Heading to College in the Fall...any ideas?

LelliAmi · July 2012

Hey, I'm starting college in September. I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips, tricks or ideas on how to get and stay fit while tackling school and a part-time job. It sounds so stressful! I can't even begin to think of things I'll be able to do. Please help!!

Discoveri · July 2012

If your school has an orientation day for incoming students, attend it. That way you can get the lay of the land before you arrive. Check out the gym and the dining hall so that you know your options. If you already know what dorm you will be living in, check out it's location on a campus map and plan your walking routes to your classes. If you are allowed to have a car on campus, don't use it to go to class. Walk to class instead. Once you figure out your class schedule (you may already know it) plan your times to hit the gym. Check out living social/groupon for cheap gym/personal trainer sessions in the areas around your campus. This may help you to feel obligated to get to the gym. Congratulations on your college acceptance! Good luck!

theresmynapkin · July 2012

Definitely use the gym on campus! Some colleges have free access for students, while others have extremely cheap access (ex: $60 per semester at my old school). Also, I make working out just as much a priority as schoolwork. Wake up even an hour to a half hour early and do something to start your day (be it running/yoga or pilates DVDs/gym time/etc). I'm a morning person though so you might need to block off time in the afternoon to work out.

Also, I packed my lunches. I'd carry snacks like apples and granola bars in my purse to avoid the little cafes around campus (the cinnamon buns always look soooooo good!). Packing a lunch only takes about 5 minutes and is usually less calories and healthier than cafeteria food, depending what you pack. It allows you to measure everything out and know exactly what you're putting in your body. If you're against lunch packing, grab a subway card

My college has an on campus Subway, and it's great to earn points and get a free sub every once in a while!

I know all that sounds overwhelming, but there will be an adjustment period when you head off to college. If you start doing things how you want (eating healthy and exercising) it will be a lot easier than starting an unhealthier lifestyle and trying to change. The friends you make will be used to you eating right and exercising right from the beginning, rather than you feeling pressure from them when you want to start doing those things because you haven't always been doing them.

I know that's long winded, but I hope it helped! I'm in my senior year of college and it's worked fine for me

I also have a part time job during the semester

notthatway · July 2012

Wow theresmynapkin advice from a pro :P I'm in the same boat as the OP so I just want to say a quick thanks for the tips!

lauren3382 · July 2012

Stay away from the beer!!! I indulged way too much my first year. Fortunately, I buckled down my last 3 and was in good shape. Plus, my part-time job was at the student athletic center so it was pretty easy to get my workouts in. If you're on an on-campus meal plan, be careful of what you eat...they don't always have good choices and the choices that look healthy may not be.

niknokd · July 2012

I'm starting college too so I've researched this a lot!

1. I recommend getting a fitbit...I like that it shows me how many calories I've burned throughout the day, and therefore how much I can eat.

2. Check your college's website, they probably have the nutrition info for dining hall food listed somewhere. Plan what you're going to eat BEFORE you head to the buffet and track it on MFP. Don't forget to pay attention to the portions!

3. You can get a lot of walking done in college. Avoid the temptation to take public transportation and walk around instead! Also, whenever possible you can take the stairs instead of elevator, especially if you live on a high floor. The little steps do add up!

4. Like lauren3382 said, stay away from beer! It's really caloric. If you must drink, choose something that has less calories.

5. Your school probably has a gym, and you're paying for it anyway so use it! Obviously cardio is really important to do damage control for the extra calories in the dining hall food. Set a goal for how often you want to work out, and stick to it. For example, my goal is to do a group fitness class at least every other day .

6. DON'T eat late at night - it's bad for your metabolism and it will basically all just get stored, not burned. Stop eating about 2 hours before you go to bed.

7. DON'T keep junk food in your dorm room (or at least keep it to a minimum). When you already have all the temptation in the dining hall, you don't need it in your room too. Keep healthy, low calorie snacks available.

