Since starting college...

Ok, so over the summer I decided to try eating healthier (because it was a habit I wanted to learn) and lose some weight (because I thought my ideal weight was about 10 lbs lower than what I was at the time, 130).  I didn't lose all the weight I wanted to before starting college, but I made progress and was hoping to continue the trend in college.  Basically, I failed miserably at that.

The first week of college I actually ate less than I probably should have, partially because it was welcome week and partially because I was in a different location.  I lost two pounds that first week (which put me at 125).  The last time I weighed myself (with shoes and a jacket on) I was at 135.  I'm guessing that this would put me at 132 if I had been wearing shorts and a tee shirt.  Anyway, I'm really concerned, because at a height of 5'3 this weight is putting me on the brink of being overweight.  I've never been incredibly thin, but I don't want to spend my college years battling my weight.  And I really don't have time to create a food log everyday.  Can anyone offer advice? 

I currently walk everywhere, and campus is pretty big.  It's about 12-15 minutes to walk to and from classes from my dorm, and it's usually another 10-15 minutes for dinner, depending on where I go.  Other than this though, I rarely have time for exercise.  I'll usually manage to fit in a short run or a swim about once or twice a week, and I'm on an intramural volleyball team that plays once a week (but I'm not very good, so I'll barely break a sweat).  Part of the problem is that I have no idea how to define how active I am, so I don't know how much to eat.  After spending half the summer counting calories I'm pretty good at estimating how many calories something has, so even though I can't spend time writing everything down daily, I can probably estimate what I'm eating.  

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions?  Help would be greatly appreciated! 

Hey, I know what you mean. It's really easy to slip up in college. But it really is just about making good food choices and moving when you can.

I gained weight last year (my freshman year) but I'm losing weight this year (about 10 pounds so far), so it can be done. If you're eating at the dining hall and it's buffet style, my best advice is DON'T fill your plate. A lot of the time you don't even realise how much you're taking. Start off small. Make sure you take plenty of vegetables or fruit. Don't go for pizza or fries or those things. If you're still hungry after your first serving, go back for more. But don't pile it all on there because then you lose track of your portions.

Also, take the long way to class. Take the stairs, not the elevator. If you have access to a gym (most schools have one you can access with your ID card), try going there a few days a week.

Once you establish a rhythm, it gets easier to maintain/lose.