<p>I'm at college and for most of my life I've been one of those skinny people since I ate pretty well, subsisting on a healthy diet provided by parents. Now that I'm on my own in a college, however, with dining halls serving up suspiciously greasy food...I'm pretty worried about gaining weight. My schedule is pretty killer with long work-study hours and five courses, so it's difficult for me to find time to exercise. How do I avoid gaining weight? Is it okay if I just walk around everywhere? It is really, really hard to find healthy food choices at Penn's dining halls. Anyone have any tips for this?</p>
<p>Honestly, just eat less food, that’s what I’ve been doing. Other people eat whatever they can get their hands on because theyre hungry, but if you have some control, you can eat enough to stay well but not gain weight. Also, theres probably salads and stuff you can buy at the dining halls.</p>
<p>There are healthy options. Eat them. And no, normal walking does not count as exercise.</p>
<p>Not very keen on eating salad every day, but if there’s no other option…and damn! Oh well. I’ll eat less and try to squeeze in exercise time. Sucks because there’s always free food around campus lately but I gotta learn some self-control.</p>
<p>Instead of pigging out on the “greasy” food, opt for the salad bar, or eat a variety. From my observations, those who do gain weight are the ones who get a gigantic bowl of mac n’ cheese with lasagna and pizza; add ice cream and cookies to that. However, the people who’ve managed to maintain their current weight seemed to eat a different bunch of stuff: salad, tomatoes, salami, some cheese, a lot of fruits, and a few bits of junk food here and there to satisfy their craves. Honestly, it’s not hard if you don’t go nuts with the dining food. If there is no “healthier” option, then eat less of everything and walk everywhere.</p>
<p>You could also splurge for a better quality option (i.e. off-campus dining) once a week. :)</p>
<p>Yeah I’ve been relying on some off-campus vegetarian food at times, and reducing my intake of greasy food. In fact, I never get the hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza etc…I usually get the ‘make your own omelette’ for breakfast, a sushi bowl for lunch, and whatever’s the main entree at the dining hall for dinner.</p>
<p>@zchryevns: Why wouldn’t walking an hour a day, which I think could be considered normal, be a valid form of exercise? That’s how long it takes to walk to and from school from my apartment and it has to be better for you than driving…</p>
<p>I had a problem with weight gain starting in my junior year when I got on a medication that increased my appetite dramatically. I was perpetually underweight before I started this medication. I went to the gym every day during the summer but that’s just not practical during the semester. It really helped me to track my calories online and limit them to 1500 per day, but also making healthier choices to make sure that I have enough protein and nutrients. My school also just opened a new dining hall right next to the gym that provides much healthier options than the three other dining halls, and I’ve also been getting chicken or tuna subs at Subway quite often (as opposed to the Burger King next door). I’ve lost 7 pounds since I started tracking my calories and this week I’m trying to wean myself off the website I was using to track my calories and see if I’ve learned how to track on my own.</p>
<p>If you can’t find enough time to go to the gym, try the short 10-15 minute workouts on Youtube, like Pop Pilates. You can do several of them throughout the day, and in conjunction with eating well, you should be okay.</p>
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It is better for you than driving, but it is not cardiovascular exercise. If it’s speed walking for the purpose of exercising, that’s different.</p>
<p>It sounds like you are already doing the right things to avoid the Freshman 15. Eat a balanced meal, find some healthy snacks, take a PE class, do lots of walking, and you will be fine!</p>
<p>eat five meals a day to boost metabolism
run about 20 minutes a couple times a week (don’t say you don’t have time because you do).
drink a lot of water
take multivitamins and fish oil tablets.</p>
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<p>Also, eventually your body gets used to that level of exercise, and you’ll have to alter your food intake/calorie output anyway.</p>
<p>^Yup, the “plateau.” Either change your diet temporarily or exercise more or less for a little while.</p>
<p>I still go to the gym a few times a week anyway, I just don’t have time to go every day like I did over the summer. And my calorie intake is already down to about 1500 calories per day, do you really think I should drop below that when I only want to lose a couple more pounds anyway?</p>
<p>1500 is already pretty low, especially if you work out. Go below that and you risk that your body does the opposite of what you want: Gain fat because it things you are going through a hard time food-wise.</p>
<p>I don’t know how accurate this is, but I’ve heard that part of the Freshman Fifteen is gained because students with new found freedom drink a lot of alcohol [Freshman</a> 15 & Alcohol - The Official Freshman Fifteen Website](<a href=“http://www.freshman15.com/alcohol.php]Freshman”>http://www.freshman15.com/alcohol.php). So if you don’t drink you can worry about it less.</p>
<p>Yeah, I eat more than 1500 on days when I work out. But it seems like a good baseline for me and I’m never hungry after eating that much in a day. The only days I seem to get up to 2000 is when I eat fast food, which I’m avoiding the majority of the time.</p>