Loosing weight and studying?

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Cosmos3811
Cosmos3811 Posts: 3 Member
in Getting Started
I am studying Engineering at University - and I have three/four weeks of solid revision to cram in. This kinda means being tethered to my desk.

In the past, my revision motivation has been seriously helped out, by whatever sugar was to hand.

I really want to loose weight and feel healthy and strong, and I also need to ace these exams.

Does any one have any top tips for loosing weight / eating healthily and staying focused when you have to be at a desk most of the time?

Thanks in advance! xx

Replies

  • Kr1sMar1e
    Kr1sMar1e Posts: 57 Member
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    Drink low calorie drinks - water, tea, coffee, etc. Chew gum. If you snack, snack on fruits and veggies. And make sure there are no junk food options in the house. Good luck with your studying!
  • marcellomoo
    marcellomoo Posts: 107 Member
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    I'm studying engineering too :) I ended up maintaining during revision and exams. It wasn't really intentional, but I found near the start of revising that I was getting really too tired to focus properly, so do consider maintaining temporarily.

    Quick meals/ snacks I lived on:
    - Jumbo chocolate chip snack-a-jacks (62cals)
    - Sweet and salty popcorn (tesco meal deal bags are 129cals for 30g, I couldn't buy bigger bags without eating too much)
    - Roasted vegetables with a big dollop of caramelised onion houmous / raw carrots and houmous
    - Half a tub of fridge soup with bread roll/ steamed broccoli
    - Snack yoghurts (love muller rice/ corner/ light with chocolate flakes)
    - Bananas, apples
    - Cafetiere of coffee on the desk
    - Nescafe instant double choca mocha sachets (88cal)

    Whatever you eat, don't stress. And good luck!
  • BekShark
    BekShark Posts: 55 Member
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    Way to go studying engineering, wish I could do something sciency like that.

    I'm self employed and have to be very precise in my work and do long hours. I know how dieting can be preoccupying and give you brain fog. I go for low GI foods and protein. Go for low fat dairy as it has carbs, protein and gives you that slow GI burn. Pulses are great and Quinoa. They don't cause an insulin spike and keep you satisfied for longer because the sugar is released slowly into your blood stream. Have a bit of good fat, such as milled linseeds on your low fat yoghurt, eat oily fish or take omega 3 - it's great for your brain.

    Don't skip the carbs and let yourself get to the point where you can't where you can't concentrate, but don't go for quick fix high GI carbs. They will mess you up.
  • ChronicOptimist
    ChronicOptimist Posts: 558 Member
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    I hear you on this - I'm a med student so a LOT of my time is spent studying.

    The fact of the matter is, we just have to be a lot more deliberate in our diet, and we have to make time to exercise. I obviously can't speak to your specific schedule, but I'll say that even though our school and study regimen is really intense, the university gym is ALWAYS packed with medical students. We all recognize that we actually study more efficiently after doing something active - it seems counterintuitive but it's really true. Is there a group of your classmates that all workout? Maybe you could find out when they are able to work it into their day?

    As for the diet, I find that planning my day in advance really helps. That way I have some healthy snacks in mind to keep me fueled during my studying and I'm never just mindlessly opening the fridge with no goal in mind - that's when I make bad decisions! And think about what you normally like when you study and try to find a healthier option of that. I love salty snacks like chips so today I tried baking my own tortilla chips and it was awesome! And if you like chocolatey snacks, Marcello made a great tip with the Müller yogurts - so yummy!! Even just watching the portion sizes on the snacks you used to indulge in makes a huge difference. It's all about moderation!

    The good news is that fueling your body and brain with healthy foods and exercise when you can squeeze it in is great for a scientific mind! Feel free to send a friend request if you're interested. Best of luck, I know you can do it!
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
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    Getting away from your desk for 30-60 minutes 3 or 4 days a week to exercise will not hamper your studying. Nor will taking an hour or two on the weekend to prep a bunch of healthy, ready-to-eat/heat meals for the week. It's a drop in the bucket of your time. Balance is important, and you have to make time to treat yourself properly. Your body AND mind will thank you for it.

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