Tips on not giving up for a college student?

BrittStarbuck
BrittStarbuck Posts: 1 Member
edited November 25 in Getting Started
Hello!
my name is Brittany i'm 21 (almost 22) and my weight tends to fluctuate between 214 and 218lbs and I am 5'8'' generally a size 16 / 18 and a size M or L (sometimes XL)


While I may have just made this account i'm not new to dieting and have tried several diet plans. The most successful one i've done was Nurtisystem, did it for a period of around 3 months and lost around 10 lbs but I couldn't keep up with the cost and had to let it go. Sense then finding a way to diet while in school on a tight budget has been hard.

I've been great at making excuses to not go down to the gym (more than twice a week) such as: I have homework, I have to study, I have work, I'm tired from class, I don't have enough money to buy fresh produce, I don't have time to make meals and pre meal prep is not fun for someone who likes to cook, and on and on and on.

I've pretty much gained back everything I lost and it's so discouraging that I just kind of gave up. How do I stay motivated especially during college and without any friends to diet with. (they don't want too and always try to get me to stop or cheat on a diet)

HELP!

Replies

  • meiyang2
    meiyang2 Posts: 1 Member
    Buy a nice piece of clothing (dress?) that is obviously too small for you (but not outside of what is possible for you to reach in say, a year of good food choices and regular exercise) and have that inspire you. One day it will look smashing on you.

    I have some nice pants that I want to fit into (most of my weight are on my thighs/butt) comfortably, and that's my inspiration.

    And ask your friends to respect that you're on a diet. Tell them to not try to make you cheat, because this is really important to you. Always have a healthy snack on hand that you can eat instead if your friends start eating unhealthy.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,142 Member
    edited March 2018
    BrittStarbuck wrote: »
    Hello!
    my name is Brittany i'm 21 (almost 22) and my weight tends to fluctuate between 214 and 218lbs and I am 5'8'' generally a size 16 / 18 and a size M or L (sometimes XL)


    While I may have just made this account i'm not new to dieting and have tried several diet plans. The most successful one i've done was Nurtisystem, did it for a period of around 3 months and lost around 10 lbs but I couldn't keep up with the cost and had to let it go. Sense then finding a way to diet while in school on a tight budget has been hard.

    I've been great at making excuses to not go down to the gym (more than twice a week) such as: I have homework, I have to study, I have work, I'm tired from class, I don't have enough money to buy fresh produce, I don't have time to make meals and pre meal prep is not fun for someone who likes to cook, and on and on and on.

    I've pretty much gained back everything I lost and it's so discouraging that I just kind of gave up. How do I stay motivated especially during college and without any friends to diet with. (they don't want too and always try to get me to stop or cheat on a diet)

    HELP!


    The way to keep at it, is to stop thinking of it as a temporary thing, diets like Nutrisystem, etc don't work in the long haul because you learn nothing about how to lose or maintain without the products.

    As for your go to excuses - if you want to start losing weight, stop making them:
    • not go down to the gym (more than twice a week) - weight loss happens in the kitchen not the gym
    • I have homework, I have to study, I have work - so does everyone else
    • I'm tired from class - sleep and eat better, you will have more energy
    • I don't have enough money to buy fresh produce - You don't have to have fresh produce to lose weight
    • I don't have time to make meals - yes you do, you can make a meal in a couple of minutes
    • meal prep is not fun for someone who likes to cook, and on and on and on. Do you want fun or convenience?

    If you're using MFP, you don't need to cheat on anything, you can fit pretty much anything into your calorie allowance in moderation, I've lost 40lbs and I've still had the occasional pizza and beers, burgers and I have chocolate every day. I still ensure I get plenty of fruit, veg, protein and healthy fat in my diet too though.

    Weight loss is simple (though not always easy) eat less than you burn over time and you will lose weight.

