College makes losing weight difficult (rant)

Every time I get to a place where I'm like "yeah, I'm on track, whoo I feel good and healthy" and I eat clean as a whistle and make healthy filling dinners and lunches all my professors decide "HEY LETS GIVE OUR STUDENTS WORK WORK WORK OKAY"

So of course I have to spend nights and weekends doing work and staying up late and EATING OUT because I have no energy to cook and the last 3 weeks have been STAGNANT because first I was sick and then I had to spend nights and days in the ceramic studio and and writing papers and studying for tests and writing units for my Art ed class. Boy right now do I hate eating out at restaurants.

the moral of the story is:

college makes losing weight difficult. I wish I was out in the real world where I could come home from work and that be it. I could take a night work out regularly and feel good from the energy.

I anticipate my weight loss to be long ad hard. Hang in here, kitty.

/end rant

LOL, it doesn't get any easier in the "real world," sweetie!!

Sigh... to be in college again! If I had it to do all over again, I'd have taken advantage of all the free gyms and sports activities that were available!! I now live next to a university, and I can't get in to use the fabulous indoor track and weight rooms because it's been eons since I was a student.

What's more, as a student, walking is built into your day. Not so, once you get a desk job! I don't get to walk to and from classes anymore. Heck, I don't have anywhere near the control of my schedule as I did back in those days, when I could schedule all my classes for the afternoon, leaving the  morning free to sleep in... or work out... or cook healthy meals and go grocery shopping!

And let's not forget all those nights out clubbing and dancing my heart out!! Talk about burning calories. :-)

This isn't to depress you or anything... just want you to understand that if you can figure out how to exercise and eat well as a student, you will be that much farther along once you graduate, and desk job, car commute, hubbies, babies, taking care of elderly parents, all vie for your time and energy.

sorry about the caps. I was just really frustrated!

I work a full-time very busy job, go to school full time and just had to pack up everything I owned and move it all.  Plus I do try to have a social life as well.

I know it sucks, but you are never given more than you can handle.  Take a few deep breaths and keep on your path.  I feel better about everything when I am eating better.  Also work in exercise in little ways whenever you can.  I walk whenever possible instead of driving.  I avoid the elevator (so I spend my days going up and down steps in the hospital where I work).  I also do little things like leg lifts and stuff when I am sitting still in my desk or I will work out with hand weights while studying.

I know it sounds lame and cheesy, but trying getting rid of the "I can't" in your statement.  Negativity has an honest effect on how your brain functions and how it tries to solve problems.  If you tell your mind that something isn't important and you can't do it, your brain isn't going to really put effort into solving the problem.  The same also applies for school.  It is really really difficult to learn things and imprint things into long term memory once you decide you can't do it.

I also work a full time job, go to school full time and I try to have a social life, too. I know how hard it is to be busy, but you'll get through this. It doesn't last forever-what kory said up there was great, too.

I try to eat as healthy as I can, bringing my dinners and lunches and breakfasts to work (that's right, I carry all 3 meals around with me, lol), I walk as much as I can, and I try to fidget at my desk. I get really tired, too-I have class until 11, don't get home till midnight or so-and then I'm up at 6. It's hard, but doable, and you can do anything you put your mind to. Cliche, yes, but also true. Hang in there!

Boy do I hear ya on this one.

I've had almost 4 years of trying to squeeze meals in between studying, working, sitting in class, doing extracurricular activities, and going out with friends.  Not to mention the horrendous menus they offer at the cafeteria.

Hang in there!  And if you have to eat out, try to find the "better" things on the menu.  I was wrangled into going to Olive Garden this past weekend and got the herb-grilled salmon with steamed broccoli and red peppers instead of a heaping bowl of pasta (though I refused to shy away from the endless salad bowl...).

Jess, You bring dinners too!?! I usually carry around lunch and breakfast, but I always have a problem with dinner on the days I have to spend long hours in the studio.

what do you use to carry around your food?

I was addressing dreaasha not Jess, Sorry! :)

It's not easy out in "the real world" either.  Try losing weight when you are working between 60-90 hours a week, doing the grocery shopping and most of the cooking too.  You never "have" to eat out.  There are plenty of portable foods, like sandwiches on whole grain bread, that require less time to make than it does to get to a restaurant.  Make sure you aren't using your business as an excuse not to try.  There are also lots of fairly healthy frozen dinners a busy person can rely on.  You don't have to spend hours cooking to eat healthy, and you can make much smarter choices when you do eat out.  You just have to find ways to manage no matter what your schedual.

Aaahhh, ricen.

As plaidpooka points out, "the real world" always crops up with busy-ness too. For sure.

