I put on a lot of weight at uni and found it really difficult to eat well while there ( I was a size 12 and 11st4 when I started) for various reasons. I didn't follow the SW plan at uni but before I went I had been eating very healthily just naturally.
I first put on weight due to all the sugary alcopops I was drinking almost every night by the end - in that first year I guess I was scared of missing out on anything socially and was keen to be seen to keep up with the other 'cool' kids. Secondly I was paying for catered halls of accommodation which I thought would be a good idea to keep my weight down, have someone else make my tea for me. But this was disastrous... the food was horrific and laden with salt and sugar and most of the time was things I simply did not like. So although I went every day I would often come out of the dinner hall and go straight to the shop as I was still hungry and buy sweets and chocolate while i was there.
Then i picked up other students bad habits... usually after a night drinking I went home straight to bed and perhaps had a massive breakfast. In Scotland however I found that EVERYone seemed to head to the chippie after nightclubs for chips and cheese. As I had to share a taxi with these folk I often ended up going to the chippie with them and once there the smell and temptation became too great and I would end up getting my own. Of course when you wake up the next morning you are still hungry/hungover and then eat your ordinary breakfast on top, sometimes even forgetting you ever had that chips and cheese. Not good!
I thought things would get better in my second year but they got more difficult. I moved into private halls with a small fridge a small freezer and 4 other flatmates... two quite overweight girls, a giant of a scotsman and a triathlete. My problem this year was that the two girls (who had a car) would go off as soon as there was any room in the fridge or freezer and buy lots of stuff to fill it up- as i moved in afterwards I found that there was no room for my things! and that as soon as there was any room the girls would jump in their car zoom off and fill it up again. I had no car and by the time I saw some space and walked off to the shops to get myself some food i would return to find they had filled it up again. So I ended up living on a day to day basis out of the nearby spar freezer - lots of unhealthy options but as the shop was so small it was all they had
When I then became the Warden of the Halls I implemented a regime change and while the girls were gone for summer put up notices... One shelf in the fridge each and that any out of date food found more than one week past would be thrown out. They left the freezer full while they were away and I chucked all that out too. Finally I had my own little space in the fridge and freezer!
Eating properly got easier from then and I was doing great, going to circuits classes 3 times a week and swimming twice a week. I began to undo some of the damage my first few years had done.
Then "Bam!" another round of misfortune struck me. I caught glandular fever and was unable to exercise or walk to the supermarket for food as I had simply no energy. Back to the spar full of unhealthy foods I went. I had GF for the best part of a year and thats when most of my current weight went on.
I'm 24 now and have been clear of the illness for a year and a half but it's taken this year and a half to get my "ooomph" back, my energy and motivation. I know I can return back to normal and be the confident young woman I was before university.
My advice to anyone struggling with their weight going to university would probably be to plan ahead each week what you're going to eat and when, still socialise and have a laugh with mates but perhaps choose healthier options or go home slightly earlier before everyone else, and if living with inconsiderate flatmates like I had well if they won't listen after you've asked politely for them to leave more space then a small fridge for your room would be a good investment if you can afford it.
Good luck with your course MissHQ, I don't know where you live but a good (superfree) snack to carry with you at uni would be seaweed (yes really). I live in NI and we have this stuff called Dulse which is really good for you and a great substitute for crisps (especially if you like your snacks salty). Failing that, how about little mini kebabs with prawns and small pieces of veg on?, really quick to make, no mess and no fuss!
