I started my weight loss journey a year and a half ago and lost 85. I know by the title that it may seem like campus food helped me lose all my weight, but it was also the reason I gained, roughly, 60 pounds my sophomore year. Too many fast food binges, Chicken-Dippity and lack of self-control consisted of my 60-pound gain. I want you to know that if you are motivated to better yourself, then you can do this too. My only warning is that be aware that it takes patience and time. So how did I drop 85 pounds in 18 months? I ate healthy (most days) and I get a work out from my job with all of the walking I do (13-18 hours a week.) Other than that, I do not go to the gym. Ever. I have never stepped foot in the gym on campus to do this. The first two weeks I dropped twenty-five pounds! It sounds crazy, but I was not starving and felt energized.
FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY I am not a doctor and this is how my body physically permitted me to drop weight. My methods may not work for you, but I never thought I could do this, so it is at least worth a try, right? I started with when I woke up, and usually, I do not wake up feeling hungry for about two hours until after I start my day. Before my stomach would start telling me I’m hungry, I would try to down two bottles of water. A great way to boost is infusing water with rosemary, mint, and lemon.
Once lunch time rolled in, I went to one of the dining places on campus. At the CUB I would buy a sushi platter and a big salad, with or without chicken and Caesar dressing. Then, a Life Water or even a diet, aspartame free, cherry Pepsi. Then for dinner, I would go to one of the dining halls. I would eat a big spinach salad first, load it up with all the toppings I liked, and whatever dressing I was feeling that day. Then I would make a hot turkey and cheese sandwich on wheat in the panini machine, and occasionally a small bowl of soup too. Sometimes I would have some soda here too, but no more than a cup. Any other time I drank A TON of water in between meals and I would snack on granola, yogurt or fruit if needed. A big reason why this was so successful in the first two weeks is because I only ate when my stomach said I was hungry. That was also the toughest part because if you struggle with your weight, you know you are not always hungry when you eat your guilty pleasures. Then I saw results and talk about a drop in the first two weeks, it was INSANE! Now, remember I said this took a year and a half to drop 85 pounds, so it did stop being so dramatic after that. I also went about two or three days a week where I was more lenient with what I ate after the first two-week drop. This was so that I could stick to it and not feel deprived or like I was on a diet. But this did not mean I overate or ordered two Big Macs at midnight. I just had a salad for lunch and then at dinner I ate until I felt full, but because I had a light lunch, I did not overeat for the day. So, I would eat fries (smothered in cheese sauce) and a black bean burger at Kriner, (which are the bomb). I could not do this without some of my favorite foods which is why I still drink soda also. It really is all about moderation. If you have a great healthy low-calorie lunch, it means you can add that soda to dinner and then just go back to the more restricted diet for a few days.
Moderation and self-control are tested, but I started at 255 pounds and am sitting at 170 as of a few days ago. I went from a size 18 to a 10 and had to buy a new wardrobe (oh darn). I feel like a whole new person watching my body deflate, pretty much. It is exciting and a difficult journey, but well worth it overtime. Hopefully, this has given you a different perspective on losing weight in that it does not have to suck completely. You can have your cake and eat it too, just in moderation.