a little nervous about continuing to lose for the next two w

basschick
basschick Posts: 3,502 Member
edited September 29 in Health and Weight Loss
For the next two weeks, I'll be living 2 hours away from home on a college campus in a dorm, will have no access to a kitchen, and will be eating pretty much all of my meals out. This makes me a little nervous, as the reason I've been able to lose weight for the last 9 months is that I eat most of my meals at home, prepared by me, in portions I can control. I will supposedly have a little fridge and a microwave so I'm taking some fruits and vegetables with me to snack on and some low calorie "microwavable" (read: processed) meals that I can eat in the evenings. I do have a place to work out -- I was able to get a 14-day free pass at a gym about 4 minutes from campus, but I'll be very busy with classes and daily homework assignments, so I don't know how much time I'll even have to work out. I've come so far and am sooo close to my goal weight, I'd hate to back slide now!

Replies

  • onmywaytoskinny155
    onmywaytoskinny155 Posts: 228 Member
    Oh my that is going to be tough. Good luck!
  • lbelfrey
    lbelfrey Posts: 63
    Looks like you'll be eatig alot of salads and fruits! If you have a marketplace like store that has a deli with lots of fresh whole foods that they have cooked already, maybe buy some turkey or chicken breast to add to your salads. You could save the leftovers in your fridge.
    Good luck at college!
    Louisa
  • DanaKinzer
    DanaKinzer Posts: 72
    I have three things in my kitchen that I use more often than I use the stove. I never use our microwave except as a timer. The three items I feel everyone should have are:

    Foreman grill: Pain in the *kitten* to clean, but cooks meat in a healthy manner in just a few minutes.
    Electric Nonstick Griddle: Cooks pancakes and bacon much faster, and usually a lot leaner. We also use it for grilled sandwiches, french toast and stuff like that.
    Electric Nonstick Skillet: Cook.. well... just about every non meat item (that's what the foreman grill is for). I can use a teaspoon of oil and cook up some potatoes real fast, or I can make omlettes. Stir fry takes only a few minutes. In fact, the only thing I haven't used it for is for boiling noodles. We rarely eat noodles anyway!

    With these three items, combined with your mini fridge, you should be just fine. If you could only get just one item, I'd go for the skillet because of the versatility in what it can prepare.
  • menchi
    menchi Posts: 297 Member
    One way I portion control when I eat out is to bring a food container with me (I have these pretty bento boxes). When the food arrives, I decide what portion I'm going to eat for that meal and I put the rest into the container for the next meal.
  • KristynStephens15
    KristynStephens15 Posts: 843 Member
    Do any of the stores near there carry the Zip Lock Steamer Bags? I use them all the time to cook vegtables, and it also says they are great for meats like chicken and fish. That would be a good way to make a microwave meal that isnt processed.
  • Bridge_CG
    Bridge_CG Posts: 429 Member
    At my University we have a gym that's free if you have your student id to swipe. You'll get a little mini fridge, hopefully there will be a little communal kitchen that you will be able to cook healthy meal in, not only for you.. But also for your fellow students. Good luck on your journey, and if you need a friend, feel free to add me!
  • KristynStephens15
    KristynStephens15 Posts: 843 Member
    I have three things in my kitchen that I use more often than I use the stove. I never use our microwave except as a timer. The three items I feel everyone should have are:

    Foreman grill: Pain in the *kitten* to clean, but cooks meat in a healthy manner in just a few minutes.
    Electric Nonstick Griddle: Cooks pancakes and bacon much faster, and usually a lot leaner. We also use it for grilled sandwiches, french toast and stuff like that.
    Electric Nonstick Skillet: Cook.. well... just about every non meat item (that's what the foreman grill is for). I can use a teaspoon of oil and cook up some potatoes real fast, or I can make omlettes. Stir fry takes only a few minutes. In fact, the only thing I haven't used it for is for boiling noodles. We rarely eat noodles anyway!

    With these three items, combined with your mini fridge, you should be just fine. If you could only get just one item, I'd go for the skillet because of the versatility in what it can prepare.

