Any College Kids Trying To Lose Weight??

I'm a Sophmore in college and have been fighting the freshman fifteen for a while now. Just curious to talk to some other people in college and see what they eat, cook, and do!

One of the things that bothers me is when I want to weight lift. My school is super tiny and the gym is also, so the weight room is always packed with boys with humungus muscles and I feel they all stare at me thinking "what is this girl doing here". I always try to go like at 7:00 am but there are still ppl there.

I think who you live with also makes a huge deal. Last year I was in a dorm with 2 girls, one of which loved health food...however i think she might have been a bit anorxic... the other one ate whatever she wanted and didn't gain a pound... rough I know. This year I'm living in a house with the healthy girl... and hopefully it will help to be able to cook better foods for myself!

oh and I totally kno what your taking about with the gym sl*t's as we call them.... the healthy eater also applies an extra pound of make-up before she goes to the gym... yuck.

I am sort of afraid if I buy a lot of fresh good fruit and veggies, my roomates will eat it too, does that happen?

There must be lots of people out there like this because I am going through the same thing. I gained about 20 pounds during freshman and sophomore year.

I'm away cooping now so I don't have as many people around me eating unhealthy all the time, drinking, and getting fast food. Its easier when your by yourself and have lots of spare time to workout. I've already lost about 6 pounds and am going to try to keep up when I go back to school, but it will be hard. Do most of you feel like being at school makes it hard b/c of the people around you always eating out or is it easier then in the summer?

Hey all! I'm a sophomore too, also put on some of the dreaded freshman 15 (I put on 7, I think, but I've lost it,or most of it, this summer). I know how all of you guys feel! The gym is such a frickin meat market...haha I hate it. I feel like I have to be in shape to go get in shape. Plus those girls that always seem to be on the treadmill, no matter what hour you go, and who stay on it for hours. My friends say they should have someone at the door judging who gets to come in and work out lol...'nope, sorry, you're too fit, leave the gym for those that need it more, try coming back after getting some fat'.

steph, I definitely feel like it's harder to keep it up at school. Harder to eat healthy, harder to go work out, less time than in the summer, more stuff to drink...ugh

I almost feel like I ate more at school because I was bored. During the summer I'm busy... at work all day and then I have a routine where I hit the gym and head home for dinner... literly my life in a nut shell. Classes are so spontanious at school and i dont work every day there that its hard. I think attending the classes at teh gym might help me... routine seems to be my best bet. I also think that because I'm pay for my membership at the gym at home I tend to want to use it more... where as the one at school is "free."

going along with the gym theme... i dont know about yall's schools, but i'd say our gym is like pretty normal-sized... but seriously from like 4pm-9pm on weekdays its SO CROWDED! i hate it. you have to wait like 20 minutes just to get a cardio machine. and yes then theres those people who are on it for the over 40-minute period which is supposed to be a no-no when people are waiting. jeez.

and i totally agree with the being bored at school thing and thus eating more food. sometimes i would be studying really late, and i felt like just to stay awake i had to be eating something. and then theres that whole get home thurs, fri, sat at like 3am and order pizza/go to mcdonald's/eat anything horrible for you thing after already drinking way too many calories... im definitely cutting back on that this semester

The gym is the worst right before spring break, like jan and feb march, its ridiculous!! We have cardio equipment signups and I would go before class to sign up for the afternoon

Well i'm going to college in the fall and am afraid it means i'll gain back some of the 112 i lost......... I'm just going to keep at my healthy lifestyle an dhope for the best.

Allison, just talk to your roommates at the beginning of the year about what things you can share (skim milk, whole wheat bread) vs. what things you don't (fruit or whatever). Also writing your name on things usually deters people (or let them know if your name is on it not to eat it).

Wow I'm really glad that I started this post, I knew I couln't be the only College Kid here. I'm so excited to hear from all of y'all. I've been reading everyone's posts, and I can hear a few incoming freshman and some concerns.

First of, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't drink my freshman year. It's very true that a lot of weight gain can come from alcohol because you'll be drinking a few, not thinking about calories, and often by the end of your night, not remember how many you've had. Try very hard to keep that in mind and attempt to make a limit for yourself with is smart for several reasons. If you don't suceed with that, exercise girl and make up for your calorie dirnks.

Also, the cafeterias aren't necessarily filled with horrible foods. It's just that it's way easier (as it is everywhere in life) to choose the pizza or hoagie roll that's sitting next to the salad instead. Plus, it's not all salads, there's grilled chicken, or fruit, or veggies, you know how to do it.. Think smart though, and don't let the food comfort you when you miss home because you will trust me!