    Set yourself a sustainable rate of loss, perhaps 1-1.5lb per week so you have plenty of food for energy and log accurately, sticking to your calorie deficit - sounds pretty straight forward doesn't it!
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,267 Member
    College is not the perfect place to lose weight b/c there is so much temptation, sleeplessness and lack of motivation when you look at the workload and hours in class.

    With that said, college is also the perfect place to start when getting back to fitness (or into fitness at all). You can walk to class... park is one spot in the morning and WALK to all of your classes. Bring your own snacks for the entire day so you don't binge on something too full of calories that might throw off your plan.
    Don't think of this as a diet. Think of this journey as a lifestyle change. You are going to change your lifestyle and stick with it forever so that you are happy and healthy in the future. You are so young and can take life by the horns and run with it. Don't wait til your 30s or 40s b/c you should be living the good life NOW!

    B/c you are in school you have A LOT of extra hours in the day and should devote at least one to walking, exercising, going to the gym, whatever movement makes you happy and you know you can incorporate into your day and be positive about. Don't do anything you don't enjoy. If a bike ride around campus is something you like you'll be surprised how many calories you can burn in one hour.
  • RadishEater
    RadishEater Posts: 470 Member
    BrittStarbuck wrote: »
    Hello!
    my name is Brittany i'm 21 (almost 22) and my weight tends to fluctuate between 214 and 218lbs and I am 5'8'' generally a size 16 / 18 and a size M or L (sometimes XL)


    While I may have just made this account i'm not new to dieting and have tried several diet plans. The most successful one i've done was Nurtisystem, did it for a period of around 3 months and lost around 10 lbs but I couldn't keep up with the cost and had to let it go. Sense then finding a way to diet while in school on a tight budget has been hard.

    I've been great at making excuses to not go down to the gym (more than twice a week) such as: I have homework, I have to study, I have work, I'm tired from class, I don't have enough money to buy fresh produce, I don't have time to make meals and pre meal prep is not fun for someone who likes to cook, and on and on and on.

    I've pretty much gained back everything I lost and it's so discouraging that I just kind of gave up. How do I stay motivated especially during college and without any friends to diet with. (they don't want too and always try to get me to stop or cheat on a diet)

    HELP!

    I feel like my college experience was different from the posters above. It was a top tiered school with a high pressure environment and if you wanted to be good (not excellent) but just a good student it felt like you only got to pick two of the following : grades, sleep, healthy-lifestyle, social life. It actually was a running joke at campus.

    Saying "sleep more, everyone else has work too" might not be the most helpful thing. Walking everywhere, bringing your own snacks however is manageable. When you take study breaks go on a quick circuit around the building.

    Additionally, buy frozen veggies and meat they will last longer and can be heated up quickly. Buying a cookbook that is specifically for college students needing to cook cheap, healthy quick meals was a great help to me because the cookbook had calories and macros listed out for each recipe.

    Ultimately if you can find enough time to log the food in myfitnesspal and stay under the calories (and be accurate to logging) you should lose weight even if you don't go to the gym. I would suggest only aiming for .5lb per week if you are stressed and tired from college, but you will have to be very patient
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,031 Member
    Motivation is internal. If it's important enough for you to do it, you just will. You have to stay motivated to stay in college right? It doesn't take a special diet to lose weight. You just have to be accountable for your calories and make sure you just eat less than you burn.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • JaiRocket
    JaiRocket Posts: 25 Member
    Something I have used to keep me from skipping the gym is changing the phrasing I use. For example, instead of saying to myself "I can't skip the gym" I now say "I don't skip the gym". I also figured out that despite the fact that I HATE mornings I have to work out first thing. And on especially hard days, when that alarm seems to be going off too early I say out loud, "5-4-3-2-1" and launch myself out of bed. These are small tricks but hopefully they can help you in the motivation department.

    Also- don't think about it like you are on a diet. That's not what this app is. This app helps you track your choices; the good, the bad, and the ugly.
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