College life can be a whirlwind. But when you’re dividing your attention and effort between schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and your social life, finding time to care for yourself and pursue healthy habits can be challenging. Many college students gain weight during the course of their studies; undergraduates studying a four-year degree may gain an estimated weight between 3.5 and 6.5 pounds.
Various factors can compound and influence student weight gain, such as a change in environment, the nutrition in dorm meals, high stress and lack of sleep, and many more. Without the right healthy habits in place, this weight gain can affect your health and impact your school and daily life. Fortunately, it’s not impossible to shed pounds at school; some creativity and strategy are needed to ensure you have the means and time to care for yourself while acing your studies.
Here’s how you can pursue sustainable weight loss in college:
- Avoid fad diets and restrictions
You’ve likely seen a lot of nutritional content on social media that offers advice on how to lose weight fast. However, the fad or detox diets many influencers promote can be incredibly restrictive and unsustainable. Cutting out food groups like fats and carbohydrates from your diet may lead to visible weight loss results quickly, but you’ll likely gain the weight back, struggle with nutritional deficiencies, or even suffer from disordered eating—all of which impact your health negatively. Instead of restricting yourself, focus on building healthy habits that are more sustainable, realistic, and balanced. Pile your plate with lean protein and fruits and vegetables more often, but you don’t need to sacrifice the occasional slice of pizza. Adjustments like swapping out your daily iced coffee for water or unsweetened tea more often can also make a difference. The key is to make healthy choices that don’t restrict you from enjoying your favorite foods but promote balance and nutrition so you can stay consistent and achieve sustainable weight loss.
- Consider medical weight loss
If you struggle with obesity or weight-related health conditions, you might be concerned about gaining weight in college. You can consider medical weight loss if diet and exercise don’t seem to be helping with losing weight. A healthcare professional will provide you with a tailored weight loss plan, including tips on diet, physical activity, sleep and stress management, and more, allowing you to lose weight in line with your schedule, lifestyle, and preferences. Your doctor may also prescribe you with weight loss medications, such as the GLP-1 agaonist compounded semaglutide. Using GLP-1 for weight loss can help you stay fuller for longer by curbing appetite and food cravings, allowing you more control over how much you consume to aid in shedding pounds. By mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, it is able to regulate insulin and control blood sugar. Having the support and guidance of a professional can help you stay on track with your goals so you can lose weight sustainably in college.
- Get creative with physical activity
Physical activity is one of the most crucial aspects of weight loss, but it isn’t easy to make time for it as a student. Aside from joining the campus or dorm gym or attending fitness classes, you can get creative with your physical activity and integrate it into your daily life in school. You can try brisk walking or jogging to your class instead of taking a leisurely pace to amp up the intensity. If your campus has them, skip the elevators and take the stairs. If you have the space or an understanding roommate, consider following workout videos in your dorm room or apartment. You can make it a social endeavor, too. Check if there are any fitness groups like run clubs or cycling groups on campus, and consider joining one that suits your preference. You can also just rope in your friends and organize your own activity sessions together; being with a community you love can make exercise more fun and encourage you to stay consistent, helping you lose weight and improve your health.
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