Stress, Cafeteria Food, and a Lack of Motivation - the Story of an Unsuccessful Diet at College

I was motivated to start dieting and working out after receiving a comment during Thanksgiving break of my freshman year that I looked fuller in the face and being asked, "Have you gained weight?". My weight had hovered between 150 and 155 pounds since I was about fifteen years old. At that point, I was closer to 155 pounds. I'm about five feet eight inches tall and athletically built, so I'm not overweight. Still, I was concerned about putting on more weight during the rest of my freshman year at college. I decided that I wanted to lose about ten pounds and improve my physique and stamina, and that I would do this through a low-calorie diet.

My diet and workout plan started after I returned to school from winter break. I tried to cut down my caloric intake, and I tried to go to the gym two to three times every week. However, it's somewhat difficult to diet at college. For example, cafeteria meals don't come with nutritional information attached, so I would try to estimate caloric values. I would shoot for eating about 2,500 calories daily, but this was impossible to verify. I'm also a stress eater, and college is stressful. This didn't help. Food is omnipresent at college, being both a source of comfort and a way to socialize with others.

Through natural weight fluctuation and exercise, I managed to get down to about 148 pounds. Then I stopped exercising and dieting. While I was seeing results with regard to my endurance and physique, I lacked the intrinsic motivation to continue with my diet and exercise plan. I didn't like walking uphill to a gym in the cold. I had too much work to do. There were tons of excuses, and none of them particularly legitimate.

While I no longer wish to lose weight, I would like to improve my overall physical shape, and intend to work out this coming fall semester. I am going to establish a routine from the very beginning and take advantage of a closer exercise facility. I am also going to eat at the school cafeteria less, which will allow me to eat healthier meals and to track my caloric intake more successfully.

Thanks for reading about my personal story of an unsuccessful diet. If you are a fellow college student wishing to start a diet, be aware of the common pitfalls mentioned above, and the best of luck to you!