Help! I'm living on cafeteria food here at school, and I need advice on how to eat without going carb-crazy!

I started the Protein Power plan today, and as soon as I finish this message, I am going to buy an Atkins book. The summer before this past summer, I was on the PP plan for about 2 weeks, and I really noticed a difference in my body--I was trying on clothes, and my usual size was too big. But then I started college and it kind of faded out. Over my freshman year and this past summer, I gained about 25 pounds. I now weigh 175, which at 5'5'' is just too much. I am going home for Thanksgiving on Nov. 21st, and I am determined that my family and friends will notice (and comment on!) a difference in my body by then. For the past month, I have been attempting to lose weight by cutting calories and working out every day, but aside from some new muscles visible, I haven't lost a pound and still feel fat. Plus, I have hypoglycemia and I need to regulate it so it doesn't turn into diabetes, which runs in my family.

I signed onto this forum because I need your support! My roommates do not agree with dieting, so I don't have them to cheer me on. Plus, I am uncomfortable discussing it with them. I have less than a month to notice some change--can I do it?

thanks SO much!
Erin

absolutely you can do it. not to say you will for sure lose it all before thanksgiving, but you can make a smaller goal and obtain it. cafeteria food could work for you, you just have to be smart about it. eat the meats. eat the green veggies and the salad bar. avoid the desserts, sodas, and breads. buy some nuts at the store and keep them with you. use the tools at the top of the page. the lc kitchen is a place of many good ideas.

good luck, and we are all here to support you!!!

All right! I bought that Atkins book yesterdayd and I am going to try the Induction diet for the next two weeks. I figure, what can it hurt? So I got up this morning and ate an omlette with cheese and ham and mushrooms. It was tough putting that much food, that much GREASY food into my mouth at 9:30 in the morning, but I did it. And I have been studying the menu for the day and I know what I am going to eat. SO, here's hoping I last!

Oh--on this induction thing, can I eat stuff like nuts for snacks? What about sunflower seeds? What about exercise? Can I keep doing it? (Protein Power says no for the first week)

Thanks!
Erin

Hi Erin and welcome to the board

I would suggest you curtail the exercise for the first few days, until the carb w/drawal has past, then work your way back up to your current level.

Seeds and Nuts are not permitted on Induction. Try to stick to unprocessed meats, cheeses, eggs and those green veggies. Also the water is important. 64 oz a day (8 glasses minimum). Are you taking a multi vitamin? You may find you require some supplements, potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamine E.

I get my cal and mag together in one pill (333mg cal / 167 mg mag) and I take one with each meal and one an hour before bed. Potassium you can get from a product called "nuSalt" 1/8th tsp in a large glass of water twice a day during induction will give you 500+ mg potassium (each 1/8th tsp = 500+) and will help with all the electrolytes you'll lose as the excess water is flushed from your system.

Vitamine E is a powerful anti oxidant. It acts as a free radical scavenger to prevent the byproducts of chemical-cell interaction that cause cell damage. Free radicals are likely responsible for all or most of the degenerative diseases e.g. arthritis, heart disease, cancer, senility etc. The absorption or scavenging of free radicals protects our cells from this type of injury. The Eades (Protein Power) recommend 400 mg vitamine E that is made from mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols.

Cheers,
Nat

I think that there are a number of us going to school, either university or college and finding it a bit trickier. I find that my finances limit what I can buy and all the fancy recipes on this board are out of my price range, so I decided that I would just stay on induction until I can afford to buy the pricier things. Meat, cheese, eggs and salad are not expensive if that is all you buy. No chips, lattes, etc...

I found it difficult to eat such heavy things in the morning at first, but now I think that my body has adapted and I cant imagine going through a day without the fuel that I need. Funny how that works.

It is difficult to deal with roommates that either dont believe in dieting or are ardent lowfatters. I work in a place that believes that low fat is the ONLY way to go and is very condemning of other plans. I try to keep my tongue, and just keep saying that everyone is different and what works for one doesnt necessarily work for another and that seems to keep the peace somewhat, but it sure makes life trickier than it needs to be. Who is to say that what I do to my body isnt right for me, and vice versa. I almost moved into a house full of vegans... imagine me eating my flesh dinners with their faces frozen in horror! I begged out...

I am very glad that midterms are over...

Holly

Hi. I was checking out the threads looking for replys to my Nebraska thread and your post jumped out at me. Maybe it was the "How do I do this in college?" or did I see the name "Holly".
I'm a Holly too. I am not in college....54 years young but I think you can do this abount anywhere. For instance, I went to a big family Thanksgiving yesterday and loaded up my plate just like everybody else. Nobody noticed that I was "dieting". I had one of those divided plates. One section was celery, radishes, cauliflower, one was green beans, a teeny bit of cole slaw, and the big section was lots of TURKEY. I think that by the time I was done slowly eating this, I felt as full as those with the mashed potatoes and gravey, stuffing or pecan or pumpkin pie. And I know I felt better after. When we got home, my husband was hitting the Tagamint. A college cafeteria must be a little like our "golden corral" here in Omaha. You fill your plate with the meat and all the green vegies you can. Hopefully they offer salad.
Go for it, with bacon bits and cheese and olives. No low fat dressing. I know you can do it!