Freshman 15!

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maggiebf
maggiebf Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm going off to university in less than two weeks and I want to avoid the dreaded freshman 15! Any tips for eating healthy on a meal plan?

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  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    The meal plan isn't what got me, it was the snacks we bought and kept in the dorm, the pizzas we ordered, and the late night study sessions where we drank and ate while studying all night. If you make sure to have some exercise and make healthy choices as much as possible, you will be fine!
  • HangoverSquare
    HangoverSquare Posts: 128 Member
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    They often have salads offered for lunch and dinner. I'd take advantage of that.

    I also agree with jjdevore; make sure you're bringing healthy snacks to the dorm. I loaded up on pretzel M&Ms, and all sorts of junk last year. Let's say the result wasn't desirable. :P
  • LillysGranny
    LillysGranny Posts: 431
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    Make good choices, be realistic about your calorie intake and exercise whenever you can squeeze it in. I'm in school right now, and working full-time. Even though I'm working out every day, the endless hours of studying has really made it tough. I didn't quite gain 15, and I'm close to being back to my pre-school weight. I hope I'll be able to stay there once I get back.
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
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    Keep a box of healthy cereal in your room as a breakfast/snack.

    Hardboil some eggs (if possible) and keep in the fridge (if possible). My residence cafeteria always had them.

    I was blessed with salad bar and sandwich bar every day in residence - if you have anything remotely like this at all, take advantage.

    Carry a bottle of water with you everywhere. Sip during class, refill at water fountains (I'm sure there will be fountains in your lecture buildings).

    When you order food in the cafeteria, get water with every meal instead of juice or milk or pop. A) you'll save money and B) you'll save calories

    Walk to all of your classes! I'm on a big campus, so I get lots of walking in during the day going to class!


    That's about all I've got. Oh, and don't take a page from my book and drink 12 beers in one night, ever. Ew.
  • Molly08
    Molly08 Posts: 153 Member
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    Keep lots of veggies/fruits in your mini fridge, instead of beer and other more fatty snacks... if you don't have crappy foods available between meals, you'll be fine!
  • cawood2
    cawood2 Posts: 177 Member
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    Drink water. Don't drink juice/pop/whatever at every meal. I actually lost weight the first year I went to college, as I was cooking for myself, and didn't have pie, and cake, and icecream appearing at every meal for dessert. I was also walking to get groceries and carrying them back a mile from the store. In university we had 3 eating plans- I got the smallest one, which was supposed to be designed for those who went home on weekends. It was supposed to cover 60% of your meals. I found by drinking water (they had a filtered water fountain), I managed to get through the whole year (with only a couple of weekends not using it) and have "money" left on my card. I also dropped about 10 or 15 lbs by just cutting out the higher calorie drinks.

    Good luck!

    Oh, and alcohol and various mixes are the calorie devil... Don't forget that, it will bite you in the backside!
  • skinnylove00
    skinnylove00 Posts: 662 Member
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    keep up good exercise habits throughout the winter too...once those cold months start to hit that is when people started to pack on the pounds. but dont worry...15 pounds isnt going to kill you because with good diet and exercise you wont have to worry about it
  • LivLovLrn
    LivLovLrn Posts: 580 Member
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    also be sure to keep up your exercise! Walk as much as you can, utilize the school pool/weight room/fitness area.
  • Kmdforsythe
    Kmdforsythe Posts: 30 Member
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    My meal plan did me in. It took me a while to realize that although my dining hall always has a desert buffet, I don't always need to go to it. What works best for me is to try to estimate what everything is worth before I pile it onto my plate.
  • jgic2009
    jgic2009 Posts: 531 Member
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    This article has some good tips: http://www.livestrong.com/article/81934-eat-college-cafeteria/
  • strongissexy1
    strongissexy1 Posts: 56
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    Develop your healthy habits NOW! I gained 20 lbs last year at school. Mostly from the partying, and late night ordering in. Just get in a routine and prepare yourself. Check out the book "dorm room diet" and there are useful blogs online to follow like skinny-vibes.blogspot.com and running-on-healthy.blogspot.com that might offer some motivation for you.
    Really justtry to choose healthy food options, resist late night pizza temptations and exercise! MFP will be a usefull tool as well! I wish I would've had this and weight watchers last year haha. I've lost all the weight I gained so don't be to upset if you do gain some, because all the tools are available to lose it !
  • maggiebf
    maggiebf Posts: 8
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    Wow! Thanks for all the tips, everyone! :)
  • sandyfeet10
    sandyfeet10 Posts: 280 Member
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    the alcohol is what gets people too!!!! not only do i ask you be careful so you don't do anything you might regret, but alcohol adds so many calories!

    have fun at university!!! good luck!!!!
  • maggiebf
    maggiebf Posts: 8
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    the alcohol is what gets people too!!!! not only do i ask you be careful so you don't do anything you might regret, but alcohol adds so many calories!

    have fun at university!!! good luck!!!!

    Thank you! :)
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
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    I agree with Sandy, watch the alcohol lol they pack a good calorie punch.
    One thing I loved about uni and law school was the flexible schedule, meaning I could go to the gym during the day time when the regular working folk weren't there. I got into the best shape of my life in law school - it didn't hurt I lived next to the gym. And I made my own food, didn't eat at the caf much.

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