College is giving me a very difficult obstacle

[srahman88]

I would like to start off by saying hello to all the Atkins supporters out there. I started off the Atkins diet roughly 2 months ago. I did some research online and read some forums. Although this is my first time trying to get involved in the community. Atkins was pretty successful for me, since I had a lot of reasons to lose weight. It was when I reached 223lbs, that i decided that something needed to be done. I was originally discouraged by the atkins diet since all the rumors frightened me. I joined a gym prior to the diet and started working out constantly, without losing weight. The thing that changed my mind was the explination given to me by the gym's owner. I followed his low carb idea, and I actually lost weight.
I looked more closly into the atkins diet, and I also watch bowulf's videos on youtube. All I have to say is that the guy is an inspiration and totally awesome. I officially started the atkins diet around a month and a half ago, and lost alot of weight. I even recorded almost everyday of weight loss.
6/14- 202.4
6/15- 198.8
6/16- 196.0
6/17- 198.2
6/18- 197.2
6/19- 196.6
6/20- 197.6
6/21- 198.8
6/22- 198.8
6/23- 194.4
6/24- 193.7
6/25- 196.6
6/26- 196.8
6/27- 196.0
6/28- 194.8
6/29- 192.6
7/3- 194
7/4- 196
7/5- 196.5
7/6- 192
7/7- 192.2
7/8- 191.1
7/9- 191
7/10- 189.2
7/11- 189
7/12- 190
7/13- 188
7/14- 187.2
7/15- 186.2

Also I should not forget to mention. I started to goto the gym at least 2 - 3 times a week for 45min to an hr and a half. I also cycle 3-4 times a weeks for 30 minutes to 2 hrs. I play dance dance revolution 1-2 times a week for 2-3 hrs. I love cardio, I personally don't workout to lose weight in particular, I love cardio because it is fun.


Recently I started college as a full time student. I still have 20 pounds to go till I reach a healthy BMI. Although, the new stresses that are presented are becoming more and more difficult. I fell off the atkins bandwagon and just carb loaded. Also the campus isn't helping, because all the fast food area's near-by are packed with carbs.
I used to only prepare my own food prior college although, time hasn't been on my side lately. I just gained 5 lbs and I'm currently 191.2 lbs. I don't want to head back to this path, so I'm trying my best to stick to this diet. I was considering to go back to induction for 2 weeks until my bodies ketosis is back to normal.

I need your help guys, i just need some info that would help me while i'm attending college. Any recommendations while eating Chinese?, how about buffalo wings?
Beef is difficult to find in fast food restaurants. Well, its difficult to find them w/o bread, that is. While I was in induction a month ago, I ate alot of Boneless Spared Ribs, I tried to eat some beef w/ broccoli although i'm not so sure about the sauce. Any tips will help.

In every forum/online community, we are all friends who are always there to help each other. My friends call me Sha; hello ^.^/

[ValidRouge]

Re: College is giving me a very difficult obstacle

Hi, Sha! I work at a college and I find my eating options are usually VERY good. What's the cafeteria like at your school?

Most every place has a salad...even nasty Ole McDonalds! Get salad with grilled chicken and then check the salad dressing. McDonald's pre-packaged dressings are full of sugar...but I'd use mayonnaise instead! Mayo with some salt and pepper is an excellent salad dressing.

Is there a grocery store nearby? If the college you are attending is residential, I would imagine there is one close. Check out the deli--rotisserie chicken, chicken wings, salads, raw veggies, etc are all great choices. If there is a grocery store, you're all set!

[apple]

Re: College is giving me a very difficult obstacle

Hey, Sha! Looks like you've done a great job so far. Just keep going where you left off...where is that exactly? Which OWL rung are you on?

From one college student to another, pack yourself a little cooler full of legal foods w/an ice pack or keep you back pack ready with snacks for classes. I bought my little cooler at Walmart for $7 bucks and it's my best friend during school. There's a ton of snack ideas in the food forums...a few of my favs are cheese, meats, celery, olives, Laughing Cow cheese (taste like cream cheese). If you're eating out, like Joy said, order the burgers protein style or w/out the bun, and ditch the dressing.

Best wishes!

