Keeping Dorm Room Healthy

I'm currently dealing with the same thing you are. The one thing I told myself at the beginning of the year is to avoid any section of the caf with pizza, burgers, etc. If I have to go to the cafeteria to eat, I go directly for the salads, proteins (fish mainly, sometimes chicken breast), oatmeals, and sandwiches (on occasion, because they have a lot of sodium). I mostly eat in my room. I buy lots of oatmeal, peanut butter, whole wheat bread, quest bars, yogurt, cheese sticks, protein shakes, mixed nuts, fruits, canned veggies, low cal soups, high fiber cereals, tea, etc. every morning, I fill out my MyFitnessPal app with the foods in planning on eating that day- and I lay all the foods out on my desk. During the day, inbetween classes, etc I eat what's on my desk and nothing else. A lot of the foods I buy, you can also find in the cafs if you know where to look. (I bring Tupperware to the cafs and take fruits and veggies to eat as snacks the next day! Also teas, oatmeal packets, and nuts. Those are common in my cafs.)
it's hard work at first, but I stuck to my regimen and I lost 8 lbs first semester. Now I'm working on putting them back on in muscle! You get used to eating in cafeterias after awhile.

I'm always nervous about goals based on high school weights. Your body is changing a lot, and it is often not realistic to be the same weight you were in high school. It can have really negative consequences for your life if you get very caught up in a number that just isn't right for your body. How tall are you?

Staying healthy while eating in college dining halls can be so hard! Since you don't like salads, I would say look for lean meat options, such as chicken or turkey, or certain fish choices. Hard boiled eggs are also a good option. Brown rice is good, especially if paired with a serving of black beans. Veggies (that are steamed or boiled, not prepared in oils or butters) are also a good, filling option. I understand what you mean about it getting boring after a while though. I don't know what all your school offers, but sometimes breakfast foods for dinner are a good option to switch it up! You can do whole wheat toast with peanut butter or a bowl of a high fiber, low sugar cereal with 2% or skim milk. Oatmeal is also a great option since it keeps you full longer and is digested slowly. I always opt to get it plain and add in my own choices of toppings to save on calories. Raw carrot sticks or celery dipped in hummus are good! Yogurt with granola is a good snack and so are nuts and trail mixes. String cheese is good for protein!

As far as snacks you could keep in your dorm, there are a ton of options and this is what worked best for me instead of trying to eat caf food! I'm not sure if you have a mini fridge or not, but if so you have a lot of options. Cottage cheese and fruit, greek yogurt, hummus or guac and veggies, protein shakes, almond milk, string cheese, hard boiled eggs (you can prepare ahead of time and just have on hand in the fridge!), and lunch meats for sandwiches or snacks. Some good items to always have on hand are things like apples and bananas that you can pair with some peanut butter for a filling snack on the go, protein bars (look for a bar with a lot of protein, not too many calories, some fiber, and limited sugar content. Quest makes amazing ones you can get online or at GNC), nuts, seeds, and trail mix, dried fruits, instant oatmeal, and some whole wheat bread or english muffins.

Sorry this post got so long, I just know where you're coming from and it is a struggle! Just try to make good choices and eat small, healthy items often so you never get too hungry. Also, always carry a water bottle with you and sip on it throughout the day! If you want to go out with friends and drink every now in then, go for it and enjoy the experience! That's the fun of college! Then just make sure you make good nutrition choices the following days and drink plenty of water to re-hydrate! Good luck, you can do it! Message me if you need support or more ideas!

My college uses Sodexo, whose calories are so hard to track even with MFP--there's always like a 100-500 calorie difference between "the same" entries. I feel your pain.

I usually get Steamfresh rice and veggies (which I think are 2 things you're pretty tired of!) and keep them to microwave in-room. Also, low-cal popcorn is a good filler food... If I don't want to overeat the few times I force myself to go to the actual dining hall, I usually get cereal or something similar. Ramen is also really good with Steamfresh broccoli cutlets in it too, just saying...

Really, logging ahead of eating is what helped me. It was WAY too easy to overeat if I didn't prepare myself for what the calorie count would actually be. I've lost 30 lbs this spring semester by tracking calories, so really, thats what it boiled down to for me. Give yourself room to have a few bad days--it's college, after all. Whether from a fun night out or just a really bad day where you ate to feel happy, it happens. Just find healthy foods you like and can afford, and keep them on-hand during the day--even if you have to sneak them out of the dining hall

If you are worried about calories, be mindful of alcohol.