Quills85
05-15-2004, 04:33 PM
What the heck! So I just came back from my freshmen year in college, and I've gained weight. (10lbs) What I don't understand is that I hardly ate anything at college! Although I was a huge bum, and my work out consisted of me walking to class or the cafeteria to get dinner. Usually dinner consisted of pizza and diet pop. So, I stopped eating the pizza and pop,b/c i noticed i couldnt fit in my express pants anymore and moved to salads and water, but the salad diet only lasted like 2-3 weeks because they were so horrible!!! And moved back to pizza because it was something to look forward to. blah. Well I guess I have to go on atkins of something and loose some weight. I've actually been trying to loose weight for 3yrs. I need to get some good diet going...any suggestions?
p.s. I love pasta, but I can give it up.
p.s. I love pasta, but I can give it up.
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tah4349
05-15-2004, 06:32 PM
Sounds like the Freshman 15! And you thought people made that up! Nope. It's real. LOTS of college freshmen gain weight when they first go off to school. I don't know what your lifestyle was like at school, and I don't want to sound like I'm accusing you of anything, but much of the time the weight gain is the result of lots of drinking in the college environment. People don't realize that they can end up drinking over 1,000 calories in one night! If that's the case for you, stop! Put the beer down and you'll see results.
When I was an undergrad, I had access to the university gym for free. It was a wonderful health center that offered all sorts of free services. It was also the first time I had access to a gym in my life. Take advantage of those if your university offers them. Mine offered free nutrition counseling, health analysis, and they helped you decide on work out routines.
Most college cafeterias offer you options that can be extremely good...or extremely bad. Get out of the pizza line, and focus instead on the other foods they offer. There are usually good soups, breads, cerials (good cerials, not sugar cerials), and so on. Take advantage of the salad bar, if there's one available. Don't just put some lettuce on a plate and call it good. Build a good salad for yourself with beans and other proteins, lots of veggies you LIKE, and perhaps a tasty vinegrette. If you feel like you're forcing yourself to eat anything (as is sounded like you were with the salads before), you'll never stick to it.
Hope this helps! I actually lost 30 lbs when I first went to college because I was extremely active for the first time in my life. Sadly, by the time I finished my masters, it was all back and more. And thus the struggle continues...
When I was an undergrad, I had access to the university gym for free. It was a wonderful health center that offered all sorts of free services. It was also the first time I had access to a gym in my life. Take advantage of those if your university offers them. Mine offered free nutrition counseling, health analysis, and they helped you decide on work out routines.
Most college cafeterias offer you options that can be extremely good...or extremely bad. Get out of the pizza line, and focus instead on the other foods they offer. There are usually good soups, breads, cerials (good cerials, not sugar cerials), and so on. Take advantage of the salad bar, if there's one available. Don't just put some lettuce on a plate and call it good. Build a good salad for yourself with beans and other proteins, lots of veggies you LIKE, and perhaps a tasty vinegrette. If you feel like you're forcing yourself to eat anything (as is sounded like you were with the salads before), you'll never stick to it.
Hope this helps! I actually lost 30 lbs when I first went to college because I was extremely active for the first time in my life. Sadly, by the time I finished my masters, it was all back and more. And thus the struggle continues...
SuEstrellita
05-15-2004, 08:09 PM
So I just wrote this great post and it got lost, so here are the cliffs notes:
~ALCOHOL: Are you a drinker? I've seen more thin girls gain a lot of weight because of beer than pizza during their freshman year. Just think about how caloric one weekend at college can be for the typical "frat boy" type student. Friday - Breakfast, Lunch, then pizza for dinner - with a few beers, of course...followed by...more beer (or whatever type of alcohol.) Then Saturday breakfast? Cold pizza, then maybe lunch, dinner, and again drinking. Those two days alone can really pack in a lot of calories. If you drink, consider laying off a bit.
~EXERCISE: I lost 10 pounds the second semester of my freshman year by working out. I used the elliptical trainers because it's low impact but good cardio. I lost a lot of weight from my lower body. I was very happy with my results within a few months of going 4 times a week for a half hour to 45 minutes. I'm not one to give advice about WHAT to do or for how long or anything - but I'll give you advice about how I stuck to it.
- Find something you enjoy. Maybe it's Tennis or jogging or biking. Whatever it is, if you like it, you'll do it more.
- Listen to music. Especially if you're in a gym...it makes the time go by faster.
