Freshman 15

Hey guys, so I'm new to CC...

I am a college freshman and am on my way to gaining the full "freshman fifteen" ...is there anyone else who is either experiencing this or has already?

How did you deal with it? I'm living in the dorms and have limited access to a grocery store, but the food service in the dorms has a fully stocked salad bar (fruits and vegetables) in addition to a hot food line, sandwich bar...etc...

I also gained in college (it was a "few" years ago, now), and I felt that it was in large part due to the "all you can eat" arrangement of the cafeteria at the school I attended. Our food plans allowed a certain number of meals/week, so once you had "paid" for the meal you could eat all you wanted. Are yours this way? I found that I would stuff myself, partly to feel that I was getting my money's worth, and partly 'cause I knew that that meal would have to last me x # of hours until the next one.

Anyway, if I had it to do over again, I would (hopefully) tuck a few pieces of fruit or other healthy portable snacks in my bag at each meal to snack on between official meals.

It's hard to remember that just because food is offered, doesn't mean you have to eat it, you know?

Focus on food as fuel, rather than as comfort.

And try to make active friends, so that your down time isn't focused on eating/drinking. Try new things... running, dancing, there's usually a ton of clubs to try.

Good luck!

Well I'm a college wrestler so I can't eat at the facilities usually, and when I do it's a little but of fruit or veggies. Huge waste of money for me...but I guess that's how colleges make their money.

well in the off season, I can eat there. it all comes down to self control. you have to have some self control. when i go, i fill jus one plate, and if i must eat a second, its all fresh veggies (no cheese, salad dressing, etc.). The first plate has more enjoyable foods, but nothing crazy. Usually fill almost a half with steamed veggies, a quarter with lean meat like grilled or baked turkey or chicken, and a quarter or less of rice or pasta. I also lift an hour a day and run 4miles a day except for weekends in the off season, and my weight has been going down. Maybe you could do something like that.

Also, just stop snacking away from the dining hall. that is where most of the weight is put on. So many of my friends snack on chips and crackers and candy and that's the high cal foods that will put weight on you, not the real food at the cafeteria.

I feel the same way you do.  But i'm trying really hard to avoid gaining weight (and I've actually lost 3.5 pounds these past 2 weeks).

I find that I try to eat a salad every so often (maybe one every other day), try to avoid fried foods, which isn't completely possible, and just keep track of how much I eat before dinner so that I have a good idea of what I can afford to eat later.  It also helps that the desserts aren't very good here, so I stay away from those.

I also try to go to the gym 2-3 times a week.  It does help.

Good luck!

Haha, Freshers 15! For me it was more like Freshers 80! :S

The main reason I gained so much was because I quit smoking, but when it got to my 1st year anniversary of non-smoker-hood I decided it was time to lose weight.

Do you have a gym near you? Most will have student discount, but if you can't afford to do that then walking is free of course. There's also this website (http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/move ments/) which has loads of exercises.

I gained the freshman 15 within about 5 minutes of moving into my dorm room - I swear to god. Anyway, my best strategies avoiding it are giving myself a couple days of "indulgence" - and by that I mean I allow myself to eat and drink like my friends, who all seem to eat tons and tons of food, drink tons and tons of alcohol, and maintain their weights (some higher than I'm sure they'd prefer, but still). I work out 5-6 days a week. My school gym offers really good fitness classes but my major strategy is working out early in the morning before which is the only time when it doesn't interfere with homework or my social life, and also doesn't force me to take like 18 showers throughout the day. I eat a lot of things which I can count the calories of really well and not a lot of things that the college prepares. I stick mainly to fruit, vegetables, turkey sandwiches, prepackaged things like fat free yogurt and fat free cottage cheese, soups, salads, and oatmeal. Honestly, sunday-thursday this is what my diet consists of. Then on friday and saturday I eat a piece of pizza, some pasta, half a calzone, some fried chicken, whatever I'm craving that day and some candy or ice cream. So far I haven't gained any weight (been here 3 weeks) - on the contrary, I've actually lost 2 or 3 pounds.

Good luck! losing weight in college is one of the biggest challenges I've ever had to face

My freshman year (last year) was such a weight roller coaster.

I got to school weighing about 180 pounds.
I ate decently, went to the gym almost every day... lost a little, maybe stayed the same.
That lasted about a month. I started eating really awful, unhealthy stuff. The dining hall was located in my dorm building, as well as a 24 hour cafe/restaurant. I could eat whatever, whenever, as much as I liked. I gained about 10 pounds and stopped going to the gym.