However, I TOTALLY empathize. I work full time, longish hours, I am also a singer, a writer, a girlfriend, a friend, a sister, an aunt - well, you get the picture. It's very very easy to get overwhelmed and have little time for nutrition (Btw, you are doing faboo, I checked your profile pics, and added you as a friend :-))

I actually eat a relatively low-simple carb diet, and sometimes carting meals around with me can get annoying. However, I try to clear my Sunday nights to cook away, pack stuff in containers, and stock up the fridge at work.  As plaid also said, sandwiches can be healthful and portable and inexpensive (if you are on a student's budget).

Or, I know I used to LIVE off of steamed chicken and veggies from the Chinese food restaurant down the street from my college - there was so much food, I'd get two meals for $3.25!! (yeah, this was 10 years ago, but it WAS in NYC).

There are ways. It seems hard, but there really are. You can do it! Look what you've already accomplished!

~ Colleen

I agree with all of the above -- that's life.

I blew a significant weight loss in 1980s because I couldn't adapt to a different life situation.  It was my fault, and my fault only.  I gained twice the weight back.

Being adaptable is one of the keys to success no matter what the venture. 

thanks for all the replies everyone. This year college has been rather taxing to say the least. I ate a healthy filling dinner for the first time in 3 weeks and I have to say it feels so much better than that junk from restaruants. Now to watch americas next top model, do hardcore DDR, then go to bed.

Being adaptable is one of the keys to success no matter what the venture.

You said it best manewell!

I think it really depnds on your major. I know that fine-arts majors (art, music, theater, etc.) have demands on their time that nobody even thinks to consider. (Being on campus from 6 AM to well past midnight for rehearsals and classes and THEN having to do your homework, for example)

I know that people try and say that when you get out into the "real world" it doesn't get any better...but for some of us it does. Going from the previously mentioned hellish schedule to an 8-5 job and then going home to spend time with you family...that's a blessing. It's easier to multi-task.

I look forward to being in bed close to or before midnight and not having to wake up until 6 or 7. That's almost enough sleep! I also look forward to being DONE with work when I leave it, and not having to go home to write 25 page papers...maybe just occaisonally having to grade them....

I know that work is no fun, unless you've chosen your profession well, but the time demands are typically a little happier.

So ricen, I know precisely what you mean by college making it nearly impossible to squeeze in healthy eating. I packed on a good 30 pounds the last 4 years and am desperately trying to get back where I was.

Moving off campus made it a little better (because I can actually CHOOSE what I eat) but it is still hard (like last week when I didn't have time to go to the grocery store and had to eat out every meal).

Hang in there! :)

I TOTALLY understand rice... my last journal post was a rant about that!!! I'm in grad school so I've been in school for about 20yrs now... lol! For me finals are when I break down and am eating that junk working on papers and stuff 'till like 5am or whatever....

I've got full time school, a job for money, an internship for no money, working on a dissertation, plus a helpless husband! lol... I think that counts as waaaaay more than the "real world" and can't wait until I'm done with school!!!

What year are you in... what are you in school for??

P.S. Yay for DDR!!!

I can speak from both sides of the fence on this one; I first went to school for graphic design. I got a job as a designer, did that for two years, and then decided to jump back into art school for a second degree in fibers. I actually gained more weight when I was working at a job (I ate out almost every meal for a while), and even though I loved graphic design, there is something about a 9-6, at least for me, that wore me out much more than being in school. Now that I am back in school I have access to healthy things much faster (on my way home from class I will stop by the grocery and grab an avacado and tomato and make some kind of wrap or something) and I definitely move around more just going to classes...So you can totally make it work; think creatively! 

trvlta, I study art education and spanish, and I will be a senior in the fall. We have some education courses, but the overwhelming majority of my classes are studio classes.

Actually, the real reason for this rant was the my ceramics project. So draining! Rather than talk about all of it, i'll just show you some images of it from my livejournal. (btw, dont try to comment on my blog, b/c you arent listed as lj friends)

http://sushiholic.livejournal.com/114420.html #cutid1

I know what you mean. I was a music major and payed my own way, so my schedule was pretty much 6AM to 11PM every day.

It's hard, but it's possible. No matter where you are in life, it's always easier to make poor health choices if you don't really want to change. Whether you're a student, a professional, or a stay at home mom, SOMEthing always comes up. I'm sure there are people out there somewhere with an abundance of time on their hands, but those people are not in my tax bracket.

I really struggled with my weight in school (either rapidly losing or rapidly gaining), but I figured out how to make healthier choices wherever I can and how to make a healthy meal in 8 minutes (faster than the delivery guy!). Both are skills I use today. Just give it a try, you'll figure out what works for you.