- Use that time as YOUR time. When I work out I study for tests (I don't bring notes with me but I can go over concepts, terms, lists, etc) or plan when I'll do my assignments, just generally organize my life. I also think about things that have happened, things that are bothering me or things I'm looking forward to. If you get really bored, my last resort is mentally creating music videos to go along with whatever you're listening to.
- Try to find a regular time to go. My schedule this semester was crazy but I went almost every Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 8:15 AM (Yes, this meant getting up way too early) and Tuesday/Thursday at 3:30. I gave myself the weekend off if I made it every day that week - any soreness I had from weights later in the week would be more or less gone by Monday and I felt more energetic having rested a bit.
~EATING: First of all, when you're working out you won't feel as guilty about those little "special occasion" splurges. For example "Yeah, I'll have a piece of my roommate's birthday cake...it's a special occasion and I worked out today!" Although you can't go around eating anything you want and expect to lose weight, I have found that I enjoy those little splurges more since I'm not worried about my thighs or tummy with every bite. Here are my other few tips that won't be life-changing, but will cut out a few of those extra calories.
- Making eating compromises with myself. I'll go have a burger on the weekend, but I tell myself that I either need to get the Boca burger and then I can have fries or I can get the beef burger (they really need to get turkey) and then just have a side salad. Another option is the side salad and boca burger option that allows me pudding. You get the idea.
- Don't keep bad food around! Right now I'm having a TERRIBLE time with the snacking and stuff. I'm home from school and there are cookies, chips, pie, stuff like that EVERYWHERE. My new alternative snack is baby carrots with light dressing. Works pretty well. Anyway, it's easier at school to not keep things around. I'd stock my fridge with apples and powerade and my "snack food" was pretzels. Oh, and if you're craving chocolate I highly suggest the Viactiv calcium chews. Not bad at all.
- Remember all those things you read in magazines about healthy meals that don't sound so bad. Chicken breast can be done 1001 different healthy ways. I also love cottage cheese so I stock up on the lowfat stuff.
- I'm a big believer in smoothies. A little orange juice (fresh squeezed is the best of course) some frozen bananas and whatever else you like...the banana will thicken it without making it milk-shake-ish.
- My post-dinner dessert a lot of days came from our school smoothie bar. I threw a bunch of raspberries into a plastic cup, then tossed a few chocolate chips in and mixed it up. Kinda like a Godiva chocolate raspberry bar but less calories, ya know?
Anyway, good luck, I hope my experiences and stuff trigger some ideas for you. Make sure your goals are attainable and reasonable. Best wishes!
~ALCOHOL: Are you a drinker? I've seen more thin girls gain a lot of weight because of beer than pizza during their freshman year. Just think about how caloric one weekend at college can be for the typical "frat boy" type student. Friday - Breakfast, Lunch, then pizza for dinner - with a few beers, of course...followed by...more beer (or whatever type of alcohol.) Then Saturday breakfast? Cold pizza, then maybe lunch, dinner, and again drinking. Those two days alone can really pack in a lot of calories. If you drink, consider laying off a bit.
~EXERCISE: I lost 10 pounds the second semester of my freshman year by working out. I used the elliptical trainers because it's low impact but good cardio. I lost a lot of weight from my lower body. I was very happy with my results within a few months of going 4 times a week for a half hour to 45 minutes. I'm not one to give advice about WHAT to do or for how long or anything - but I'll give you advice about how I stuck to it.
- Find something you enjoy. Maybe it's Tennis or jogging or biking. Whatever it is, if you like it, you'll do it more.
- Listen to music. Especially if you're in a gym...it makes the time go by faster.
- Use that time as YOUR time. When I work out I study for tests (I don't bring notes with me but I can go over concepts, terms, lists, etc) or plan when I'll do my assignments, just generally organize my life. I also think about things that have happened, things that are bothering me or things I'm looking forward to. If you get really bored, my last resort is mentally creating music videos to go along with whatever you're listening to.
- Try to find a regular time to go. My schedule this semester was crazy but I went almost every Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 8:15 AM (Yes, this meant getting up way too early) and Tuesday/Thursday at 3:30. I gave myself the weekend off if I made it every day that week - any soreness I had from weights later in the week would be more or less gone by Monday and I felt more energetic having rested a bit.
