college student + cafeteria menu (seeking diet help)

Hello, I attend a University and live on campus in the dorms. I eat at the cafeteria, and was hoping some of you could help me with my diet. First of all, let me explain my situation. I'm not a body builder and I don't lift weights. I do cardio and calisthenics. I am not looking to build mass, and if anything maybe lose a little. I want to stay lean and lose as much body fast as possible. I am not overweight but would like to get my bf% down.

Ok, now for my diet. As a college student I have a limited time schedule, and budget, so here it goes:

Breakfast [7:45 A.M.]
A granola bar or nutrigrain bar + multivitamin.

-I eat breakfast in my room so this item I will get at the grocery store, what could I get that is more simple and healthy, yet fast? A bowl of cheerios has way less sugar than a granola or nutrigrain bar, but just as many carbs, what would you suggest?

Lunch [12:30 P.M.]
-A grilled chicken breast
-salad including lettuce, mushrooms, green peppers, sprouts, and cucumbers topped with reduced fat ranch (very small amount)
-about a cup of cottage cheese (they say it's 1% but I think it ranges from skim - 2% and they just get whatever)
-sometimes a little yogurt to aid the cottage cheese
-crystal light

Dinner [6:30 P.M.]
Pretty much the exact same thing as lunch maybe a smaller quantity all around

As far as snacks in my room, I will get things such as wheat thins or pretzels. Both of which I assume are not recommended.

Here is the cafeteria's menu http://www.uwstout.edu/dining/nutrition.pdf

I do not go to the cafeteria for breakfast usually, there is no time and a limited menu + it gets expensive. But I will take advice on anything. I would like to know what I should eat for lunch and dinner. I can only afford to go to the cafeteria twice a day usually, so I will take recommendations on simple groceries I can keep in my room. Taste doesn't bother me, if it's bland I don't usually care. I want to lose about 8-10 pounds and keep it off. Also if you could recommend snacks, or a breakfast substitute I can make in my room before class. I don't have time or money to get a bunch of ingredients, so please the simpler the better. I read tuna and cottage cheese are great snacks I can eat in between meals. I love cottage cheese, and low fat yogurt together as a snack, however the yogurt is a bit high in carbs. Please I will take any suggestions, and then I'll go grocery shopping

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

My attempt at this:

cpush said:

Hello, I attend a University and live on campus .......... I am not overweight but would like to get my bf% down.

I live on campus to and I have the shitty meal plans also

Ok, now for my diet. As a college student I have a limited time schedule, and budget, so here it goes:

ditto, and I found away. There is always a way.

Breakfast [7:45 A.M.]
A granola bar or nutrigrain bar + multivitamin.

-I eat breakfast in my room so this item I will get at the grocery store, what could I get that is more simple and healthy, yet fast? A bowl of cheerios has way less sugar than a granola or nutrigrain bar, but just as many carbs, what would you suggest?

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day and you have a granola bar? I also eat breakfast in my room, I just wake up 15 min before I usually would and have some oats and I mix a proein shake. Prep time < 5 min. Eat time 5-10min.

Lunch [12:30 P.M.]
-A grilled chicken breast
-salad including lettuce, mushrooms, green peppers, sprouts, and cucumbers topped with reduced fat ranch (very small amount)
-about a cup of cottage cheese (they say it's 1% but I think it ranges from skim - 2% and they just get whatever)
-sometimes a little yogurt to aid the cottage cheese
-crystal light

You go almost 5 hours without a meal here. Any way to push this back another hour, and add in a meal inbetween breakfast and lunch? If not add a little more to breakfast. This looks decent, watch the sugar content in the yogurt though. Might want some more carbs, mabye a potato or rice.


Dinner [6:30 P.M.]
Pretty much the exact same thing as lunch maybe a smaller quantity all around

Again watch above, anyway to slip in another meal between lunch and dinner and push dinner back an hour or so?

As far as snacks in my room, I will get things such as wheat thins or pretzels. Both of which I assume are not recommended.

Your right, they suck. Throw them away.

