Despite what you may have heard or what others have said, you can avoid weight gain in college. In fact, depending on what your family life is like, now may be the time to take charge of your own health and weight. It is even conceivable that you can actually lose weight once you change the environment in which you live. you’re an adult Adults are responsible for themselves, so take charge of yourself with a positive attitude. If you know you have poor nutrition and exercise habits, now is the time to change them. If what you did in high school worked for you, try to hang on to those clothes as best you can while you learn to adapt them to your new life situation.
Here are some tips to get you started on the right foot when planning for college. When you are planning your dorm room purchases, plan to buy a small refrigerator for your room. One with a good size freezer is better. Keep in mind that this is for healthy, low-fat meals and snacks. You’re not stocking up on regular soda, alcohol, sugary snacks, fattening snacks, and things you know are bad for you. The goal is lean, healthy, nutritious snacks along with meal replacements in the cafeteria. Also, don’t let your friend keep his fattening stuff in your fridge. That leftover birthday cake your friend has is her problem. Don’t make it yours. Your fridge is a major barrier to the college weight you’re trying to avoid. Keep it clean and lean. If you don’t have cookies there, you won’t eat them.
If you plan ahead, much of what you need to stock up on can be purchased at the start of the quarter or semester and will last you until the start of the next. If you’re lucky enough to have a car or know someone who does, a few trips to the local grocery store can help you replenish your supplies. In addition, it is also an option to take some pieces of fresh fruit or turkey meat from the communal canteens. A sweatshirt with pockets and some sandwich bags make grabbing snacks or hard-boiled eggs pretty easy. Use your imagination, but remember that hooking on baked goods defeats the purpose. Your goal is to prevent weight gain. The cakes are fattening.
Good things to stock up on are fat-free yogurts, low-fat string cheese, high-fiber, low-calorie tortillas for wraps, store-bought smoothies, meats for sandwiches, and of course, lots of fruits and vegetables to snack on. If you have school early in the morning and skip breakfast, have some skim milk and a high-fiber, high-protein cereal like Kashi Go Lean cereal. Whole wheat bread or a banana with some natural peanut butter is also a good option. Do not skip breakfast, it will be much more difficult for you to make good decisions at lunch. Your brain will also work better with some quality fuel in your body.
Without being a fan, try to keep your breakfast between 250-350 calories. There are some decent breakfast energy bars that are great to grab on your way out the door. Of course, be sure to read the labels. You want high protein, high fiber, and as low in sugar as you can find. Be careful because some of those bars are pretty much like eating a candy bar no matter what they say. If you can get to a microwave, make a packet or two of instant oatmeal with milk instead of water for a nutritional boost. Add some fruit if you can.
Good afternoon snacks are baby carrots, snap peas, celery sticks, or even some rice crackers. Apples or a handful of almonds are also a good option. Things that creak are very satisfying. A small package of nuts is also a good option and can keep you from going downstairs to dinner and wolfing down anything and everything. Don’t forget those 100-calorie packets of popcorn. Or if you’re not very hungry and just bored and waiting for dinner, stick a piece of gum in your mouth and wait to eat until you’re really hungry. When in doubt, eat a piece of fruit.
You have control over what you eat. Plan ahead so that when others start eating chips or things you know you don’t want to eat, you can go to your room and grab an apple and chew on something that makes you feel good. With the right mindset and action plan, weight gain is not inevitable or a requirement for graduation.
