How to lose 30lbs

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abreakirkland72
abreakirkland72 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello! I am a junior at college and eats in the cafeteria daily. I've gained over 30lbs from eating at the cafeteria. I barely have any food on my plate and still gain weight. It's getting to the point where I can barely fit my jeans anymore. If anyone can share tips on how to effectively lose weight, that would be great. I don't know what to do.😞

Replies

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    If you are eating calorie dense foods, yes, you will gain, if you're over your calorie goal. I'd suggest you try eyeballing and logging your food as best you can. This will tell you which foods are high calorie. Try to use more fruits and vegetables and pick lean meats. Be wary of sauces because they are calorie dense.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,970 Member
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    Yeah, if you've been eating mom's meals and now you have free rein, that's why they call it the freshman 15 (or 30.)

    Are you getting any exercise at all? That will help. Walk to classes, walk around your town. Maybe get a bike.

    Also, is it possible to eat food you bring in? Even things like Subway sandwiches with all the vegetables are better than cheeseburger and fries or pizza, both calorie wise and for nutrition. Plus Subway sandwiches can be logged pretty accurately as their calories are on their website.

    Bring your lunch. Do you have a refrigerator where you live?
  • pony4us
    pony4us Posts: 125 Member
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    Doesn't your caf have a salad bar? In today's world I would think there are healthy options, like grilled chicken breast, fruits, assorted steamed veggies. Be careful to make smart choices and watch portion sizes. Don't forget drinks too, are you drinking water or soad and juices? Are you also going out at night, having pizza and snacks? That could contribute to the gain.
    I remember the freshman 15...I was sure I wasn't eating much at meals, but yep..there was pizza, burgers, fries etc for social eating after dinner and I was shocked when I came home and weighed myself.
    Remember you paid big bucks for the meal option at school, use it wisely.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 878 Member
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    You need to figure out what your BMR and TDEE are. Then you need to get an idea of how many calories you are actually consuming on a daily basis. You must be consuming more calories than you are using --therefore, weight gain.
    Also be aware if you are a drinker at college...those calories also add up quick.

    Don't you have access to a rec center/gym through your school...? My first thought would be while you figure out what your caloric needs are (figure out your BMR and TDEE, eat less than your TDEE and more than your BMR)...get to the gym a few times a week so you are more active.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 1,641 Member
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    It will be difficult to calculate cafeteria food calories so just try to pick different things that will be lower calories on their menu as your current choices seem to be highly caloric. You need to be on an exercise program also.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    @westrich20940 I am a numbers person and your advice works well for me. I think calorie counters are in the minority, though. People do lose weight without counting. Maybe even most people who lose weight do it without counting.

    OP, you have my sympathy. My kids really did not like the cafeteria options, and on the salad bar there was no lean protein available. The one with the most expensive meal plan couldn't get just plain chicken. I know it can be a challenge.

    First, don't try to lose a lot fast. Slow and steady weight loss has much higher odds of success. College is hard enough. Make life easy for yourself --make small changes in your habits and really be consistent with them. Fill up your plate with vegetables and add relatively small bits of higher calorie choices. You should feel full/satisfied after a meal. If you cannot serve yourself, ask for additional vegetable servings. Do what you can with protein. I know that is hard to get. Eat your calories, don't drink them. Alcohol calories really add up (and lead to late night snacking, especially if your meals are too small).

    If you have a smartphone that tracks your steps, and if you are walking to class and getting ~10k steps/day, I wouldn't stress too much about adding exercise. It's excellent for stress busting and for your health, but it won't make a huge difference in the calorie equation.

    Good luck!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,910 Member
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    While I prefer to weigh and log my food, counting calories, it is entirely possible to lose weight without doing this.

    One method is eating less calorie dense foods. Fat contains 9 calories per gram, compared to carbs and protein's 4 calories per gram. Eating less high fat foods such as butter, peanut butter, nuts, salad dressing, cheese, ice cream, pizza, etc., is one simple way to reduce calories.

    I do still eat pizza, but I eat way less of it, and have a large salad with it, which fills me up.

    High fat food often doesn't require a lot of chewing, which makes it easy to get in a lot of calories in a short time. Your brain doesn't have time to receive the message that you are full.

    Another reason the salad helps me moderate pizza is because all that chewing I have to do and the bulk of the food gives time for my stomach to send the message to my brain that I am full.

