Eating healthy and NOT getting the freshman 15 in college?
Sat, 07/25/2009 - 8:12pm
I'm going to college this fall in New York :) I'm super excited, but also a little worried about the FRESHMAN 15! Especially since it's New York City and there's great (fatty) cheap food everywhere :( Does anyone have any suggestions?I have a lot of student loans so I'd prefer cheap tips :]
CONGRATS on starting school in the fall! I graduated a year ago from college, and didn't gain much weight my freshman and sophomore years, but I was more active then and worked out more.I personally think that alcohol packed on the most calories for me, and therefore pounds :( Avoid the fruity cocktails and stick to light beer, wine, simple drinks. Everything in moderation! :)Utilize the school gym! We had free membership to ours, including classes. Find a workout buddy, or schedule it in your planner. The vendors on campus (ie the cheap less delicious food) should have at least *some* decent options (sushi, boiled or steamed veggies, salad bar, etc.). I strongly encourage cooking your own food when possible--have a spaghetti dinner with some friends instead of ordering chinese takeout, etc. There are plenty of simple, inexpensive meals that you can make :) search allrecipes.com, and hungry-girl.com for ideas on healthy snacks and meals.Hope that helps! :)
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Thank you so much for your comment :] It was very helpful! I just wanted to edit to add more information about my eating situation:I will NOT have a kitchen my freshman year, and I have the 11 meals/week meal plan, which means I will be eating a lot outside of the school vendors. That's where I'm worried about slipping up with a lot :)
xoxo
The bad news is: it's New York. There's amazing food everywhere.The good news is: it's New York. You will walk everywhere. Yay exercise! :)It's not necessarily a matter of avoiding certain types of restaurants, but more about making good choices when you get there. Indulge now and then. If you do deprive yourself, you'll probably end up going overboard later.
Walk!! There are so many places in NYC to explore!! Get yourself a couple of girlfriends and walk down to the village, to the museum's, to central park!! You'll never run out of places to visit!! You're going to have such an awesome time in the city, just stay concouis of what you're eating and how much you're moving you'll be fine!Enjoy!
Walk walk walk walk everywhere!
The fact that you're thinking about it already is a good sign...that means you'll consciously be thinking about what you're eating while you're eating it!! As tempting as it is to get the most delicious (fatty) meal you're going to have to limit yourself. As you get to know the place you're in, you'll get a feel for what restaurants etc have good, healthy food for a decent price, and which ones you should steer clear of. Also, if you have the option, always eat your breakfast in your dorm room/apartment! As long as you can have something like a toaster or a kettle you can make all sorts of healthy and filling breakfasts. In first year I never ate breakfast out and saved a ton of money, and pounds - would have ended up getting pancakes or fried eggs otherwise. Look for Quaker Oatmeal packets, but even some toast with peanut butter or cereal with milk will help you keep on track.
How exciting! Try and keep a small but steady supply of "fresh" in your dorm or apt. and honestly,you'll be so busy at first you'll have to make time ot eat,LOL! Almonds and sliced apples are easy and cheap and you can carru them around with you...get one of those cute little insulated "lunch bags" and get in the habit of bringing your food instead of buying it. :)Your jeans will thank you! Have FUN!
I actually wanted to gain the freshman 15 (i know crazy huh) coz I'm underweight and try everything I can to gain weight. I learned that alcohol does contribute a lot to it. I didn't gain anything freshman year. But junior year is when i started to drink and thats when I started to gain weight. So like someone mentioned, stay away from those fruity drinks. Although they taste great, they do pack on the pounds. Have fun in college- it will be some of your most fun years :)
Well, I can honestly say that I didn't gain the Freshman 15. You just need to be really careful with alcohol intake. That packs on the calories. Also, there are cheaper options that aren't really expensive. Go and grab a salad at a cafe, instead of a cheeseburger. It's the same price :PAlso, you walk everywhere in NYC, which will help. I'm sure your college has a gym and you probably have a free membership included in your tuition. Just make sure to set some time back for going to the gym.
Thanks for your help everyone! :) Oh, and if anyone has any suggestions for MUST-GO places in NYC, I'd love that :) I'm from California, so I've only been to NYC a handful of times in my life - I'm prepared to totally explore the city!
xoxo
Congrats on starting school! I just graduated in May and college was indeed awesome.I don't know many people who actually packed on the dreaded "freshman 15" unless they were heavy drinkers. I really believe that's where most of the weight gain comes from. It's always entertaining seeing skinny girls with beer bellies. :PMaybe you could try eating small healthy meals throughout the day. If you carry healthy snacks like others mentioned (apples, carrot sticks, whole grain crackers), you won't feel as tempted to get unhealthy food from outside vendors. And yes, keep in mind that you will likely be walking a ton, so that + getting regular exercise at the gym will help stave off weight gain.
Lol good luck. Im starting college this fall too... Only as a junior. Did my AA at a community college.I dont know though... Im more worried about mal nutrition due to no time to eat!!!Im going to have classes 8-5 and work 5-9and homework in there somewhere????And work on the weekends..Good thing Im moving and wont have any friends there!!!
Tan is Love
I agree with everyone who says WALK! I went to college in NYC too, and I actually got really bad about just staying on campus and eating whatever crap I felt like, which is why I gained the freshman 15 and then some. I took a lot of it off by just shifting my habits to walking more and eating less crap.
But, beware of NYC winters -- you will not want to walk anywhere. Ever. It's COLD -- the tall buildings make the wind especially bad sometimes.
I actually lost 10 lbs when I moved to NYC for college. You do SO much walking and there are definitely plenty of healthy options--and even if you choose that slice of greasy pizza you can walk it off.
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OMG, how I envy you getting to attend college in NYC!!! My parents would not even let me apply to a school in the city! It's true what everyone says, you end up walking everywhere so you get enough exercise to burn off the extra calories you might take in. I didn't gain in college, but if I had, it would have been from all the free alcohol, not from the food! Not that I'm advocating that.
You have to go to Canal street, but go with someone who has been there before and knows where to get the really "good" fake stuff. Even if you don't buy anything, it's an interesting experience.
Just make sure you dont get stuck in a rut where all you do is study and stay on your computer, keep yourself active and get a work out buddy to conquer those extra pounds from the bad eating habits.
Where in the city will you be going to school? I have plenty of suggestions. But unlike erica I'd suggest staying far away from Canal Street unless you like crowded (sardine-like crowded) loud, smelly areas--totally not worth it. Hit up the many parks. I can get more specific, but let me know what area you'll be in!
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I wish I knew the magic trick. I know with myself I lost ten pounds my first semester, probably because I had more access to healthier foods like fruits and salads and was quite picky about my eating while in the dorms. Hope this helps!
It's not just what you eat, make sure to workout and get enough sleep too! =)
I had a mini fridge in my dorm and kept fruits in them. I also had lots of water around the room (no soda). This helped in limiting the amount of junk food I ate. The fruits were especially great when I was running to class and wanted something to take with me. Like everyone else has said, walking is great. Take the stairs instead of the elevators or take the more hilly path to class. Little things do help!