How to lose weight while living in a dorm??

eriellegonzalez01
eriellegonzalez01 Posts: 33 Member
edited November 22 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I've been trying to lose weight for two years already, and sadly, I'm barely almost half way there.
And now, I'm living in the dorm and there's food everywhere and I tend to stress eat when I'm stressed.... which is a lot.
Also, I have no money. I have to depend on the university food (which is a buffet and fast food restaurants on campus).
I'm almost tempted to just go on an extreme diet and make it all go away!
Please someone help. :'(

Replies

  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    You are always going to be faced with difficult food situations, so I would encourage you to try and figure out how to handle them. Learn portion control when faced with higher calories choices. Find something else to do when you are stressed. If you went on an extreme diet and made it all go away, then what? How would you maintain while faced with all these same food situations? Something to think about.
  • Ssg25
    Ssg25 Posts: 21 Member
    I'm living in a dorm too. I hardly ever eat at the dining hall now because the food often makes me feel sick. In my room I'll make oats, buy precooked frozen chicken, frozen berries, frozen vegetables, unsweetened cereals, brown rice, almonds/pistachios/walnuts, pb/almond butter, protein bars, Greek yogurts, tuna, and Amy's soup - nothing expensive! If I do go to the dining hall I make sure to take as much fruit as I can back to my room. I'm also a stress eater, especially when doing work. I usually snack on carrots with hummus, snap peas, grapes, and single serving bags of popcorn. I make sure to eat things that fit into my calories goals that I enjoy, like chocolate, that way I'm not so tempted by all the free pizza and other foods and don't feel like I'm depriving myself
  • sgtx81
    sgtx81 Posts: 466 Member
    An extreme diet is going to kill your willpower quickly, considering you said you stress eat and you are stressed out a lot, and you will likely end up weighing more than you do now when it's all said and done.

    You have to find other ways to give yourself a natural dopamine boost to replace what you get from eating. The dopamine is what you're really looking for when stressed. The taste, the actions of chewing and swallowing all give you a dose. It's just pleasure to break the stress.

    If you take away your pleasure habit, odds are, it will come back with a vengeance. If you replace your current pleasure habit with another pleasure habit, preferably something constructive to some goal you would like to achieve, then you will have a much better chance of succeeding.
  • timtam163
    timtam163 Posts: 500 Member
    Having some kind of workout routine can help with stress management. Also when buying snacks try opting for fruit and other healthier choices. And lastly just be mindful of serving sizes; the best advice my college roommate told me was that I was eating 3 times the actual serving sizes when I was pouring myself a bowl of cereal. Harsh, but it was helpful. And whatever you do, do not go on an extreme diet!! Just take care of yourself.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    What sort of choices are there on the buffet? Do you have vegetables and lean protein, or is it all burgers and fries? Is there a salad bar? You might have reasonably healthy options available. Many universities also make nutrition information available online for the dining halls. Look for ways to incorporate more exercise into your day as well. Some students are able to study while they’re at the gym (though I could never focus like that). I also offer my students the option of “walk and talk” meetings rather than just sitting in my office, but no one ever takes me up on it! Some of your professors might like the idea, though.
  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
    I remember those days very well! You're in a hard situation. Hugs! It's tough to stand in line looking at all the things you're choosing not to have. They use to have donuts just before the cash register at my dorm. Every morning!

    I have a kind of crazy idea for you. Do you have a friend you could partner with? She could fetch meals for you following your guidelines, and you could do the same for her. Just until you have some habits established and feel stronger.

    Here's some other things to consider:
    1. It helps me to have pretty much the same breakfast and lunch every day.
    2. A proper amount of water, protein, fat, fiber and sleep REALLY help me comply with my diet.
    3. If you have any time alone, try mindfulness meditation. I like the app "Calm" but I'm sure there are others.
    4. Being kind or helpful to others is a great stress reliever and gets your mind off food.
    5. Practice believing you can do this! Especially when the temptation is greatest.

    If you can lose or just maintain your weight this year in the dorms, you will be able to chalk it up as one of the major accomplishments in your life!! Go for it!
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I'm not familiar with the university systems around the world, but you say you have no money. But you're paying to eat in the cafeteria, right? Is catering for yourself an option?
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    edited October 2017
    Personally, I lost weight freshman year -- dorm students were required to buy meal plans freshman year and the food was absolutely awful. (And I wasn't about to buy food elsewhere after spending my money on the #$%^ meal plan).

    ETA: there were also set blocks of time when you could use a meal plan meal, so it also meant no snacking between meals unless you were willing to spend extra money on food.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I'm not familiar with the university systems around the world, but you say you have no money. But you're paying to eat in the cafeteria, right? Is catering for yourself an option?

    Probably from a pre-paid allotment (that either her parents put on a dining card or meal plan, or that she was required to purchase when moving on campus).
  • CTcutie
    CTcutie Posts: 649 Member
    Dorm life was the only time I lost weight without "dieting" purposely IN MY ENTIRE LIFE... Meal plans & no money (and working a few nights a week) for me meant I HAD to eat the 3 meals a day I was paying $$$$ for, with NO snacks (maybe I swiped an apple or a yogurt here or there, lol!). I only ate at restaurants once a semester (sadly), and unless my parents sent a care package or we got free food at a reception/party I rarely had cookies, snacks, pizza, etc. LOL, and very little alcohol :-)

    It was actually easy. I usually had cereal/yogurt/fruit or eggs & bacon for breakfast, soup/salad and sometimes a half sandwich for lunch, and dinner- whatever. We did have ice cream in those gigantic tubs, but it wasn't very good, so I didn't have much. Kept crackers & microwave popcorn in dorm room for late nights, but I was never a night owl, so that helped me a LOT! I didn't really exercise, but now really wished I had :-/
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Some ideas:

    If you're in the US, Sodexo and Eurest are pretty widespread campus food providers. Find out which company your school is using and look up the calorie counts! You can also use their food to estimate your dining hall's options if they use someone else.

    Ask your food service providers or student services to post nutrition info and ingredients. If they're catering to vegetarians, people with food sensitivities, Celiacs, etc., they should have that available. I guarantee you're not the only student who wants this info.

    Load half your plate with vegetables and get small portions of protein/sides or heavier items. (How I do buffets and parties.) Ask for sauce on the side or less oil if you have a stir-fry, pasta bar, or omelette station.

    Mix and match items that you're craving with low-cal sides. A Chick-fil-a sandwich + vegetable soup. Chicken tenders with a salad. A slice of pizza and two sides of vegetables.

    Create routines - eat the same low-cal breakfast every day, eat two larger meals instead of three meals + snacks, have a salad for lunch daily and something more exciting for dinner. Pick and choose to find what works for you, and take some stress out of buffet-style dining each and every time you enter the dining hall.

    Research the fast food options on campus, and pick some go-to items. Memorize the calories/macros so you can quickly mix and match your favorite if you're in a time-crunch.

    Split indulgences among friends. Share a side of fries, split a cookie, Chinese takout. Take your coffee and tea black.

    Talk to your school's student health providers about stress eating. Lots of campuses have counselors, support groups, and health coaches available at no cost. They can help you change your behaviors and find other ways to beat stress. Exercise is also great for stress, so you can incorporate that as well.
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