any college/grad school students?

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msbailey2009
msbailey2009 Posts: 22
in Motivation and Support
Hey!

I've seen a lot of people here losing baby weight, slimming down for weddings, etc. but I haven't seen many college or grad students on here. In college, I went from 115 to the 150s when I discovered carbs in the cafeteria. I'm two years out of my undergrad, only down to 146, and I'm going back to school. I'm studying Higher Education Administration and my assistantship is running two dorms as a Resident Director, which means I'll live on campus and have a free campus meal plan. Since I'll have free food I don't want to spend my paycheck on groceries elsewhere, except for the staples. The catch is that I'm terrified of gaining weight like I did in my undergrad years.

Are any of you in school and eating on campus? How do you keep off the pounds?

If you're looking for friends, I am, too! Please feel free to add me and we can figure things out together. :)

Replies

  • savvystephy
    savvystephy Posts: 4,151 Member
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    Hey there! There are plenty of us lurking around. I am a grad student - though I cook my own meals. However, the times when I am on campus for a very long time I get food there and they don't have many healthy options. :frown:
  • savvystephy
    savvystephy Posts: 4,151 Member
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    Also, I was an RA in undergrad, so I know that hecticness that is housing & residence life! The key is to just watch your intake and log everything. Exercise too!
  • shesnotthere
    shesnotthere Posts: 117
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    I'm a grad student with a lot to lose. I am pretty active on here and always looking for friends - especially active ones who give a lot of support ! I almost never eat on campus for exactly the reasons you are scared. I think it's like that because carbs are cheap and fresh fruits, veggies, and meats are not. That, plus I LOVE carbs, so it's hard to resist.

    What I try to do if I have to eat on campus is head for the spinach salad and grilled chicken breast. Of course they serve a grilled chicken sandwich on white bread with french fries, but I just ask for it without the fries because I WILL eat them. If you have all you can eat vs. set meals, the all you can eat might be better because you can get more of what is good for you vs. a set meal where you have to take carbs and carbs and carbs.

    Also, we are right next to a huge restaurant district, so eating out is always a temptation :) I am lucky in that I have an office with a fridge, so bringing my lunch should be a no-brainer, but I still fail fairly often :)
  • randimshaw
    randimshaw Posts: 2
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    Hi,
    I am currently a college student (undergrad). When I first went into college, I gained about 25lbs within the first year. In high school, I played 3 sports and was super active. In college, I played zero sports, but continued eating the same way I had in high school....minus all the exercise!

    It has taken me a long time to lose the weight, but I am almost back to where I was when I started college. I think keeping a food journal (like on this website) really helps. And also, having a plan of action BEFORE you even enter the cafeteria. I like to look up the nutritional values of foods before I go to eat them, so I have a plan of what I will be eating. For myself, I found that the more salads I could eat for meals, the better. You can get a lot of nutritional value out of a salad (egg for protein, dried cranberries, vinegrette dressing for low cal. etc.) and I also felt full after eating one. If you don't have time to make a plan, or you are rushed, a salad could be your default!

    Also, make sure you are getting enough sleep at night. I was ALWAYS tired and very seldom did I get enough sleep. I had no energy to workout, and ate lots of junk food and caffeine to try to stay energized.

    It was hard to find time to work out, for me, so I started small. I would try to do 50 crunches every morning when i got out of bed. And I kept 5lb dumbells in a super convenient location (like by my computer/study desk) And would try to pick them up and do bicep curls, or squats or something when I had the time. I noticed a big difference just in doing those small things. They also helped with my mind-set and gave me more incentive to go for a run now and then.

    Anyway, a little lengthy, but I hope this helps. I can TOTALLY relate to what you are going through! You can do it!
  • msbailey2009
    msbailey2009 Posts: 22
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    Yes-- I will definitely be taking advantage of the gyms and yoga classes on campus. (Okay, I SAY that now, but hopefully I'm not just lying to myself.) I was an RA, too! My friends all thought I was crazy for staying in the dorms all four years.
  • msbailey2009
    msbailey2009 Posts: 22
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    @randimshaw-- thank you for all the info! I am not as organized as it sounds like you are (with the planning ahead) but I realize I am going to have to change that if I really want to keep the weight off. Having workout gear readily available sounds like a great idea, as well. I've never been an athelete but I want to become healthier in general, in addition to hopefully slimming down.
    Congrats on the fact that you've been able to get most of that freshman weight off! That's one thing that I found impossible to do at the time... but clearly, you've got the dedication it takes!
  • shesnotthere
    shesnotthere Posts: 117
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    bump :)
  • swinginchandra
    swinginchandra Posts: 418 Member
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    Hey!
    I'm a college student! I gained alot of weight my first 3 semesters, and now I've finally lost all of it, and working on the weight I gained in highschool.

    I'm a computer engineering / physics undergrad at the University of California, San Diego. I'd love to befriend other college student weightloss people, so we can support each other through finals, etc! Add me! :)
  • bcpie
    bcpie Posts: 89
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    Hey! I'm going to college this fall, graduated from high school a semester early and am looking to lose some weight before college, but you can definitely add me as a friend. :) I'll do my best to be supportive and motivational lol
  • katekrise
    katekrise Posts: 178 Member
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    I finished my Bachelors in December (pre-med Biological Sciences with an emphesis in Cellular Physiology and Molecular Biology) and I minored in Chemistry. I was sooo stressed during my undergrad that I gained a LOT of weight. I graduated at 160.5 lbs! I had a semester off before going to grad school (Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care)...I was determined to get it off! I'm now 137.5 lbs. and working towards 125lbs. Not going to let grad school do the same thing to my health that my undergrad did!!!
  • lilymaloney
    lilymaloney Posts: 5 Member
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    Hi! I'm a PhD candidate and have been working on losing weight since January. It is tough to juggle everything (classes, teaching, meetings, workouts), but it can definitely be done. Last semester was the busiest of my life, but I've lost 27 pounds since January! Only 16 more to go!

    Best of luck to you in your grad program!
  • macenro
    macenro Posts: 160
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    I graduated in 2010 and I've actually gained alot of weight since then. I was so much more active in college than I am now. I could afford to eat more because I was always playing ultimate frisbee, racquetball, or just walking most of the day.

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