How to Lose Weight in College And Stay Fit

College life doesn’t leave a lot of time for hitting the gym. We get that. Here’s your simple guide to How to lose weight in college & train like a champ no matter how slammed you are with classes.

Staying fit & losing weight while attending college is sometimes far more difficult than anyone could imagine. With so many classes, tests, extracurricular activities as well as possibly juggling a full-time job, finding the time to hit your gym workout routines or exercise is a true challenge.

But you can find a healthy diet for college students & stay fit…

As hard as it can be to find the time, it can also be a challenge to secure the funds required to pay for a gym membership or even the one-time purchase of an at-home piece of gym equipment.

Luckily there are a number of ways that you can ensure you are staying fit from the moment you arrive on the scene until you walk down the graduation floor for your final day of college. Put these tips to work for you, and staying fit while attending college will be a lot easier than writing any of your term papers!

Fitness Center At No Cost?

If you are willing to take advantage of them, freebies are everywhere when you’re a student.

What’s better than getting something for free that everyone else is paying for?

You will be the envy of all of those around you!

There are many gyms and sports facilities in most cities that offer free use for college students. You can also find special coupons for free trial memberships online and in various publications. Use them and you can get your training in without spending any of your hard-earned money on your gym workouts.

Are You Drinking Protein Shakes?

Most college students will tell you that finding time to sit down and eat something healthy is a hassle. Cooking takes time that we already stated you’ll have little of and there’s plenty of cheap fast food to keep you out of the kitchen.

But if you want to eat right and don’t want to skip meals, your best bet would be to master the creation of the perfect protein shake. Whether your look for the best tasting protein powder or the most expensive protein powder it’s a good option to consider.

These shakes are great for consuming between classes or during a busy lunch period that you might not have time to sit down and eat. Before you think you can’t afford it, just remember that protein powder tubs are practically industrial sized so when you buy one of them, it’ll last you a lot longer than you’d think.

Do You Have A Training Partner?

Sometimes we need a friend with us to give us the motivation needed to get out there and do something and hitting the gym is not an exception. It is great to have a pal in your corner to support you, to push you and to train with you. Chances are you have someone in mind already, so make sure that you call that friend and get things done! There’s nothing like motivation to ensure you meet your physical goals.

Make Your Surroundings Your Gym

Did you know that your college campus can serve as an excellent facility for working out?

No. We don’t mean just going to the gym. The truth is that you can make anywhere a gym if you’re smart enough to use your surroundings.

Consider using benches for push-ups, crunches, dips and stretches. Also, don’t forget to use the campus grounds for walking, running, or even lunging and squatting. You can also bang out a bunch of burpees from pretty much anywhere—just be sure to be ready to have some curious onlookers while you’re doing, but that could be a great icebreaker, too!

Doing The Right Workout When You Do Train

There are so many different workout philosophies and programs out there that it can be really hard to pick the best plan for your goals. But, if you want to see results, you need to have the best possible plan.

Our advice is to check out a magazine or book and formulate a plan for yourself that matches your fitness level. If that isn’t something you’d like to do, you can even make some time with one of the strength and conditioning coaches of the school teams so they can push you in the right direction.

Failing that, how about checking out one of the plans on this very site?

Are You Being Lazy On Your Way To And From Classes?

Rather than take a bus to campus, make the time to either ride your bike or walk to school. This is an easy step that will help you burn more calories. In fact, you could burn up to 400 calories in only 30 minutes of cycling! As an added bonus: When you walk or ride your bike to campus, you are also doing your part to help the environment.

Do You Warm Up And Cool Down?

Before you start your workout, make sure that you warm up first. Stretching may seem like a waste of time, especially when you are young and your body bounces back a lot quicker than later in life, but working out without proper stretching can result in possible injury or excessive soreness and pain.

Stretch for a few minutes before you start your workout and you’ll be thankful later. Also, make sure that you cool down after you train. Let your body reacclimatize to a regular workload by slowly tapering back on speeds while doing cardio and you’ll be glad you did.

Are You Making Your Health A Priority

Write down all of the things that you find important in your life. Is health on that list?

If it is not, now is the time to change that. Just as you find time to do the things in life that you want, it is important that you also find the time to keep yourself healthy. But, just making a list won’t make your life any better.