Finally, your roomates I highly doubt with steal your healthy food. Don't get me from, for every bunch of great roomates, sometimes you can get assigned a bad apple. But if it's possible bring your on fridge, or if you're in an apartment like I am, nicely implement a rule that everyone buys their own foods and eats that, not each others. There's nothing rude about it, I hate coming home drooling for strawberries or my sushi only to find my roomate finishing off the lasts of it.

Im a senior in college right now.  I start optometry school in the fall of 08.  I feel mentally ready for it but not physically.  I would like to look and feel healthier for my interviews.

My weight fluctuated a lot in college.  The campus foods are so bad for you! 

I am finally moving out of the dorms and into an apartment.  In the past 3 months, i have lost around 25lb.  I have about 30 more to go.  Hopefully i can maintain my diet over the school year.

I also am doing the same thing with my foreman grill.  Its easy, fast, and healthy.  It takes me 5 minutes to make a turkey wrap that contains 170 calories.

Hey I am a college student too... I actually lost weight when I went to college but now I am having trouble keeping it off. lol

here is what helps me

even during finals week I make myself work out because I know that I can concentrate better when I do.

If I involve myself in a beer pong tournament (great sport) I eat lightly that day and plan on an extra long weekend run. Or an outdoor activity with friends walk, bike, hike, soccer, clubbing : )

When I am stressed and I want to eat unhealthy food and I dont know whether or not I am hungry I set the clock for 15 mins and do a body scan and check in with myself or I go to youtube or itunes. When the 15 minutes is up I know whether or not I am actually hungry. 

My snacking secret is to eat salmon with some carrots or blueberries in the afternoon because i get tired and my mood fluctuates then...fatty fish is really good for regulating blood sugar. At night I keep it to protein shakes and if I am watching a movie with the girls I bring my own smartpop popcorn.

I think I still struggle with late night eating the most though. Any suggestions?

kolem, when I feel hungry late at night (or am sometimes just bored and think I'm hungry). I try to snack on cold veggies, like carrots and broccoli. They're very simple if you just buy them in the mini size to snack on and since you can't exaclty pop a ton in your mouth it takes a little longer to eat them and I get full faster.

It's not hard to find time to workout:

Regardless of whether you're guy or girl, you can do little things like pushups and situps any time!  Yoga too; you don't have to do a whole yoga regimen, just find a couple moves you like and do like 10 reps.

Another thing: DON'T TIME YOUR WORKOUTS!  Do something that requires reps instead of time.  When I was in college I found a lone set of stairs (about 150 of them, I went to WVU afterall) and ran up/down them 5-10 times.  Whether it took 20 minutes or an hour, didn't matter . . . I didn't bring my watch.

and I was in law school, btw, so if anyone didn't have time, it was I.

Thats very true bigdude, my friend and I have this outdoor run we do called the "Target" run because we run by Target on our way, sometimes we run it fast and other times it takes forever but we finish it and it feels great.

Its super hard to say no when everyone else is eating too, I chew a lot of gum so it makes it easier for me to say no.

It is really hard to say no. I hate it when I'm in a study group or something and everyone feels like ordering pizza cause I just give in, it is so much easier to give in. Plus, if I say no, my friends start teasing me about being on a diet and how diets are not good.
This semester I'll try to get off the meal plan and just cook my low cal meals. Cause even if the cafe has healthy choices sometimes I just feel like eating a hot dog, and its better if I just buy low cal sausages than to eat the "who knows where they got it from" sausages from the cafe.

Just to continue the drinking thread...maybe because I'm a super senior this fall, or maybe because I'm just sick of the hangover feeling, I find it a lot easier to regulate my drinking. Example, I have a friend returning from Alaska for a visit (to WI), so we are going out, and I already know that it will be a night of heavy drinking, and probably snacking. I'll make it a fun day and leave it alone. But for all of the other drinking nights, try being DD. You could have a drink or two, have fun, but not bonk on calories, and everyone gets home safe! This thread is great, thanks for everyone else posting great tips. Oh yeah, and good luck this semester!

:O deres a freshman 15???? seriously? now i see where de extra 15lbs came from. ive put on weight de previous yr..and i dnt even kno how it happened....2nd yrs strtin...time to lose it all!

yup that pesky freshman 15, I gained it for a few reasons

1- my dorms cafeteria is open until mid-night and if you have a meal plan you can swipe in whenever you want

2- there's about a billion restaurants open till all hours of the morning

3- it's harder to get healthier foods (not impossible, and I feel I did pretty well staying on a healthy diet...but it is harder)

4- drinking....those darn keg parties add on the pounds (no...i'm by no means a 'binge drinker'...but even the occasional beer can add on a lot of unwanted calories)