Is anyone in college?

I am finding it so hard to try and juggle eating/drinking with all of my classes. Especially on Tuesday and Thursday. I bought a Lisa Frank lunchbox to carry some food and drinks with me, but I am so SCARED to eat because I do not want to get sick and miss a class. I am also in a sorority and that takes up a large amount of my time. I am just 2 weeks into class and I am having a hard time juggling everything to keep my grades up, my body happy, and myself happy by relaxing every now and then. Any tips? On a good note....today makes 87 pounds gone! YAY! I have pictures from my weight loss journey on webshots. The web address is http://community.webshots.com/user/trisigamber -Amber Dawn 339/252 - what next?

Amber- Hello, I am in college and have been in it since Monday. I totally understand because that is how it is for me on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Well this is what I do. I am allowed to have protein bars. So I just take them and eat them. Plenty of protein. My doctor said to use the Atkins kind. I have tried 3 so far and let me tell you they are yummy. Here is what I have tried: Advant Edge Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisp 240 calories, 70 fat calories 25 g carbs 1 g sugar 20 g protein Atkins Advantage Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar 240 calories, 110 fat calories 21 g carbs 1 g sugar 19 g protein Atkins Advantage Almond Brownie Bar 220 calories, 70 fat calories 21 g carbs 0 g sugar 21 g protein The Almond brownie bar is my favorite so far! I hate almonds too, but can't really taste them. As for water I freeze 1/2 of a 1 pint and 4 oz bottle of water. Or something like that. Anyways I freeze it either 1/2 or 3/4 full and the next day I just add some water to the top. It stays cold almost the whole day for me. And I drink on it in my classes. Mostly all teachers allow you to drink water. And if they don't just explain to them you have to. So far I eat between classes I have just enough time but thats probably because we got out early this week. LOL! But if I have to I'm gonna tell my teachers I'm gonna have to eat in their class. Which I'm sure they won't mind since I will be having to tell them I have had the surgery. I had to tell one teacher she is my phyiscal activity teacher. Congrats on being 87 lbs lighter. It so helps with college. I have lost 52.5 lbs and boy does it help! Last year seems like it was so hard walking and this year its not as hard. ~April~ Lap Rny May 13, 2005 21 yrs old, 5'1 231 / 178.5 / 120

I am taking classes online so I can't help you much with that ordeal. But when I was newly postop and working I jus****ched what I ate. Like the previous poster said - carry things that will be easy on you protein bars, if you have a cold pack - carry some yogurt. I lived on yogurt at work for the first few mos. Yogurt is something that will typically be easy on your pouch. At almost 4mos out you should be able to eat some nuts too. So maybe carry a little baggy with some almonds in it and have a little snack. Just know what you can tolerate easily and eat it and small amts and you shouldn't have a problem with getting sick. Good luck!

I am a full time student among other things, as well. Most of my classes are in the evenings...and that makes it difficult for me to have a well balanced meal...honestly, I had been grabbing whatever is available, but this week I am definitely going to plan more...and If I need to pack a whole days worth of food, then thats what I'm gonna do. Good luck this semester everyone!

Hey Amber, I'm in college as well, and I'm glad you posted this. I'm only a little over a week out of my surgery and I have to start classes back next week. So, needless to say I'm a little nervous about everything. I'm also in a sorority. I'm a Phi Mu. What sorority are you in? Jen!

I am in school too, just moved away too, I find its hard to even think about food there. I was home this weekend to work and I ate everything in site!! What the hell?? Just funny how it works. I have been taking those achieve one protein lattes with me in the morning.......to drink on the way to class...they are awesome!! take care LA

College girl here too! Tues-Algebra and Thru-Marketing. While everyone in my class chuggs caffiene loaded pop and tons of sugar! I drink my water and eat my beef jerky and protien bar! they all noticed one day and kind of made fun of me for being all healthy but the didn't laugh when I said that was okay because I will be alive 20 yrs on the average longer than any of them...then they all shut up... Sure enough the next week 3 of them came in drinking water instead of pop.

Haha, I notice people drinking pop a lot more now too! No one has ever said anything to me about drinking water though. I am taking 19 hours this semester, so this could be my overload problem? Also, in one of my classes I am required to do a 25 hour field observation. AHH! lol, I'll work through it though. I am doing so much better. Thanks for all the replies -Amber Dawn

hey amber I am in not only in college but I am a mother as well. I have 7 classes this semester and 20 hours.. I am worn out I go on mon-wen-fri.. by the wkend arrives I am about to collapse. I am only 6 wks out of surgery though.. and still don't feel the best...I don't eat alot at school either.. I eat like slim jims and my south beach diet bar thingy.. that is normally it.. the other day I made the mistake and got bugles out of the snack machine and of all days they made me sick.. i think due to i had not ate that day either.. well lets just say I barely got to the bathroom it was that bad.. my tummy was a mes.. and I take frozen water to class with me and now somedays I would love to have some tea and why they don't sell that in machines i don't know lol.. anyways, I am going to have to figure that out...congrats on your 87lbs lost.. way to go.. can't wait till i am there.. I am down 32lbs by my scales and 38 by docs not sure which scales to go by.. i prefer mine but its less weight...oh well..

Hey Amber! I am 7 mos out, in college full time for the past 3 years, and sorority (Delta Theta) and I have found it so much easier to handle eating situations when you plan things out. I have a lunch box and a ice block freezer pack that I put in it. I freeze my water or, luckily, at my school they have ice machines and cups so I just fill a cup with ice and pour my drink in it when I am thirsty. Also, I bring change for bottled water in the vending machines if I get real desperate. As far as quick food goes, I boil a bunch of eggs on Sunday night and put them in the fridge for last minute lunch ideas if all else fails. Then I also bought a BUNCH of the little tupperware pieces (enough to fill about 1/2-1 cup of food) with lids. For on-the-go snacks, I also buy things like power crunch protein bars (they aren't thick and chewy--they are wafer-ish) and cheese sticks, especially cracker barrel cheddar sticks, and mozarella string cheese. If you don't like power crunch bars, I have found that the South Beach Diet bars are good too. I use the meal replacement bars because they have 20 grams of protein and >1g sugar. For lunch ideas, I usually make it and stick it in the tupperware (it's usually something I made for dinner the night before), or if I don't want to make anything, I grab a hard-boiled egg and that's my lunch. I am in school from 8am to 1pm on most days, so I pack enough to cover breakfast, lunch and a snack. If I am in a meeting or at an event with my sorority, I try to drink through it, even if I feel water-logged, it's better than being hungry and it helps me get in my daily water quota. If that fails, that's where my power crunch bar comes in handy. Oh, and for breakfast ideas, I try to drink a protein drink on my way to school, or throw an AchievOne coffee protein drink in my lunch pack. This has made it so much easier on me, and I know that I won't get sick because these are all things I have eaten before. I never try new things in public, just in case. I hope this helps--it sure works for me!! -Phoenix 287/179/150