    Great thinking! I hadn't even thought about things like my foreman grill or electric skillet! I dont own a toaster oven so Im not sure what you can cook in them but that may be an idea as well?
  • Jakerbaker
    Jakerbaker Posts: 6
    If there is a Kwik Trip gas station (or an equivalent) nearby the campus..they have a lot of prepped sandwhiches, snacks, and salads with the calorie labels right on them. I find that to be very helpful when I need to "grab something quick" between classes.

    Good luck with classes and staying on track! :) You can do it!!! :)
  • basschick
    basschick Posts: 3,502 Member
    At my University we have a gym that's free if you have your student id to swipe. You'll get a little mini fridge, hopefully there will be a little communal kitchen that you will be able to cook healthy meal in, not only for you.. But also for your fellow students. Good luck on your journey, and if you need a friend, feel free to add me!

    I'm not a student at the college, I'll just be attending a two week workshop there. We were told we could use the student health center for $10.00 per visit. I can't afford that, which is why I got the trial membership at the gym off campus. Hopefully they will have some kind of communal kitchen. That wasn't mentioned in the info. packet we were sent about the accommodations.
  • dani921
    dani921 Posts: 8
    Is there a whole foods near by? Or even some place like golden corral?

    What I do for general life sometimes is buy prepared meat from those places, lean steaks, chicken breast etc. + Birdseye steamable veggies or steamable brown rice. Fruits, veggies, and yogurt you will have.


    Breakfast can be something like instant kashi oatmeal. Can you bring a blender (though that may be hard to clean) for like smoothies?
  • DanaKinzer
    DanaKinzer Posts: 72
    I have three things in my kitchen that I use more often than I use the stove. I never use our microwave except as a timer. The three items I feel everyone should have are:

    Foreman grill: Pain in the *kitten* to clean, but cooks meat in a healthy manner in just a few minutes.
    Electric Nonstick Griddle: Cooks pancakes and bacon much faster, and usually a lot leaner. We also use it for grilled sandwiches, french toast and stuff like that.
    Electric Nonstick Skillet: Cook.. well... just about every non meat item (that's what the foreman grill is for). I can use a teaspoon of oil and cook up some potatoes real fast, or I can make omlettes. Stir fry takes only a few minutes. In fact, the only thing I haven't used it for is for boiling noodles. We rarely eat noodles anyway!

    With these three items, combined with your mini fridge, you should be just fine. If you could only get just one item, I'd go for the skillet because of the versatility in what it can prepare.

    Great thinking! I hadn't even thought about things like my foreman grill or electric skillet! I dont own a toaster oven so Im not sure what you can cook in them but that may be an idea as well?

    A toaster oven can cook almost the same things that a regular oven can, just in much smaller portions. I've made cookies, small cakes, cupcakes, baked chicken, etc in those things. (I used to live in a hotel a long time ago!) Most hotels and colleges don't allow toaster ovens or hot plates though because they have a higher risk of starting a fire.
  • Persipan
    Persipan Posts: 85 Member
    Most hotels and colleges don't allow toaster ovens or hot plates though because they have a higher risk of starting a fire.
    I was just about to say this! I work in residence - I basically tell students off for a living ;-) - and I wouldn't take anything along unless you know it's permitted (I'm sure if you ask the accommodation staff at the campus you'll be visiting, they'll be able to advise you). Apart from anything else, you'll just set the fire alarm off which'll p*** everyone else off when they have to evacuate.

    If I were you, to set my mind at rest, I'd ask in advance about what cooking facilities will be available - tell them you have special dietary requirements (which is entirely true) and need to be able to prepare suitable food during your visit, and they'll probably bend over backwards to help. If the worst comes to the worst and you only have a microwave and mini-fridge, there are plenty of healthy things you can concoct with just those, but at least you'll be able to plan properly.

    Have a good trip!
  • basschick
    basschick Posts: 3,502 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I survived day 1. Didn't eat out once today -- I subsisted on healthy stuff from my mini-fridge, had time to take a walk all around campus and ended up just under my 1200 calorie goal. Yay me!
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