[DisenchantedSoul]

I'm usually pretty good at staying motivated when I'm trying to lose weight, but I can never seem to eat well when I'm around my friends!

I'm the only one of my group of friends that has weight issues, and they never watch what they eat or make an effort to exercise.
My roomate is the worst! She's a stick... and it's hard to eat healthy when she's constantly eating the foods that I'm trying so hard to stay away from!

To top it off, I'm a college student, and it's hard to stay away from all the alcohol and parties.

ANy ideas on how to stay healthy with SO MUCH temptation around me all the time?

[gailr42]

Look at it like one of your college classes. You want to get an A, so you don't let your friends influence you. Seriously, good luck. Your situation is difficult.

[MissyCrissy]

I can totally relate to the pressures of being in college and being around friends. My advice is simply that it's your body and you have to give it as much attention as you do your coursework. When you make up your mind that you really want to lose the weight you'll be able to avoid making bad decisions about food.

If everyone goes out for dinner order a salad or broth based soup before your entree that way you'll eat less of it, or if you want something "normal" offer to split something with someone.

As far as alcohol goes limit yourself to 1 or 2 drinks and then drink water or seltzer the rest of the night. It can be hard, but it's ultimately worth it!

Hang in there, you can do it!

C.

[kaw]

You can also put yourself in situations with healthy people, and make a few new friends in the process. E.g., join a fitness or outdoor education club. Go to the gym at the same time every day, and you'll meet new people there. (At the risk of overgeneralization, I find that morning gym-goers are friendlier than afternoon or evening gym-goers. Must be the "misery loves company" theory, or maybe the same process at work that explains why big-city strangers are much friendlier after a snowstorm.)

This won't really help you resist your roommate's junk, but the more you have a life away from her and from dorm parties, the easier it will be to resist. If that makes sense.

Good luck!

Kim

[JayEll]

It's really hard! Just the stress of being in school makes some people gain.

Maybe you can have a strategy of not indulging (overeating and drinking) during the week, but only on Friday or Saturday (not both). The rest of the time, eat nutritious foods and avoid the alcohol. On your "party day," don't go hog wild, but ease up. Have some fun!

It's easy for college to turn into one continuous party, and that should be avoided.

Jay

[DisenchantedSoul]

Thanks for all the ideas!

I'm going to go to the gym today and ask what kind of fitness classes they have. I think I'm also going to talk to my roommate tonight about maybe keeping all the junk food in her room so I don't have access to it, and ask her to try and eat it when I'm not around.

Hopefully having support from evryone on here might make a difference too!