As long as you're aware and conscious of your eating and exercise habits you should be fine! Good luck

reallyally1 · July 2012

I'm a senior in college, so here's my advice:

- USE THE GYM. Pretty much all colleges/universities have really nice and free gyms... take advantage!
- sneak fruit out of the dining hall to keep in your room for emergencies (or just buy fruit, but that can get expensive)
- make your own food when possible, that way you can control what you're eating
- if you really want to have alcohol, just remember that it has calories, and adjust your daily calorie intake accordingly

Thankfully most colleges are becoming a lot more health conscious, so you're likely to find a lot of healthy options in your dining hall. You may have to do a bit of research, but if there's no nutritional values posted, I'm sure if you contact your university that they will be more than willing to provide it to you.

Determinednoob · July 2012

Lift Heavy 3 times per week for 45-60 min and eat properly. If you want to ensure general cardio vascular health, walk at about 3mph for 10-20 minutes 2 times per week. Although now that I have typed that you will probably get enough walking to class so...

gavini · July 2012

wish i were starting college this fall, the best four years of my life.

many good tips here but dont forget/lose sight of having balance in your life. dont get so wrapped up in planning your workouts and your meals etc that you are afraid to let your hair down, have a couple drinks and enjoy yourself when you can. this is college and you will likely never have the freedom and the free time that you will have during these four years so dont let them go to waste. dont plan to be in the library or the gym on friday nights, but do remember that gyms are open late, when in college i would often workout at 8p or 9p.

look for friends who share your interest in being healthy, look for running clubs and groups that plan hiking trips or other active excursions and make friends at the gym too, say hi to the people on the next treadmill or who you see in the weights area. there are surely lots of clubs and groups that focus on one active pursuit or another on campus and there might be some off campus nearby as well.

get a job that is in some way active instead of just sitting a table checking people in to the library or doing filing in some campus office find a job at a bar/restaurant waiting tables - it can be a great job money wise, you are on your feet walking constantly, you usually get a discount on food and your friends can hang out while you work without getting you in trouble.

i worked as a bike delivery man for dominoes for a year, some days it was 8 hours straight biking all over the area and then free pizza at the end of the shift, couldnt have been better and my legs were in top shape and i made really good money.

pagingdoctork · July 2012

i'm going to second that you should consider sneaking fruit from the dining hall. I mean, we're paying so much for meal plans that we might as well get some healthy dorm snacks out of it, yeah?

Also, I 100% recommend making nice with the dining hall staff. At my school, everyone working there is super friendly and nice, so definitely chat them up as they make your stir-fry or whatever, even a simple hi and thank you goes far. I know that I made sure to be nice to the workers, and as such, they treated me extra well: they checked the back for fruits I wanted that weren't out, cooked my requests for dinner a few times, even put some cookies in the pizza oven to warm them up for me, haha.

Also, almost every school has a salad bar. Personally, I hate lettuce and think most salads are pretty boring. That said, I tried to start all of my meals with fresh cucumbers and carrots, just to get in some extra nutrients.

Check out the cool events your school's wellness center puts on. I know mine has this awesome program called Body Doubles that pairs you with a friend and gives you prizes for working out! A friend and I are going to sign up for the first time this semester and be each other's partners.

That's another thing! Finding a friend to commit with you to a healthy lifestyle is awesome... my friends and I got into fitness at the same time, so we go running together and make crazy healthy dessert experiments.

Also, don't ignore the activities that aren't obviously fitness-oriented, like concerts and volunteering. One of the best things about college is how much STUFF there is to try and do.

Oh oh oh! Don't be like me and stay up all night every night and then wake up at 3 pm. I scheduled my classes to start really late, so that was okay, but being nocturnal wreaks havoc on your body... going along with that, be really conscious about late night food runs (we usually hit Whataburger or Taco Bell). Going out spontaneously/late for food is a total college thing, and you don't have to be constantly vigilant, but I'd say be careful about planning for the extra calories, haha.

