college life

bnl07a
bnl07a Posts: 9
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
So I am a college freshman currently fighting the dreaded freshman 15. I have not gained a whole 15 pounds but gained about 5 and most definitely did not want to go any higher. I have lost 2 but not very easily. This program is really easy and really difficult for me at the same time. Living on campus, we were forced to get a meal plan. Where we go and eat our meals is buffet style. Can you imagine going to a buffet 3 times a day, 7days a week and not gaining 15 pounds?? Also, we have no control of what goes into the food we are eating. Is there anyone that could offer any advice or motivation?? I could really use it right not :happy:

Brianna

Replies

  • bnl07a
    bnl07a Posts: 9
    So I am a college freshman currently fighting the dreaded freshman 15. I have not gained a whole 15 pounds but gained about 5 and most definitely did not want to go any higher. I have lost 2 but not very easily. This program is really easy and really difficult for me at the same time. Living on campus, we were forced to get a meal plan. Where we go and eat our meals is buffet style. Can you imagine going to a buffet 3 times a day, 7days a week and not gaining 15 pounds?? Also, we have no control of what goes into the food we are eating. Is there anyone that could offer any advice or motivation?? I could really use it right not :happy:

    Brianna
  • BrandNewLaura
    BrandNewLaura Posts: 1,650 Member
    That stinks that you were forced to buy a meal plan...I have a coworker who is in college, and she's often talked about taking me on campus to eat out of her meal plan. Do you have any friends who are non-students that you could share your meal plan with? I.e. you use your meal plan to pay for their food and they give you a few bucks to reimburse you. That way you'll get rid of your meal plan quicker and still recoup the money to spend on healthier snacks and meals...you'll still have to eat on campus, but you won't be committed to that for the entire semester if you can "unload" some of those meal plan credits.

    If that's not an option, look for the healthiest options at the buffet. Fill half of your plate with vegetables (without cream sauces or tons of butter if at all possible). Look for a lean protein like a grilled chicken breast or piece of fish without any fatty sauces for 1/4 of your plate, and look for a healthy starch for the remaining 1/4. For lunches you can do salads (watch the toppings and choose low fat dressings) and for breakfasts, you can see if they offer egg whites only (saves a ton of calories).

    I never went to college, so I'm not sure what all of your options are, but with some planning and preparation, you can still reach your weight loss goals despite having to buy the meal plan!
  • froggirl
    froggirl Posts: 35
    Salad is usually a safe choice but watch the high fat dressings. Avoid casseroles and fried foods. Grab up the fresh fruit and stash it for a snack.
  • dancer33
    dancer33 Posts: 114 Member
    I'm a sophomore this year and now living off campus, but last year I was in your same shoes! It definitely took awhile to get into the groove of things, and by spring, I had actually LOST about 5 pounds rather than gaining the freshman 15. What I tried to do was not even LOOK at the fried food area. I would look up the meals for the day ahead of time online (I don't know if that's an option for you), but that definitely helped because it gave the nutrition facts as well. That way, when I went to go eat, I would head DIRECTLY in the direction of the food I planned to eat and didn't even glance around at what else they were serving. I tried to stick to salads, pasta with tomato sauce, egg whites, fruits and veggies, wraps, and sub sandwiches....and when none of that sounded good, a bowl of cereal never left me unsatisfied:smile: I didn't start MFP until the very beginning of summer, so during the year I didn't always resist a treat from the dessert area after a "healthy" meal! With MFP and calorie goals in mind, I'm sure you'll fight the freshman 15 and become and reach a weight you're happy with:flowerforyou:
  • DETERMINED2Drop
    DETERMINED2Drop Posts: 285 Member
    Hello and Welcome.

    I gained 50 pounds between Freshman and the end of Sophomore year. I grew like a balloon. I was one of those females who could EAT anything and I mean anything, but all of a sudden it caught up with me and my normal habits that I had for years hurt me.

    I am a Junior in College and also have a meal plan. We have very few healthy options, but I make it work. We always have pre-made vegetable cups with ranch dressing (I don't use that dressing although, I buy my own fat-free or low-calorie type!), fruit cups are always available, and so is the salad bar. We also have yogurt and fresh fruit! I love getting grapes and freezing them. I think they are delicious cold.

    My College has Taco Bell and Pizza Hut on the meal plan which makes it so much worse. You really just have to alter what they offer you if that means having dressing on the side, or a healthy pasta sauce, or even a sub sandwich with no greasy extras!

    Good luck and we are all here for support!
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
    My residence was like that in University too. It was awful. But there are good choices, if you know what to look for. Be big of breakfast too. I always liked the breakfast buffet. Fresh eggs, whole grains, tons of fresh fruit. Just steer clear of the hamburgers and pizza at dinner. Invest in a small food scale too. Sure, you'll look like a dork, but you wont gain weight :flowerforyou:
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