I ate a little healthier, lost a few of the pounds I gained. Went to the gym when I felt like it, but mostly went on nightly walks.

Then I started eating really badly, grabbing about 3 candy bars at a time and smuggling them into my room where I'd eat and watch tv. I gained about 20 pounds.

I started being really restrictive with my calories, lost 10 pounds.

Then of course I started binging uncontrollably because of the restriction. Gained another 15 or so.

My total freshman year gain was about 30 pounds.

Now as a sophomore I'm being really healthy. I hardly ever eat at the dining hall. I've put myself on a very specific budget foodwise (regarding both calories and price) and I try to walk at least a mile or two a day, take the stairs when I feel up to it.

I think the best advice I can give you is to try to eat healthily. If you get tempted, indulge a little but not too much. And find an exercise routine you can stick with. It doesn't have to be drastic.

Been there, done that....no fun! Lucky for you you're handling this early in the semester. I really didn't notice until christmas break and I stepped on the scale. I went from 135lbs to 150lbs in one semester, thanks to alcohol and unlimited food at the dining hall. 

You need to search for healthy options in the dining hall. Salads, tofu, wheat pasta and tomato sauce. Soups are usually okay. Sandwiches are good. We also had make your own pizza and make your own pasta. Load up on the veggies and fruit. 

And beware of alcohol....you eat so much more when you drink! And usually you eat gross stuff! Stay away from things like easy mac and ramen. Try to cook whenever you can. 

And very important...EXERCISE!!! Join a club or intramural sport. Stay in shape. 

Good luck :) :)

Oh, and I'm now back down to around 135lbs :)

I've been there! Ugh. Here are a few things that helped me :)

-Think about what you're going to get ahead of time in the cafeteria. If you go thinking you're going to have a big bowl of soup. . .have a big bowl of soup! Don't grab a slice of pizza just because it's there and looks good. Also, try to have fruit for dessert instead of cake or cookies. . .have tea or coffee to curve after dinner sweet cravings.

-Only drink water, diet coke, coffee, tea, or skim milk. Don't add on a ton of calories with sweet sodas.

-Start every meal with a salad and non creamy dressing to fill you up.

-Don't use a tray. My school got rid of them but some schools still use them. Don't. . .they only lead to over eating.

-Have some snacks in your room so if your friends order pizza you can eat too without having to eat greasy stuff. . . . baby carrots & humus, salsa & celery, peanut butter & rice cakes are some good ones that last for a bit if you have a mini fridge.

-If you choose to drink, don't spend $5 on an all you can drink cup of beer at some party. Get vodka, drink it with diet coke or another diet soda. A beer is 100-200 calories a cup. A shot of vodka is only 56 calories. Invest in a water bottle for parties.

-Try not to eat food after 7pm.

-Even though you have classes at different times, try to get on the same sleeping pattern for every night.

-Find a gym buddy! I bet your college has a gym. . . things will die down there after the first few weeks. Find someone in your housing that likes to go to the gym too and go! Make a playlist on your iPod that is 30 minutes. . .or however long you plan on staying at the gym. When the song is over, you can know to go home!

-Walk a lot. Take the long way to class, take a walk at night with a friend instead of chatting inside, or sign up for a club that encourages out door activity.

I gained about 10 lbs over the course of my 4 years at school. Make it easy for yourself and try to lose a few lbs every summer. I eat what I want during the school year, and calorie count for the 3 months of the summer to get rid of stubborn pounds.

I found that my problem was the decided mediocrity of the food. I'd get something, eat half of it, decide I didn't like it, go back for something else, get halfway through that, and finally end up eating ice cream with cereal :P

So I'd recommend just getting reasonable portions of your first choices and eating them, regardless. I'd also recommend ditching the meal plan as soon as you can!

Alcohol can also really add up, calorie-wise. Try to limit your partying to a couple times a month or less - it'll be better for your weight, your studies and your wallet!

Breakfasts in the dining hall were an issue for me. I had to keep myself down to one egg-and-bacon type breakfast a week, and eat cereal in my dorm room the rest of the week (and do eat breakfast).

Try not to make all of your social events dinners - absolutely meet new people and do fun things, but try to schedule them around activities, rather than meals.

Take advantage of your school gym, and walk/bike to get to as many things as possible. Also, if you're into any sort of sports, consider joining an intramural or informal team.

Good luck!

freshman 40 here!!

only it wasn't my first year it was my 3rd year

5 lbs left til it's gone

20lbs to goal!