Good luck! You're going to love it.

glennstoudt · July 2012

95% of the Freshman Fabulous 15 (pounds) is beer, Starbucks and junk food. Stay away from them and you will gain exactly one pound.

moriaht · July 2012

Don't drink beer and eat donairs and wings every night? LOL that's how I gained my freshman 15!

Also, study snacks. My BF and I went to the store and bought junk & red bull every cram session we had. I believe that this also contributed to my fatness.

School is extremely stressful. Find ways to manage your stress, especially if you're a stress eater!!

You will be fiinnee

EDIT: Heyyy I just saw you're from Red Deer! Going to RDC? I have friends there! That school is a BLAST.

oh_em_gee · July 2012

A lot of this has been said, but it's good stuff

1. Use the gym! You have a free gym with a pool within walking distance. That doesn't happen once you graduate, so take advantage.

2. Don't drink your calories. I'm not only talking booze, watch the soda and fountain drinks. Soda came free with our meals, so I got it. Often. And gained 18 pounds my freshman year.

3. Know your dining options well. In a sea of pizza and chicken nuggets, find that little cafe with the tomato mozzarella salad and homemade soups. A little more money, but a lot more quality.

4. Sleep. A tired, stressed person wants to eat junk and lie on the couch. A rested person has the energy to resist that.

5. Weigh in once a week. I didn't have a scale, so when I came home for Thanksgiving, and then winter break, spring break, and summer, I got a surprise. Don't obsess, of course, but be aware so that you can adjust your habits if you need to.

I'm 24, so I only left college 2 years ago. I lost the Freshman 15, then gained 10 pounds a year.

ebelliss · July 2012

i am going to be a junior in college in the fall. my freshmen year i gained 10 pounds, lost it over the summer and last year i gained 15 pounds, and im working on losing that right now... i have unfortunately succumbed to all the things that people tell you NOT to do so you dont gain weight in college, but when i go back in the fall i am really going to make a conscious effort to take better care of myself. heres some advice:

1.) WALK as much as you can. walk to class, walk to the gym, walk to dinner, just walk wherever you can.

2.) If you have a dining plan, buy healthy snacks, and be sure to choose healthy options in the dining hall. my mistake is that when i walk into the dining hall i feel like its an all you can eat buffet and i start stuffing my face with anything that looks good. just choose ONE meal you want to have and stop at that. Even better, try to make and buy your own food as much as possible, but i know that may be tough sometimes if you have a dining plan to use.

3.) if you have a gym on campus, USE it!! most colleges have really nice, state of the art gyms these days and student can use the for free. if you have that opportunity, don't pass it up!

4.) TRY to resist the late night snacking. staying up late, studying, hanging out with friends, partying etc... can lead to unnecessary snacking. my down fall was ordering Dominos late at night and literally eating half a pizza, breadsticks, and cinnasticks, after eating a full dinner....that was a MISTAKE.

5.) now to the drinking... honestly, drinking is the main contributor to gaining weight in college and it is the hardest one to resist. i am in a sorority and parties are just part of the lifestyle. one thing i can say is try to stay away from beer. limit yourself to going out one night per week, and DO NOT order pizza at 4am and proceed to eat the whole thing haha (yes, i have done that)

finally, HAVE FUN!! college is the best, and you should enjoy it as much as possible, it is great to keep a healthy lifestyle, but certainly do not obsess about it or let it hold you back from enjoying the true college experience

_Punjab · July 2012

Always always always have a health snack or meal with you. I've found that your schedule goes crazy and you aren't set on much of a routine once you start college. Making sure I have something healthy with me really helps. Without it, I have no/very few choices that I can really feel good about.

Make sure you have a place to cook. Whether you have it in your room or its a community kitchen in the dorms. A lot of the "freshman 15" comes because we don't have mom cooking for us anymore. If you have access to someplace that you can cook, utilize that space!!!

jadedone · July 2012

I wish I would have taken advantage of all the resources available at college:
1. sign up for the phys ed classes: usually dance, weight lifting and sports
2. try intramural sports
3. Take advantage of all that walking to class you will do, and walk faster! (and take the hills)

Try to make healthy choices for as many meals as possible but don't forget to save room for splurges. Keep those splurges to 1-2 days a week, not 5.

