The South Beach Diet, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem- you've heard it all. They promise pounds upon pounds of weight loss in just a few weeks. There is always a “hot mom” figure in the commercial, bragging about how fat she used to be and how thin she has become. Diet programs have intrigued Americans for decades, and they will until the end of time. Why worry about your own diet if you can let someone else do it for you? As a college student, though, it can be really tough to stick with these kinds of plans. How would you even be able to afford it all in the first place? Hello! When you are paying over $15,000 per semester to sit through boring classes and eat off an overpriced required meal plan, how do you expect to have the time and money to pay for your own personal meal planner? The real answer to that question is that you don't have to. Here are five helpful tips, which if used on a daily basis, will help you to trim up, leaving all that “freshman fifteen” weight behind.
Utilize That Meal Plan
It seems like cafeteria food isn't too tasty these days. Half-done pizza, tasteless pasta and 20% beef hamburgers just don't appear to be very appetizing day in and day out. Right? Well, have you ever noticed that there are healthy choices too? Next time you walk into the cafeteria, go straight for the salad bar. You will find an array of greens calling your name. Most school cafeterias also offer a variety of dressings, not to mention olive oil and vinegar. Once you've stopped by the salad bar, check out the soup selection of the day. Spring vegetable? Cheese and broccoli? Having soup before your meal fills your stomach out so that you are less tempted to overeat. Another choice most schools have is fruit. In fact, grabbing a few apples on the way out never seems to hurt. Eating these frequently ignored entrées will improve your diet and it won't cost you anything extra!
Plan For Your Meals
Now, I understand that as a college student, you can't sit down every Sunday evening to come up with a carefully drawn out list of menus for the week. That is unrealistic, and as mentioned before, you should always utilize your meal plan. What I mean by planning meals is that you should always know when you're going to eat. One evening, your friend might call and want to hang out. When this happens, most college students just grab their wallet (or purse) and head out the door. A more nutritionally conscious student would remember that he needs to eat first so as not to be tempted by the calorie-laden pastries or greasy hamburgers and fries so often offered during late night excursions around the town. Plan to eat beforehand, even if that means asking your friend to wait another thirty minutes.
Make Healthy Choices When Eating Out
There is no way to completely avoid restaurants when you are at college. It's important to limit the number of times you eat out, but considering you probably have a social life, eliminating restaurant visits all together would be absurd. When eating out, walk into the establishment knowing that you will only eat half of what you order and take the rest home. It doesn't matter how hungry you are, because restaurant servings are more than enough to fill you up a few times. Although these restaurants encourage you to eat like a pig, you can choose not to. Also, don't be afraid of ordering a kid's meal. If you are not especially hungry, a kid's meal is usually all you need. Just know that if you are still hungry after eating, you can eat later. Don't overstuff yourself! Many restaurants now offer healthy options, too. Whether it is categorized as a smaller portion, lower in fat, or more well-balanced, always remember to order something from that section. It's ok to limit yourself, because you are trying to lose weight!
Go to the Gym
Most colleges have a gym or wellness center for students to use whenever they want. Like your overpriced meal plan, the gym is paid for by you. Why not use it? I mean, at what other point in your life will you pay for a gym membership without using it? Working out doesn't just burn calories, it also releases endorphins which will help relieve stress (and every college student has stress), not to mention giving you a natural high. One thing which can make working out more fulfilling is by bringing an mp3 player and jamming out to music so that by the time you are done, you're not completely bored. Another way to have a good time while working out is by switching up your workout from day to day. Getting into a strict routine sometimes makes going to the gym less enticing. Play basketball one day, and work on your arms or legs the next. Then have a day to focus solely on cardio. It's really all up to you!
Have a Diet and Exercise Partner
College students are very competitive people. Having someone there to support you and compete with you throughout the weight loss journey will help you to push yourself farther than you would be able to otherwise. It is important to have a friend to hold you accountable when you make bad lifestyle choices in general. Why not apply this idea to losing weight? Seek someone out by asking your friends if they are interested in working out and dieting together. Set up times during the week to go to the gym together, and keep track of what each other eat. Knowing that you will have to report your food intake will encourage you to eat the right kinds of food. Most people would love the opportunity to shed a few pounds, and knowing that someone is going through the same experience encourages people a great deal.
By applying these tips to your daily life, you will lose weight. Don't stress out so much about strict diet plans. Just live your crazy college life with these tips in mind and the pounds will come off!