Here is the cafeteria's menu http://www.uwstout.edu/dining/nutrition.pdf

I do not go to the cafeteria for breakfast usually, there is no time and a limited menu + it gets expensive. But I will take advice on anything. I would like to know what I should eat for lunch and dinner. I can only afford to go to the cafeteria twice a day usually, so I will take recommendations on simple groceries I can keep in my room. Taste doesn't bother me, if it's bland I don't usually care. I want to lose about 8-10 pounds and keep it off. Also if you could recommend snacks, or a breakfast substitute I can make in my room before class. I don't have time or money to get a bunch of ingredients, so please the simpler the better. I read tuna and cottage cheese are great snacks I can eat in between meals. I love cottage cheese, and low fat yogurt together as a snack, however the yogurt is a bit high in carbs. Please I will take any suggestions, and then I'll go grocery shopping

you spoiled sob, your menu is awesome. So many choices, and plenty of healthy ones at that. Plus the fact they list all the nutrition info. Makes it easy to count cals if you want. I didnt look at it all, but the usual stuff is good, a lean meat with a slow burnin carb. Before bed I would have some efas and cottage cheese. Also how does yo meal plan work? Certain number of meals per day or what?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

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Thanks for the reply

Ok for breakfast I could, and should get up earlier anyway. Are there any alternatives to shakes? I can pick up some oats, but should I have something else with them?

Eating in between there is a little tricky. Here's my schedule:

Monday Wednesday and Friday
Class: 8 - 11:05 (Usually eat breakfast at 7:30)
Off: 11:05 - 1:25 (Usually eat lunch at 12:20)
Class: 1:25 - 2:20
Work: (Monday) 2:30 - 6:00 (I work in a computer lab and could smuggle in a snack if necessary)
Dinner at 6:30

Tuesday and Thursday
Class: 9:05 - 11:05 (Sometimes go to the cafeteria these days)
Off: 11:05 - 12:20
Class: 12:20 - 1:45 (Usually eat lunch at 1:45)
Work: (Tuesday) 2:30 - 6

For lunch: I can completely ditch the yogurt if need be.

For snacks/meals in between: What would you suggest, I was thinking about going to the grocery store and stocking up on cottage cheese, tuna, and nat pb. Which should I eat when? Again I'd like to try and avoid protein shakes. As far as EFA's I'm a little new, but from reading I assume people take care of these with their "fish caps" ? Could you fill me in on these and when/howmuch I should take, and where I get them?

Yes I'm fortunate my school offers undergrads in both dietetics and food sciences, so our school is a bit more health concious than most. As for my meal plan, it is as follows:

Breakfast: $1.80
Lunch: $2:10
Dinner: $2:20

Basically it is the above cost and you get 1 entre, and unlimited anything else you want, including salad bar, CC, drinks, fruit, whatever. It works like regular money, you just pay for a meal, and you have so much money on your account. Each time you get a meal, x amount is subtracted from your funds. So I can't go and pay like .60 cents or something and just get a chicken breast I have to pay for a full meal, so it's most efficient to make a full meal of it.

Let me know what you think. Thanks.

1/2 cup Uncle Bens Ready Brown rice and a can of tuna dressed up with fat free italian, lemon juice, lemon pepper and onion or not would make a quick breakfast.

cpush said:

Thanks for the reply

Ok for breakfast I could, and should get up earlier anyway. Are there any alternatives to shakes? I can pick up some oats, but should I have something else with them?

Ok so no protein shakes huh, well if that is the case only other thing I could say is have like 1/2 cup oats and like 2 glasses of skim milk(1% would be alright) with that to get some protein. Im not a big breakfast food buff so if anyone else has some quick, no cooking meals chime in. I usualyl just pour the oats in a cup with a little water,splenda, and cinnamon and eat it without cooking.

Eating in between there is a little tricky. Here's my schedule:

Monday Wednesday and Friday
Class: 8 - 11:05 (Usually eat breakfast at 7:30)
Off: 11:05 - 1:25 (Usually eat lunch at 12:20)
Class: 1:25 - 2:20
Work: (Monday) 2:30 - 6:00 (I work in a computer lab and could smuggle in a snack if necessary)
Dinner at 6:30
Eat breakfast at 7:30, then eat again at 11:30 and again at 2:30. Im not sure if you go to the cafeteria or not this time. But if you do, the 11:30 eat like a chicken salad, then at 2:30 eat like a sub( lean meats, ww bread, no mayo or oils). I wouldnt usually recomend bread but your not a bb looking to compete, no harm done. Then eat a dinner at 6:30 try to keep this meal a little lower in carbs and mabye use a fattier protein source.