And have fun!

gryphalkon · July 2012

I'm a senior in college this year. It really is a great place to gain weight, but also provides some tools to loose it. The biggest thing to take advantage of is the gym as countless of other people have said. As school work ramps up, you will be more stressed, and it will be easier and easier to not go. So make time, schedule it like any other class in your calendar. Another great opportunity at many colleges is the gym classes they offer. For example I took a Pilates class last semester (for credit even). Its a great way to schedule exercise that you are sure to attend. It also is a great way to learn skills that you can use later once the class is done. Even if they don't offer classes for credit, many schools offer fitness classes through their gyms or student programs. Intramural sports is also a great way to meet friends with common interests and to get fit in the process.

Basically, find out what resources can be found on campus and use them. It can be hard, but just ask around and most colleges have something. Good luck!

thetrishwarp · July 2012

Campus gym. WALK TO CLASS. Use MFP. And learn to time-manage well

coachlindsey954 · July 2012

DON'T DRINK TOO MUCH!!! And if you do like to drink, stick to something like Captain and Diet.

That's one of the reasons people gain the dreaded "Freshman 15"... You drink a bunch of empty calories and then eat garbage when your drunk.

africaa · July 2012

I'm currently a college student..all I can say is VARIETY. Almost everything you can think of is in that cafe, just don't crazy. It'll be hard because most likely your friends will have 3-4 plates of food ..but you have to focus on yourself. Also walk to class instead of taking the shuttle...take advantage of the campus gym -- it's awesome!!!!! Don't drink too much. Avoid late night snacking (heavy foods) Good luck

emg9 · July 2012

Okay i WISH i had sent a post like this before i went to uni/college. I've just finished my first year.
before i started i was a size 8 and NO problems with weight at all. I felt like i could eat what i like, when i liked.
which is why i'm on here, today, size 10/12 and unhappy. I didnt think that moving away made much difference so when my friends wanted to go out drinking a lot and have nights in with a tub of icecream i did it. and i bought the foods i loved cause i could. And cause i'd never experienced weight gain before. after about 6 months i noticed my favourite clothes stopped fitting me, and i didn't look good in certain things anymore.

The advice i'd give myself back then if i could (the advice i'll give you, now) IS .. if you drink, try and stick to minimum, and mix with diet soft drink. Do not do it more than a few nights a week. make sure you buy healthy foods! don't buy sweets and chocolate, cause living around people that arent troubled with weight, just makes it so much harder! just be aware. I wasn't aware which is why i've put on weight. I got a gym membership which helped a little. Just keep focused, keep adding your meals here on MFP so you know you're not overdoing it.

Depends if you're living with fellow students or not, but don't feel like you have to make group meals - chances are if they're students they wont be buying foods based on calorie content, it will be price and cheap food = high in calories. Be independant and make your own stuff! explain why - they'll understand.

a MAJOR tip - where i went very wrong, was.. as i was cooking for myself, i cooked when i wanted. After a long day of working hard i got in around 5 and was hungry then so i ate then. What i later did, as i was at uni living with friends etc is i found myself awake at 2am. Thats 9 whole hours after my last meal, which meant i was bound to be hungry. So i ate, and it added up. I'd say to you (i WILL be doing this when i return to uni in sept) get up at a regular time every day, eat breakfast early. Have lunch at a reasonable time. try and eat your evening meal around 6 or 7, (if you know you may end up staying up late - sometimes it's not planned haha) so then you don't feel the need to have anything more than a small snack (fruit or nuts) after your evening meal.

BE AWARE! don't fall into the routine that i sadly did.

Also - congrats and good luck for your course!!

Heading to College in the Fall...any ideas?

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