College student starting at the end of June

[hautefit]

Hello, I'm a 20-year-old college undergrad, and I'm planning on starting the Whole30 at the end of June when I go back to university for my summer class. My class lasts a month and a week long so that's the perfect time to start. Right now I'm at home for summer vacation, so I don't really have control over the food in our house, but I am trying to transition into the Whole30 (ie cutting out process crap, eating things without any sugars/sweeteners, trying to get off grains, etc). 

 

I need some advice. Now I do have a small budget like any other college student, so I would like to know how other college students navigated through the Whole30. How did you guys plan your meals? Did you gets used recipes the entire time? So on and so forth. 

 

I am doing the Whole30 primarily for health reasons. I've suspected that I've developed some type of thyroid disorder (I'm sure it's hypothyroidism), because I have the classic symptoms: hair loss, swelling of the throat, muscle twitching, reacting to gluten-based foods badly, dizziness in the shower, mild depression, memory fog, fatigue, etc. I'm hoping that cutting out a lot of inflammatory foods will help treat the disorder well. I've done a lot of research this past month, and I think starting out with the Whole30 will help me get on the right track to wellness and health. 

 

I also want to lose weight and get stronger as well, lol. I am going to join a volleyball recreational team when I go back, and hopefully will do some home exercises (if anyone can recommend any home workouts, that'll be great too). 

 

I want to start planning ahead so when I start the Whole30, I will not fall off like I did with other "diets" (not dieting in the traditional sense, but like "vegan","vegetarian", "paleo" "macrobiotic", etc.)

[GoJo09]

I wish I'd been smart enough to start this way of eating (note I didn't say diet) while I was still at college! Spending a few months baby stepping in to Paleo and Whole 30 is a great summer plan (read this great article by Everyday Paleo: http://everydaypaleo.com/a-case-for-baby-steps/).

 

I tend to just cook up a lot of the same foods on the weekend and eat them throughout the week for various meals: Scotch eggs, chocolate chilli (this is a great website for you to get ideas http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2013/07/27/whole30-week-1-food-plan/), chicken thighs, etc. I'm pretty happy eating food, rather than recipes though - you might be different. And eat plenty of nice cheap eggs!

 

These workouts are pretty cool (and it's free) https://www.bodeefit.com/ and just do heaps of walking and swimming while you're home over summer.

[JenBC]

I think a few things may help you: 

1)  Concentrate on buying most of the produce and meats that are on sale for that week.  By the time the week ends you may be tired of it but for the next week it will be something different.  

2)  Frozen veggies may help you change up some things; especially frozen peppers and onions, broccoli and spinach.  This will extend your veggies a good bit as well as being good add ins to eggs.  Frozen veggies can be quite inexpensive.  Check the labels to make sure they are only veggies and no added ingredients.  

3)  Save every little left over.  They can be added to other meals.  Concentrate on the fact that you are doing great things for your body, not  every meal being plate perfect.  That has given me a new found contentment for the good, healthy food I eat.  

 

Best to you!  You are learning a lesson I only wish I had known at your age.  

[healthyAbby]

Im also a college student but i live at home. I did my first whole 30 last year, and loved the benefits, now I'm back to complete a second round.

First off keep things simple... The first week of my whole 30 I tried making elaborate meals with recipes and it just added to the stress of this new way of eating. I was in the kitchen for like 4 hours after work just cooking and cooking. And then the following week my mom got good at figuring out what's ok, and she planned the meals mostly, all I had to do was add an extra veggie or whatever.

Check out the circulars to stores and decide on a budget, I went shopping yesterday and my budget was $70 and I think there's enough food for me to eat for 1-2 weeks. Carry around a pen and paper, to make sure you will be sticking to your budget.

If you haven't heard of well fed/the clothes make the girl you need to check that out, she has some really good ideas on snacks and cooking that will save you time and frustration in the kitchen.

If you can while you're home, try having 1-2 compliant meals a day, it will make figuring out what to eat that much easier. eggs are good, but learn new ways to eat them, don't keep them to breakfasts only, I ended up hating them after a while. have fun with it!