[srahman88]

Re: College is giving me a very difficult obstacle

wow thx for such a quick reply. Actually the closest thing to low-carb meat in my school could be buffalo wings. Although, I've eaten nothing but meat and salads during the 1st rung. Originally I took induction to 3 weeks, with alot of beef, bacon, and beef patties. On 1st week of OWL i moved on to a healthier chicken and salad. Although the chicken takes almost forever to prepare.
Also during the 1st week of OWL I had alot more free time. Its just that i rush out of the house and straight to school since, its a 30 minute commute, barely making it to class in time lol.
I used to eat alot of boneless spare-ribs from the local chinese store. They remember me very well since i never order rice lol and ask how i lost weight so quickly on high fatty beef. The sauce for the spare-ribs doesn't seem too thick compared to the beef with broccolli or the chicken with broccolli. Also during OWL I started eating fried chicken and fried shrimp.... which soon got out of hand. -_-;

also my school's cafeteria is a atkineers worst nightmare. Right next to the salads, are pudding, parfait, and other high sugar food. Truth be told during the past two weeks I ate 1 or 2 parfaits a day... its so tempting. Oh and the worst was today. I had to goto this orientation thing and they were serving pasta... nothing but pasta... oh dear haha.

[Tack Candy]

Re: College is giving me a very difficult obstacle

If there is a Wendy's close I would try a double or triple cheeseburger (bacon too, why not?) without the bun. I had one not too long ago and because it is a special order (the no bun part) the meat is freshly prepared for you. I found it deeelish. No reason why you can't do that with other fast food burgers. It was excellent in a pinch.

Candy

[srahman88]

Re: College is giving me a very difficult obstacle

If there is a Wendy's close I would try a double or triple cheeseburger (bacon too, why not?) without the bun. I had one not too long ago and because it is a special order (the no bun part) the meat is freshly prepared for you. I found it deeelish. No reason why you can't do that with other fast food burgers. It was excellent in a pinch.

Candy

they susally give me a weird look lol when I order with/o a bun or rice. But, i'll try that one out if i can find a wendy's... thx ^.^/

[not2late]

Re: College is giving me a very difficult obstacle

The sauces on Chinese food is loaded with sugars. In fact, some of the marinades for meats are sugary as well. The "safest" thing to order at a Chinese restaurant is the plain steam meat with plain steamed veg, sauce on the side.

As for your cravings....it's the fat we eat that keeps us satisfied between meals. It's okay to eat lean meats like chicken and fish, but you HAVE to add fat. Doing a lower fat version of Atkins ain't going to work.

That added fat can be a tablespoon of oil, butter or mayonnaise. It can also be an ounce of cheese (full fat cheese), or cream.

When I was in college, we were allowed to have small refrigerators and hotpots/coffee pots in our dorm rooms. We also had access to a communal microwave and toaster oven. From what I understand, many colleges are more liberal and will allow other appliances. If your college will allow it, get a George Foreman grill. On the weekends, grill enough meat--chicken breast, salmon steaks, pork chops, etc. to last you the whole week. Then you can just refrigerate it and heat in the microwave.

You can easily boil eggs in a hotpot and you can even microwave scrambled eggs.

[Tack Candy]

Re: College is giving me a very difficult obstacle

Who cares if they look at you "wierd". Just look at them wierd back or pitch the bun if they insist that you have to have it (or you aren't in the mood for "looks". People can be annoying, can't they?)

[CareyAnne]

Re: College is giving me a very difficult obstacle

Hi Sha

I'm also in college and live on campus, full time nursing student and so far I'm doing well on atkins. I would recommend getting a gorge forman grill because you can literally grill all frozen meats in 5 minutes, SO EASY to prepare. I find it's pretty easy to make things atkins friendly where ever I go for fast food, subway salads are my favorite, grilled chicken, bacon and eggs, bunless patties in the caf. I always carry beef jerky, some nuts, an atkin's advantage bar or cheese string in my purse (if you're a guy obviously put them in a back pack instead but you get the point) so that if I find myself in a situation like your pasta-only-orientation I can snack on something else then go home and eat afterwards. Resist the parfaits! Make yourself a yummy "sundae" with whipped cream, splenda and coco instead, Italian Almond cream, or crustless cheesecake. Not sure if you have a stove/oven but the first and third one can be made without one, I find that I have to be creative so I don't cheat. Oh and when people give you "looks" for getting plain pattys give them a death glare until they look away. It's none of their damn business what you eat (they do this to me all the time, grrrr.)

Good luck