Question for those trying to lose in college.

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BoilerMaker22
BoilerMaker22 Posts: 53 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My school has a bunch of cafeterias, but they're all buffet style. Right now, I'm doing an internship and I get to buy my own food and portion it out which is great, but when I go back to school I don't think they'll have the healthy foods that I choose to eat now.

For those of you on here who are still in college, how are you continuing to lose weight while still in college? I've been giving this some thought for quite some time, so I'd like to hear some opinions and/or strategies.

Thanks.

Replies

  • pkgirrl
    pkgirrl Posts: 587
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    I live in a suite style res - so I have my own fridge and kitchen, not a meal plan.

    However, your school should have the nutritional info for all of its products available somewhere, so I recommend hunting this down, and acquainting yourself, so you can make the best choices :)

    Also, if you have room in your dorm, a mini fridge might not be a bad idea, so you have a little mroe control over what your eating.
  • BoilerMaker22
    BoilerMaker22 Posts: 53 Member
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    Heh, I didn't think to google the nutrition info for the dining courts. I just found an entire website dedicated to the foods that we have at each dining court, with every item needed to track my calories.

    Thanks for the tip :)
  • Talieowl
    Talieowl Posts: 46 Member
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    Most colleges, even those with buffet-style service as mine had, make a point of including healthy options such as chicken breast, lean pork loin, turkey meat for sandwiches, tuna salad (watch what you add to the bread and skip the cheese), as well as vegetarian options. Avoid the fried food--don't even go to that section--and the hamburgers. Focus on the salad bar, sandwich bar (use lean meats and whole wheat), and take a look at what is on the hotmeal buffet. Avoid "specials" that are swimming in gravies or sauces.

    Breakfast--always pick up a piece of fruit first. Then get protein with scrambled eggs or peanut butter on whole grain bread, whole grain cereals with skim milk.

    The key is portion control. Know what a 1/2 cup and cup of something look like. Take empty bowls/plates back to your dorm and get a bag of beans or rice. Measure a cup serving and put it on the plate/bowl so you know what it looks like.

    Finally, you may want to talk with your school's nurse about what healthy options are available in your food service and, if you don't find healthy options, ask the person in charge of the food service to provide healthier options--if your request does not work, rally other students to request the same by posting notices that your food options need to be healthy and ask others who agree to write or call the person and/or the dean of students.

    I'm willing to bet there are healthy options available. Why don't you take a stroll through and write down what is offered--everything, including the things you "don't like". Post the list and we can help you out.

    Good luck.
  • doubleloop23
    doubleloop23 Posts: 86
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    Eat a large salad first.... that way you're more full and don't eat as much of the stuff that's not so good for you. If your school has a grill in the cafeteria get some grilled chicken, squeeze a wedge of lemon on it... and finish it off with a piece of non-processed cheese and a tomato. Then dip it in mustard. I did this while eating special K in my dorm room for breakfast and a small lunch and lost 30 pounds in a semester.
  • BoilerMaker22
    BoilerMaker22 Posts: 53 Member
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    I can't check the cafeteria right now because I'm on an internship. I brought this up because I'm going back to school in January, so I was thinking ahead.

    Thanks for the input though guys/gals, I appreciate it.
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
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    When I was in college, I emailed the manager of the cafeteria and they sent me all of the nutrition information. You could probably do that now, so that you could plan ahead accordingly. :wink:

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