After identifying the importance of a healthy life, you have to make time for it just as you do with any other element of your life you deem important. If working out isn’t something that you can allow yourself to skip, you won’t. If it is something you can take for granted, you likely will. Make the call and stick to the effort.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

Our bodies are made up of as much as 90% water. Each and every day we lose that water through urination and sweating. That means you need to replace that water so your body can run at its best. Drinking 8 to 10, eight-ounce glasses of water each day will replenish the water you need in your body, keeping you hydrated and ready to crush any workout.

Have You Embraced A Solid Routine?

When your body is on a regular routine, you can expect many great things to happen. You’ll feel better, have more energy, be more alert and be able to do more each day. You must set a muscle building routine that includes time for sleeping, eating, classes, a social life and a daily workout. With 24 hours in a day, there is plenty of time to get it all done. You just have to commit to doing it right!

What’s The Right Portion Size To Eat?

You may be eating the best foods on the planet, but if you’re eating too much or too little, you’re not doing yourself any favors. You need proper nutrition to function at optimum levels through your scholastic career and any efforts in the gym. That means you can’t starve yourself to lose weight effectively—that only causes muscle loss or atrophy.

Properly feeding your body also means you can’t overeat bad or good foods. Too much of anything is never a good thing. Consider eating about 6 to 8 ounces of a lean protein source, a cup of complex carbohydrates and a few cups of vegetables or leafy greens every cutting meal plan. If you can accomplish this, you’ll be way ahead of the curve when it comes to providing proper nutrition to your body.

Are You Eating The Right Breakfast?

If you don’t love a good breakfast, we seriously question your way of life. Breakfast is the best meal of the day. Sure, you can go down the road of eating an overly indulgent breakfast. But, if you’re concerned about your health, there are so many other great options you can enjoy.

As we said earlier, make sure that you approach breakfast with health in mind and have balance in what you’re eating. Don’t even think of skipping breakfast! You need proper nutrition straight out of the gate every morning to do well in class and be your best. This is one habit that you need to keep from your childhood, use through your college years and maintain as an adult.

Remember: This is the most important meal of the day and it will fuel your efforts in the gym, classroom and everywhere else.

Are You Sleeping Enough?

It’s really common for college students to skip out on sleep. With all the late night parties and early morning classes, burning the candle at both ends is the reality that almost all college students face. Our advice is to try to make sure you’re getting at least 6 hours of sleep each night. If that isn’t possible, try to squeeze in a nap during the day between classes to catch up on rest. Remember: Sleeping in for extended periods on the weekend won’t make up for missing a full night’s sleep or cheating yourself with only a few hours a night.

Why do you need sleep?

Aside from the simple fact that you need sleep to rest your mind and body, getting a good night’s rest is one of the fundamental building blocks of fueling your gains in the gym. If you aren’t sleeping, you won’t see results from your workout. We can’t be clearer than that.

What Nutritional Supplements Should You Consider Taking?

Even when you give it your all, you sometimes can’t get adequate nutrition through the foods that you consume. Don’t beat yourself up over it. There are solutions that can help you make up for any shortcomings in your diet or training. Adding a nutritional supplement to your diet will ensure that you’re getting the nutrients you need to stay healthy, strong and at your best, all without adding any unwanted additional pounds to your body.

There are numerous supplements on the market, but they’re not all top quality or on mark for what you need in your regimen. You won’t do your body any good if you are taking the wrong supplements. In fact, you might be doing more harm than you actually realize. Rather than face this scenario in your life, take the time to research any supplement you may plan on consuming and take the advice of experts. If you want to really kick up your game, we advise you to check out the supplement reviews on this site for inside information and advice!

Conclusion

Being in college can be the most fun and rewarding period of your life. Nobody can tell you how to approach these years; only you can decide what’s important to you while you’re in college. If you’re reading this page, we figure you’re going to want to do well in school and have a good social life without losing sight of your health and fitness. If that’s the case, following the previously mentioned tips and tricks will ensure that you stay on track in every part of your life throughout your college years.

Just remember that each point in this essential guide is intended to steer you on a path of making your own decisions to live a better, healthier and fitter life

By Amanda Grace