I'm a college freshman, and let me tell you, I've gained the freshman 15 and then some ( Coming back from winter break, I've been good about hitting the gym and getting better at watching what I eat, but its so hard!
Between work, class, homework, a social life; it's really hard to focus all my attention and energy on going to the gym, watching what I eat, and counting calories. I always do ohkay for a couple of days, maybe a week, then fall off the wagon and become unmotivated either from exhaustion or depression from falling off.
I need to get myself in the cycle of doing things right again! When I lived back home, i lost 25 lbs because I could focus so much more on doing it! ANY suggestions for a college student who needs to get her focus back on eating healthy and fitting in work outs?
BTW! I go to Purdue University in West Lafayette,IN. They're dining courts are great and the food is delicious and plenty, my problem is that no matter how hard I try to count my calories and eat healthier-I always seem to go over my caloric limit, and I don't know how I do it! Maybe it's my portions? I think I'm eating alright, but when i go back and really look at my dinner, its so much more calories then I thought it was!! Maybe I should write down what I eat and the calories before I eat it? Tips for motivation?! Idk....HELP!
Writing down what you plan to eat beforehand helps, absolutely. if you can stand it, trying to eat the same couple choices over again eliminates some of the effort of figuring it out every day. Try and build some exercise into your social life--walking with friends, take a hike, take on an active hobby.
There is always gonna be something to get in the way. You just have to figure out how to work around it and stick with that plan.
Making time for being healthy is hard, but it should be a priority. While I didn't try to actively lose weight in college I did lose about 10lbs through healthy eating and exercise. I worked full time as a graduate student (taking extra classes) and still found time for the gym!! It's hard, but it can be done!
Planning ahead is important. Can you get your meals ahead of time? If so, take them back to your dorm, figure out the portions and eat the right amount of calories that way.
Plan your day around the gym. I know it sounds strange, but doing this ensures that the gym is a priority. If you have a big paper or test coming up, plan around the fact that you will have to go to the gym. If you want to hang out with friends, plan around the fact that you have to go to the gym. It becomes much easier if it is something you HAVE to do, rather than something that gets in the way of things. There are some nights I don't hang out with friends (and admittedly the hanging out is less often now that a lot of my friends are now working, as am I) because I know there is a class at the gym I want to go to.
Health has to be a priority. There is always time for it no matter how busy you are—proper planning can ensure that you do have time
There have been some great idea here already. I would add that you may have been right in your original post about portion size. It might help to be SUPER conscious of your portions, drink a glass of water before you start eating, and then eat slowly. Savor the food, pay attention to it. (After all, the point of being healthier is not to stop enjoying tastes!)
I was a full-time student, I had a full-time job, I took extra classes to graduate early, and I still went to the gym. Know that you can do it. You really can. Anyone can make time for working out if they are willing to do so. And now—at your age—is the time to do it and make it a commitment for life. I am so glad I got into working out in college. I made it a part of my life then and it has continued to be a part of my life for twenty years.
As far as what I did in college goes, well, I arranged my schedule so that all of my classes fell on two or three days of the week. That left me with a substantial amount of time for homework even given my job (which unfortunately was not one of those on-campus jobs during the execution of which you can do your homework; I actually had to work). I also went to the gym very early in the morning, before breakfast. I got it out of the way before class even started.
Sometimes I actually miss my college schedule. Life is a lot easier to arrange in college. Now I have to work out late at night, after I have worked a very long day. But I still do it. I know that I must. You know it, too, and you can do it, too.
Last edited by Petite Powerhouse; 02-08-2012 at 06:47 PM.
Thank you everyone! I actually never thought about planning everything around the gym, maybe that's my solution! Thanks! I'll try!
Great! I know how difficult it is, but when you're in college it's really insanely easy to plan your day around the gym. Sure, around finals and midterms it can get difficult, but I found that sticking to my exercise routine during those stressful times helped me get through them! It's great stress relief!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Petite Powerhouse
Sometimes I actually miss my college schedule. Life is a lot easier to arrange in college. Now I have to work out late at night, after I have worked a very long day. But I still do it. I know that I must. You know it, too, and you can do it, too.
I'm just out of graduate school and I miss my college schedule too, especially my undergraduate one. I was able to plan work and class around the gym and workout in the mornings I can't do that now.
Losing weight is about creating a calorie deficit. There are several ways to do that... thru diet, by exercise, a combination of both... & there are several ways to do it thru diet...
one of those ways is to cut your portion size. So whenever you go to the food court (or cafeteria, etc) to eat, get whatever you want, but only eat HALF of it. You can either save the other half for your next meal, or throw it out, or split it with a friend - whatever. The point is, you'd be taking in half of what you normally eat, therefore creating a calorie deficit.
Altho I count calories & plan what I'm going to eat for each meal, I found that sometimes you just CAN'T, and that by eating HALF of "whatever" is the easiest way to make a calorie deficit.
What I'm doing now is working very well for me for motivation. I made a list of my reasons to lose and what I'm looking forward to when I hit my goal, and I keep it handy and look at it often. I also go online and save photos of people whose figure I admire - both male and female. I also save photos of the "before and after" images, which are great motivation. I take my favorite pictures and stick them up or save them to my thumb drive where I'll see them periodically.
Lastly, when I get hungry or tempted, I remind myself of what I'll be gaining (looking great in clothes, getting a beach-body, etc), not what I'm losing (no more chocolate-chip cookies, goodbye shrimp linguini in cheese sauce, etc).
I Need Motivation!!! :(
( Coming back from winter break, I've been good about hitting the gym and getting better at watching what I eat, but its so hard! 
