I am currently working on my Masters degree in Psychology. The schedule is AWFUL! I am on campus a lot more than I was during my undergraduate degree. Makes it difficult to eat healthy meals consistently.

Any other college students out there?

 I am taking college courses. I attend 6 classes, 4 days a week. I also have 3 kids. My schedule is crazy which makes dieting even harder. I just started Alli yesterday and classes don't start back until next week am keeping my fingers crossed.

Good luck to you and I would love to hear any helpful tips you might have.

Monica

I am a college student too. I know how hectic life can be, espcially with the type of food avaliable on campus. Just try and find the best choice and you can always walk around campus for some exercise in between classses.

i just graduated collage a year ago i found that parking farther away and walking to class, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator can be helpful.

 Tell me about the hectic schedule issuse!!  I am going back to school for my RN right now.  I have 3 part-time jobs at this point and am a single parent!!  Anyway my story is I have tried Allie in the past and dedication was my major down fall.  I gained about 10lbs while I was in LPN school and I don't want that 2 happen again.  I would like 2 lose the weight that I gain last time I was in school or at the  very least not gain anymore!!  My biggest problem with the dieting is the convience of the drive thru and eating on the run.  That and I love french frys!!

 Glad to hear I am not alone! I also have kids, 2 of them and even though they are older and more self sufficient it's still hard! Eating on the run is also a big deal here, I have 2 nights a week with night class and it is just so much easier to go to a fast food place on my way to class!

What degrees are you all going for?

 I am also taking classes this semester! I have been fortunate that all of the community colleges in Dallas County now have a subway in the cafeteria! i think this will help, also the weather should be nice most days to walk the track around campus. We have a gym that is available no charge for students, anyone else out there getting any training?

I completely understand how hard it is! Now that the new semester has just begun, I am about to block off my course calendar 2X/week to accomodate the gym. I need to value my health as much as I value my intellect and hope that this will help me do so. I am not sure that it'll work, but I am going to try. anybody else out there interested in considering the gym a "class"??! While diet is just as important as activity, I personally feel that exercise reinforces my efforts related to my health and have fostered my diet initiatives.

I work and go to school and have a family. I understand. Seems to work for me when I plan and shop on Sundays for the week. I pack my lunch for the day along with my son. Its the only way to keep me on track. I always have a piece of fruit, sandwich nad yogurt in my lunch. I eat breakfast before I leave the house. Crock pot is a true blessing!

Hope this helps.

KB

fifenashia:

 I am currently working on my Masters degree in Psychology. The schedule is AWFUL! I am on campus a lot more than I was during my undergraduate degree. Makes it difficult to eat healthy meals consistently.

Any other college students out there?

 Hi there Fifenashia! 

I can totally feel your exhaustion!  I am in my last year of my Masters degree in Psychology also; currently working part-time in the morning, then try to get some study time in (writing my CPE paper (like a mini Thesis) and studying for the NCE that is April).  I run to pick my boys up from school and then off to intership I go until about 8pm at night.  It starts all over the next day. 

I have started buying the frozen Weight Watchers (Smart Ones) and some Lean Cusine dinners/lunches.  When I am in a rush I know this is all figured out for me and I just write it down in my Eating Log.  I was having problems making my fat intake for awhile. I was told to keep nuts, string cheese, and olives on hand. Low in calories and high in fat.  It seems to really be helping now that I am making my fat intake (YES!)

I am not sure if that helped at all, but know I do understand the challenge of trying to stay on track and balancing school and life all at the same time.   You'll find your groove, just don't give up trying to figure out what works for you :)

Your Fellow Grad Student!! <wink>

fifenashia:

 Glad to hear I am not alone! I also have kids, 2 of them and even though they are older and more self sufficient it's still hard! Eating on the run is also a big deal here, I have 2 nights a week with night class and it is just so much easier to go to a fast food place on my way to class!

What degrees are you all going for?

 Hi Again Fife!

What I do is eat before I leave for class and then take 1 c. of raw baby carrots with me to class and snack on those while I am at school.  It doesn't have to be carrots, but something healthy to snack on.  It ties me over until I get home. When I get home I make sure it is something light so that I am not eating heavy before bed (I get home late at night). Another reason why I eat my main dinner meal before going to class too.

If you have a lunch room that has microwaves, you take take a frozen lunch/dinner and heat it up at school.  Every Sunday I make my snack bags of 1 cup of carrots and another set of 1 cup of straweberries.  It's easier to just grab and run and it is already measured out for me. 

I hope that helps a little :)

fifenashia:

 I am currently working on my Masters degree in Psychology. The schedule is AWFUL! I am on campus a lot more than I was during my undergraduate degree. Makes it difficult to eat healthy meals consistently.

Any other college students out there?

I too am glad to see your post. I work full time and have gone back to school, post 40, for my B.A. in Psychology then on to the masters. I work M-F 830-530 (if I get out on time) and then take 2-3 evening classes a semester. It's the long way around but no other way to make school and the mortgage both work. Add family and non-profit volunteering, plus some research assisting, and who eats on a regular schedule. That is my biggest issue - not grabbing a diet coke and reeses at the mini mart between stops. But I'm getting there - baby carrots at work, yogurt, nuts, popcorn, and since I'm a bit of a techno geek I track it on my iphone so I don't have to write it down or wait til I'm online. there's a great free iphone application called "lose it!" and I love it.

Also interesting to see other psych people on line. I love that. More to relate to.

 I am currently a college student who lives on campus. I have found it hard to stay on track with the meal plan when all the on campus dining has is greasey foods. I can only eat salad for so long. Any advice on how i can maintain the meal plan while at school?

Im in school part time but  Im a single mother of one ( 9 in March), and working full time.  BUSY BUSY BUSY thats my middle name .  My SW is 220 my mini goal is 10 lbs a month and my GW is 165.  

Good Luck on your Journey.

Fine in 2009

I go to school full time and work about 30 hours a week. I am not always close to a microwave to carry the Lean Cuisine or Weight Watchers microwavable dishes so I will grab something semi-healthy on campus. CAMPUS PLACES NEVER seem to be healthy for me, the only subway is very far away and my lunch break doesn't allot that much time to go to it and back. Usually, I just eat grilled chicken at my cubicle while doing work. I have been packing healthier lunches this past month to get ready for Alli (babysteps works better for me than drastic ones). I dont snack as often as I should.

After I come home, I am too mentally burned out and tired to study or do more work, so I will watch some TV to decompress, talk to my boyfriend, do chores and go to sleep. I try to wake myself up extra early the next morning to do homework or get some work done, but I usually am so tired that I sleep past my alarm and then rush at the last minute to make it to class on time. See how extreme things are? I wish I had more time to relax so I wouldn't be so tired all the time. It seems like I never have enough hours in the day. I think I have gained majority of my weight this past year due to lack of rest and stress.

My metabolism is shot! I know that coffee can give some Alli users a bad reaction, is that the same for all caffeine? What about green tea? I think I need to cut out some work hours to have a healthier lifestyle, but I need to money to pay for college. I don't go shopping or buy material things, so I have 0 credit car debt - I just came from a poor family so I have to pay for tuition, rent, food, gas and bills. I keep telling myself to just get past graduation and then I only have to worry about work and will have time to rest, excercise, and relax.