~EATING: First of all, when you're working out you won't feel as guilty about those little "special occasion" splurges. For example "Yeah, I'll have a piece of my roommate's birthday cake...it's a special occasion and I worked out today!" Although you can't go around eating anything you want and expect to lose weight, I have found that I enjoy those little splurges more since I'm not worried about my thighs or tummy with every bite. Here are my other few tips that won't be life-changing, but will cut out a few of those extra calories.
- Making eating compromises with myself. I'll go have a burger on the weekend, but I tell myself that I either need to get the Boca burger and then I can have fries or I can get the beef burger (they really need to get turkey) and then just have a side salad. Another option is the side salad and boca burger option that allows me pudding. You get the idea.
- Don't keep bad food around! Right now I'm having a TERRIBLE time with the snacking and stuff. I'm home from school and there are cookies, chips, pie, stuff like that EVERYWHERE. My new alternative snack is baby carrots with light dressing. Works pretty well. Anyway, it's easier at school to not keep things around. I'd stock my fridge with apples and powerade and my "snack food" was pretzels. Oh, and if you're craving chocolate I highly suggest the Viactiv calcium chews. Not bad at all.
- Remember all those things you read in magazines about healthy meals that don't sound so bad. Chicken breast can be done 1001 different healthy ways. I also love cottage cheese so I stock up on the lowfat stuff.
- I'm a big believer in smoothies. A little orange juice (fresh squeezed is the best of course) some frozen bananas and whatever else you like...the banana will thicken it without making it milk-shake-ish.
- My post-dinner dessert a lot of days came from our school smoothie bar. I threw a bunch of raspberries into a plastic cup, then tossed a few chocolate chips in and mixed it up. Kinda like a Godiva chocolate raspberry bar but less calories, ya know?
Anyway, good luck, I hope my experiences and stuff trigger some ideas for you. Make sure your goals are attainable and reasonable. Best wishes!
Chubbygirluk
05-16-2004, 07:18 AM
Damn that freshman fifteen :mad: I piled on thirty pounds between starting college and spring break in my freshman year - too much pizza, Ben & Jerry's and late-night snacking plus spending all my time on my butt either studying or sat on the couch chatting or reading. I didn't have a scale so it was a real shock for me when I got home and - after several comments from my Mom and sister :eek: - took a deep breath and weighed myself :o Anyway I decided to cut out potato chips, candy and soda and started to run in my local park. At first I could hardly do a mile but my friends were very encouraging and once I got fitter I found it was good to have a bit of 'me' time and a great way of relieving stress. I'm 5'8" and have gone from 180 lbs at my chunkiest to 156 now. Still got a bit of jiggle but I can do five miles now so in a way I don't care as much - be nice to be slimmer for summer though :) But my fitness/stress management is definitely the main goal now. Just persevere and you'll be fine - at least you've only got 10 lbs :)
SuEstrellita
05-16-2004, 12:01 PM
I can do five miles now so in a way I don't care as much
*Applauds* 5 miles is awesome. I wish my shinsplints didn't keep me from jogging. That's incredible. :)
*Applauds* 5 miles is awesome. I wish my shinsplints didn't keep me from jogging. That's incredible. :)
cswl
05-17-2004, 04:18 PM
Hi,
Just do something that put you on the track of a slimmer you. I used to yap a lot of wanting to lose pounds, but in truth never been willing to act. Then when I do something, I seem to lose heart when the scale doesn't tell me a sliver progress. Gosh. My opinion, be willing, act and adhere to the new routines or habits. Who care about that metal who doesn't even have a brain build in - the scale. Like it knows what you have done thus far. So ditch the scale, :) I really did that and felt awesome. What's most important is you know what you do and keep at it until you goal make visible. Yes, you can. Begin today. Go out there, and walk coz the weather is pretty nice and summer is just around the corner.
I wish you all success and happy college years.
Regards
Ida
Just do something that put you on the track of a slimmer you. I used to yap a lot of wanting to lose pounds, but in truth never been willing to act. Then when I do something, I seem to lose heart when the scale doesn't tell me a sliver progress. Gosh. My opinion, be willing, act and adhere to the new routines or habits. Who care about that metal who doesn't even have a brain build in - the scale. Like it knows what you have done thus far. So ditch the scale, :) I really did that and felt awesome. What's most important is you know what you do and keep at it until you goal make visible. Yes, you can. Begin today. Go out there, and walk coz the weather is pretty nice and summer is just around the corner.
I wish you all success and happy college years.
Regards
Ida