Tuesday and Thursday
Class: 9:05 - 11:05 (Sometimes go to the cafeteria these days)
Off: 11:05 - 12:20
Class: 12:20 - 1:45 (Usually eat lunch at 1:45)
Work: (Tuesday) 2:30 - 6

breakfast at 8, meal 2 at 11:30, meal 3, at 2:30, dinner at 6:30. Since your not going on a straict cutting diet, I would keep the breakfast the same, but use these guidelines for the rest of the meals. Meal 2 be lean protein with min carbs. Meal 3 lean protein with moderate carbs. Dinner meaty protein with some fats, with min carbs. Then like an hour or so before bed have some cottage cheese with some efas. Yes efas can be fish caps, or flax. Fish are the best though, take a few of those with the cc to slow absorbtion and get your essential fatty acids for the day in.
For lunch: I can completely ditch the yogurt if need be.

For snacks/meals in between: What would you suggest, I was thinking about going to the grocery store and stocking up on cottage cheese, tuna, and nat pb. Which should I eat when? Again I'd like to try and avoid protein shakes. As far as EFA's I'm a little new, but from reading I assume people take care of these with their "fish caps" ? Could you fill me in on these and when/howmuch I should take, and where I get them?

Yes I'm fortunate my school offers undergrads in both dietetics and food sciences, so our school is a bit more health concious than most. As for my meal plan, it is as follows:

Breakfast: $1.80
Lunch: $2:10
Dinner: $2:20

Basically it is the above cost and you get 1 entre, and unlimited anything else you want, including salad bar, CC, drinks, fruit, whatever. It works like regular money, you just pay for a meal, and you have so much money on your account. Each time you get a meal, x amount is subtracted from your funds. So I can't go and pay like .60 cents or something and just get a chicken breast I have to pay for a full meal, so it's most efficient to make a full meal of it.

your school has an amazing system, and quite the deal. I wish mine was like that with those healthy options. Yea just try to work in some of my advice with your lunch plans. If you more specific questions, like how much to eat and such let me know. Also if you want to calorie count whats ur weight, height, bf% look like?
Let me know what you think. Thanks.

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If anyone sees any bad advice speak up, I am no Jodi.

When I have time constraints to when I can eat and don't have time to prepare food, I could all my food on one day of the week and seperate it so I have it laid out for each day. It ends up being pretty cheap cause you can buy meat etc. in bulk.

Joe,

Today I mixed it up a bit.

I have not went grocery shopping yet so I am improvising with what I have.

Meal 1 (8 AM): Went to the cafeteria, had about a cup of scrambled eggs and a small bowl of cheerios with skim milk.

-For this meal I plan to change it to: 1/2 cup of oats or brown rice with cc or tuna (eating in my room)

Meal 2 (11 AM): A nutrigrain bar with a slice of fat free cheese for added protein.

-For this meal (it has to be quick) I'm not sure what I can squeeze in. A nutrigrain bar with a slice of cheese is FAST but I know not the healthiest alternative. Maybe I can make myself a small tuna sandwich on 1 slice of light wheat bread (9g carbs 45 calories)?

Meal 3 (2 PM): A bowl of instant oats + peanut butter, a small chicken breast, and a cup of cottage cheese

-I know instant oats are not the recommended oats, however this is all my cafeteria offers. Would no oats be better than instant oats? Instant oats > bowl of cereal? Also the peanut butter is most likely not natural, so no peanut butter > regular pb? Also chunky or smooth?, we have both. Otherwise how does this one look?

Meal 4 (6 PM): A small chicken breast, a cup of CC, and ???. Usually I have a small salad with this (Im in the cafeteria again) but that's carbs. Should I make a small salad or just go to the cafeteria and get a chicken breast and CC?

-This meal has to be at the cafeteria, it's more for social interaction than anything, people on the floor all go around this time so I don't want to eat alone in my room.

