for another plate, which gives your stomach a chance to tell you it is full.

    My roommate had a slightly different strategy. Her first plate of food was always salad or vegetables. After she suffered through her salad, she would allow herself to go back for another plate, but using this method she found that overall, she was eating healthier.

    As far as desserts go, limit yourself to one and eat it slowly. Enjoy it. You can try to choose slightly healthier desserts. I have found that fruit with whipped cream will satisfy my cravings for dessert and many types of store-bought whipped cream nowadays have few calories. Most dorms also have a jello option that is low calorie, even if you eat several servings.

    Another option is to avoid the dessert at the dining commons altogether, and stock some kind of sweet, healthy snack in your room.
  • lolosensan
    lolosensan Posts: 251
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    I did this in the dining hall every day:

    1.) get a dinner plate/bowl and make a gigantic salad.

    2.) Hit up the most appetizing looking protein. Usually they are making some kind of pasta or rice with protein...ask them for JUST the meat, fish, tofu, etc.

    3.) Put protein on top of salad and enjoy.

    This was kind of intimidating at first because I would ask them for "just the chicken" and I would get funny looks, but after a while it was no big deal. You're doing yourself a tremendous favor by not eating all the white carbs. And if you do want rice or pasta or a slice of pizza, that's fine, just limit it and fit it into your calories.
  • TylerAvenger
    TylerAvenger Posts: 83
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    At my university, there is a little store in the student union that sells salads where you can choose what goes on it, but salad every day can get boring... even with a wide variety. Does the buffet have any healthy options? I don't use the one at my university, but they usually have at least one healthy thing for each meal... maybe some vegetarian or vegan options?
    I'd say... if you don't have a mini-fridge, you should invest in one. That way you can shop for your own healthy things on the weekend for the upcoming week and get them stored up that way.
    Best of luck!
  • LazyCatNap
    LazyCatNap Posts: 15 Member
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    Unfortunately no. The only alternative to the buffet it provides is a small mini mart full of over-priced frozen foods, which doesn't help much.
  • LazyCatNap
    LazyCatNap Posts: 15 Member
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    Wow, thanks for all the advice! Our school only has plates, no trays, so I don't have to worry about that. Eating slowly if definitely a habit that I need to get into, but sometimes my mouth just doesn't want me to stop shoving things in there. Your roommate's strategy sounds good too, but the salad bar at my school is pathetic. Even the lettuce is usually yellowed or only the butts of lettuce. I have the same sort of problem with the fruits, they're all bruised and mushy half the time. I think I will have to start stocking my dorm with healthier alternatives.
  • LazyCatNap
    LazyCatNap Posts: 15 Member
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    My school rarely has any pasta options and the only things with rice are mexican foods. They usually only have the grill or things like brisket and fried chicken. They do fish sometimes, but they're HORRIBLE at cooking it.

    I've tried using the salad bar before but my college's is absolutely pathetic. Usually the only toppings my get are carrots, green peppers, and olives. Then there's a large section of poorly prepared tuna fish and pasta that we can plop on top if we want. A chicken salad would already be much better than what I usually eat.
  • LazyCatNap
    LazyCatNap Posts: 15 Member
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    My school doesn't have anything like that. We also don't have many vegetarian or vegan options, my friends who are have so much trouble eating here. There's a kosher option, but you have to pay extra and it's expensive! Our dorm has a fridge, but I don't have a car to go to the grocery store. Our college has a little market on campus, but most of the food there is frozen and again, pricey :(
  • princessmommy122
    princessmommy122 Posts: 135 Member
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    My sister lost twenty pounds her first year just by dropping potato chips and fries, and any sugary beverages. But thanks to a dairy allergy the dessert bar was out for her anyway.
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
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    Since counting calories would be a nightmare in this situation, you will have to learn how to eyeball. Do some searching online and find out what a serving size looks like. Everything is super-sized now, so our idea of what a serving size is is very messed up. I lost 25 pounds several years ago just by learning to eat less. Yes, I'm needing to lose weight again, but not because of eating too much at meal times. I just love sweets. Very much!! Train yourself to eyeball your portions. You could always try to estimate your calories, of course, but it would be hard.
  • sharra199
    sharra199 Posts: 7
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    For eating more slowly in general, there are a number of tips that you can find online, including counting the number of times you chew each bite, or eating with chopsticks.

    Another generally good tip is to drink an entire glass of water, before going and getting food.
  • chaparra71
    chaparra71 Posts: 44 Member
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    My daughter has the opposite problem. She grew up eating real from scratch food, and that stuff is so fake, she can't stand it! Our solution was to home can a ton of easy "meals in jars", that she can just open and heat. since canned food requires no refrigeration, this was an excellent solution! She usually eats oatmeal or eggs for breakfast, eats some type of sandwich from the cafeteria at lunch, and then chooses from her canned hoard for dinner. She has lost way to much weight this first year, I cringe every time I see her!

    I hope you figure out something that works for you! There definitely are solutions,it just takes planning.

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