    If you have a sweet tooth, try eating more fruit. This will have a lot less calories than cookies, other baked goods, and ice cream, and will quite likely still satisfy your sweet tooth.

    So, more fruit, veggies, whole grains, legumes, lean protein, and less pizza, casseroles, cheese-heavy dishes, and desserts (that aren't plain fruit.)

    You can do this!
  • Corina1143
    Corina1143 Posts: 2,933 Member
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    Welcome to the grown up world, where mom doesn't figure out what you need and make sure you have it. Where you have to figure it out yourself. Nutrition will affect not only you, but your children and grandchildren for the rest of your life. Take a Nutrition course if you can. Visit a dietician if you can. Read Nutrition textbooks. Eat healthy! Be healthy! Be happy!
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,619 Member
    edited October 2023
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    cmriverside wrote: »
    Yeah, if you've been eating mom's meals and now you have free rein, that's why they call it the freshman 15 (or 30.)

    Are you getting any exercise at all? That will help. Walk to classes, walk around your town. Maybe get a bike.

    Also, is it possible to eat food you bring in? Even things like Subway sandwiches with all the vegetables are better than cheeseburger and fries or pizza, both calorie wise and for nutrition. Plus Subway sandwiches can be logged pretty accurately as their calories are on their website.

    Bring your lunch. Do you have a refrigerator where you live?

    Honestly, thos is probably what I would do. Unless they have to eat at the cafeteria for some reason.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,676 Member
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    When I was in college, every year I would gain 20 lbs. during the year and lose it during the summer. That set me up for decades of yoyo dieting. I don't recommend it.

    Unfortunately, the cheapest foods are usually the most calorie dense. If you eat in the cafeteria, you may be stuck with mystery meat covered with gravy or lots of pasta covered in greasy sauces. Do the best you can to choose entrees that are healthier. As others have said, doing as much cooking or meal prep on your own as you can may help. Focus on lean meat, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Try to avoid prepared sweets and drinks with added sugar. Limit or eliminate alcohol. Skip the easy packaged snacks. Get exercise. There may be a gym or you can just wander around campus. Bring a friend and you'll both benefit.
  • loulee997
    loulee997 Posts: 273 Member
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    abreakirkland72 wrote: »
    Hello! I am a junior at college and eats in the cafeteria daily. I've gained over 30lbs from eating at the cafeteria. I barely have any food on my plate and still gain weight. It's getting to the point where I can barely fit my jeans anymore. If anyone can share tips on how to effectively lose weight, that would be great. I don't know what to do.😞

    Hi,

    College is stressful. Take care of yourself.

    You can lose at college using the cafeteria. It's just a little harder. Planning will be your friend.

    You may have 1 of 2 problems. One --you might be undereating. Two--you may be eating small amounts of very calorie-heavy foods. Both are fixable.

    I'm assuming you are tracking what you are eating. Do you have an example of the typical menus available at the cafeteria? Maybe we can give you some tips on how to navigate the menu in a more weight-friendly way. Can you provide an example of some of the food options that the cafeteria has?

    Exampes:
    1. Salad dressing and cheese had huge amounts of calories to salads. Controlling the amount you add can lower calories. Some salads are more calories than a full meal due to all the high calorie toppings.
    2. If you like hamburgers, a large chunk of the calories is in the bun. If you only use half the bun or no bun, you can really lower your calories.
    3. Try to avoid things that are covered in sauces. Sauces have a lot of hidden calories.
    4. Eggs, grilled chicken, and fresh fruit such as apples or berries are usually lower calories if you watch the toppings. Eggs are a quick low-calorie protein fix.
    5. If you eat pizza, the calories for cheese pizza is usually 200 to 350 calories a slice (thin/thick). As long as you stay with 2 pieces of plain pizza, you should be fine if you eat lower calorie stuff with it.
    6. Try to avoid 'mixed food' if you can't predict the calories. For example, you don't know what is in public meatloaf (unless they provide calories). It is usually easier to predict the calories in something like a bunless cheeseburger.

    ADD EXERCISE
    Try adding an extra campus walk to your day. A little more exercise can sometimes help with a calorie-dense menu. If your school has a free gym, try doing some lightweight training.

    SNACKS
    If you get snacky, try to keep something like pretzel sticks in your room. They allow 38 little pretzel sticks for about 110 calories. Is it the healthiest? Not really. But it keeps a long time, is low calories, and provides you a TV snack.

    Without the menu, it's a little hard to give specifics. I hope this helps a little.


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