Weight Loss Tips for College Students + Women in Their 20s - 3 Essential Tips

Being on our own for the first time can be a big challenge for our weight loss efforts, especially when we're in college or just learning to stock our own kitchen for the first time.

Leaving the teen years behind and entering into young adulthood is a fabulous, exciting, confusing time that can be rife with late nights, lots of alcohol, little time to exercise, and unhealthy foods. Lots of fun, but bad for our bodies!

Below are THREE essential tips for keeping weight off when you're young.

Whether you're in college, about to start your first real job, or you've been doing the career-woman-by-day, party-girl-by-night thing for a while now, these tips will help you slim down when a healthy lifestyle isn't always your first priority:

MOVE Whenever You Can: It doesn't have to be formal exercise. You can always choose to walk instead of hopping in the car, riding the campus bus, or taking a cab, especially if you're going to school or working in a big city.

Walking burns calories, improves your heart health, helps your digestion, and reduces stress. You'll feel better, your skin will look healthier and you'll sleep better (whenever you do get a chance to sleep).

Stock Up on Healthy Snacks - Whether you're stocking your office drawers or your dorm room cabinets, always having a healthy, filling snack within reach is essential for any young woman on the go.

Sometimes you forget to eat, don't have time, hate the crap they served at the company meeting, or get too nervous to eat on a lunch date - so you should always be able to refuel with a nutritious snack that is high in fiber or protein - two nutritional elements that will help keep you fuller longer.

Steer clear of snacks with too much sugar. Popcorn, baby carrots + hummus, low-fat yogurt and even a few dark chocolate squares are great examples of stuff to keep on hand that will get your energy up. And a big glass of water or seltzer will always take the edge off your hunger.

DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST - I know, I know, I just said above that skipping a meal can happen to anyone. Your challenge is to avoid it happening to you. And if there's one meal you should promise yourself you'll never skip, it's breakfast.

Studies show, reports CNN, that eating breakfast can help you lose weight. Choosing balanced, filling options like protein, fiber and calcium all in one meal will keep you fuller longer and will help you to avoid overeating for the rest of the day. Try this: 1 egg, 1 piece of whole wheat toast, 1 cup blueberries and 1 skim latte.

Even if you can't sit down to a big meal, grab something quick to fuel you, like a skim latte, a banana and a granola bar.

You can live it up as a young woman on the go without gaining a lot of weight, and if you plan ahead and stay focused, you can even lose weight while you navigate your twenties.

Good luck!