Meal 5 (10 PM): Don't really have a meal 5, but I plan on it being CC with tuna.

That is my Tuesday/Thursday schedule.

As far as if I would like calorie help with how much to eat at what meal, yeah that would be awesome. I am 5'8" and weigh around 135 lbs. I have no idea about my bf%, my waist size is ~27" I am built with a small frame. I'm skinny, but that doesnt mean I don't have excess fat over my stomach. In the last few months I think I've put on roughly 5-8 pounds that I'd like to get off. My tummy layer has gotten bigger and my abs less prevalent. My bf% can come down quite a bit and that's my main goal. Like I said I'm not a body builder and am not looking to gain mass. I am more after the lean/skinny physique. Does that mean I shouldn't consume mass amounts of protein so I don't put on too much muscle? Guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

cpush said:

Joe,

Today I mixed it up a bit.

I have not went grocery shopping yet so I am improvising with what I have.

Meal 1 (8 AM): Went to the cafeteria, had about a cup of scrambled eggs and a small bowl of cheerios with skim milk.

-For this meal I plan to change it to: 1/2 cup of oats or brown rice with cc or tuna (eating in my room)

Not bad, I would prefer you use tuna because it is quicker acting protein. Seeing as its the first meal of the day you want to get the nutrients in fast. So oats and tuna sounds good if you can stomach it.

Meal 2 (11 AM): A nutrigrain bar with a slice of fat free cheese for added protein.

-For this meal (it has to be quick) I'm not sure what I can squeeze in. A nutrigrain bar with a slice of cheese is FAST but I know not the healthiest alternative. Maybe I can make myself a small tuna sandwich on 1 slice of light wheat bread (9g carbs 45 calories)?

Since you will be having tuna already, how about turkey/chicken/ham sandwich.

Meal 3 (2 PM): A bowl of instant oats + peanut butter, a small chicken breast, and a cup of cottage cheese

-I know instant oats are not the recommended oats, however this is all my cafeteria offers. Would no oats be better than instant oats? Instant oats > bowl of cereal? Also the peanut butter is most likely not natural, so no peanut butter > regular pb? Also chunky or smooth?, we have both. Otherwise how does this one look?

Does your cafeteria have some potatoes(sweet/yams are better)? ditch the fats(PB), keep the chicken breast. If its to small(chicken) , the cottage cheese isnt a bad idea.

Meal 4 (6 PM): A small chicken breast, a cup of CC, and ???. Usually I have a small salad with this (Im in the cafeteria again) but that's carbs. Should I make a small salad or just go to the cafeteria and get a chicken breast and CC?

-This meal has to be at the cafeteria, it's more for social interaction than anything, people on the floor all go around this time so I don't want to eat alone in my room.

A salad has neglible amount of carbs. Have a chickn salad, no oils. And no other carbs, add in some fats like peanuts.

Meal 5 (10 PM): Don't really have a meal 5, but I plan on it being CC with tuna.

CC will just be fine, add in soem efas again. Like peanuts or fish oils
That is my Tuesday/Thursday schedule.

As far as if I would like calorie help with how much to eat at what meal, yeah that would be awesome. I am 5'8" and weigh around 135 lbs. I have no idea about my bf%, my waist size is ~27" I am built with a small frame. I'm skinny, but that doesnt mean I don't have excess fat over my stomach. In the last few months I think I've put on roughly 5-8 pounds that I'd like to get off. My tummy layer has gotten bigger and my abs less prevalent. My bf% can come down quite a bit and that's my main goal. Like I said I'm not a body builder and am not looking to gain mass. I am more after the lean/skinny physique. Does that mean I shouldn't consume mass amounts of protein so I don't put on too much muscle? Guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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I might get flamed for this but most people would tell you to bulk up. Get some mass on you then cut. But its your decision, if you want to lean you go ahead. Make sure you are still weight training though, I wouldnt worry about "to much muscle" that is never the problem, it will help keep ur metabolism up also. If you do the math at the sticky, 135 * 14 = 1890 cals a day. Then try a 40/40/20 split. try to work those macros in to your diet. Once you get that worked just remember consistency is key.