Anyone else trying to lose some weight for interviews?

[DrJen]

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I don't know about anyone else, but I've definitely put on some extra pounds with all the stress of the August MCAT, applications, ect. There really hasn't been much time to work out or eat decently. I'd really like to drop a few pounds before interviews start coming around so I can make the best impression. Anyone else in the same boat?

 

[unfrozencaveman]

I don't know about anyone else, but I've definitely put on some extra pounds with all the stress of the August MCAT, applications, ect. There really hasn't been much time to work out or eat decently. I'd really like to drop a few pounds before interviews start coming around so I can make the best impression. Anyone else in the same boat?

I might have been the only person ever to move to Africa and gain weight. So now I'm back and paying very unappetizing pennance.

 

[baby4you]

I have gained about ten pounds since April, lost 5 already, 5 more to go... 😡 😱

 

[Saluki]

To the OP: I definitely gained some weight while studying for the August MCAT. Every time I thought about the test I ended up sitting and crying, watching Law and Order with cheetos, peanut m&ms and sourbrite crawlers. The good news is that I was slender to begin with; the bad news is that my interview suit was not bought with the idea that I'd gain 10-15 pounds so I guess I better stop eating candy and french fries
To the Cavemean - I gained weight the summer I spent in Africa. All the people over there were eating was really oily rice and as a guest you were always expected to eat a ton. So much malnutrition but no one ever goes hungry- always enough rice....

 

[Turkeyman]

Reduce your caloric intake to 1800 - 2300(depends on your size) calories, and walk 60 minutes a day (one 30 minute session in the morning, one 30 minute session at night). That's all. Expected weight loss rate = 7-8 lbs/28 days.

 

[hatshepsut]

I've put on a bit more than that....can't loose it by my first interview (2 weeks).

 

[coco]

I am totally in the same boat as the OP. I've gained about 10 lbs this summer (other than the 10 I gained studying for the April MCAT!!) but I'm going to start going to the gym at least 2-3 times a week (starting tomorrow). i totally want to lose weight before interviews!! especially that I gained it all so fast!! and it's not cuz I'm not eating healthy, it's cuz I'm in front of a computer all day!! or just standing in the lab...i only move about 10 feet/ hour...sad lol

 

[DrJen]

Every time I thought about the test I ended up sitting and crying, watching Law and Order with cheetos, peanut m&ms and sourbrite crawlers.

That sounds like me! Glad to see I'm not alone. Unfortunatly, I didn't start out slender in the first place. I've been trying so hard to keep my calories around 1600-1800 a day, but when I'm so stressed out, I just want to eat everything in my apartment. I'm going to be really good starting now though. My poor friends might want to avoid me for a while... *LOL*

 

[unfrozencaveman]

To the OP: I definitely gained some weight while studying for the August MCAT. Every time I thought about the test I ended up sitting and crying, watching Law and Order with cheetos, peanut m&ms and sourbrite crawlers. The good news is that I was slender to begin with; the bad news is that my interview suit was not bought with the idea that I'd gain 10-15 pounds so I guess I better stop eating candy and french fries
To the Cavemean - I gained weight the summer I spent in Africa. All the people over there were eating was really oily rice and as a guest you were always expected to eat a ton. So much malnutrition but no one ever goes hungry- always enough rice....

Oddly enough, I also developed an incredible Law and Order fixation while studying for the april MCAT. It being on 20 hours a day is unhelpful, but I'm thinking some sort of intervention might be in order.

 

[DrJen]

Oddly enough, I also developed an incredible Law and Order fixation while studying for the april MCAT. It being on 20 hours a day is unhelpful, but I'm thinking some sort of intervention might be in order.

Now just to clairfy, we're talking about an SVU addiction, right? I just couldn't relate to watching Criminal Intent on purpose. 🙂

 

[unfrozencaveman]

Now just to clairfy, we're talking about an SVU addiction, right? I just couldn't relate to watching Criminal Intent on purpose. 🙂

I like regular, then SVU, then criminal intent, but in a bind, I'll watch CI. did they cancel Trial by Jury? I hope not.
I actually used to get mistaken on the street for the ADA in Law and Order regular (the last blonde one, who randomly turns into a lesbian last year). Well, until I sat around watching law and order all day, not exercising.

 

[Saluki]

Now just to clairfy, we're talking about an SVU addiction, right? I just couldn't relate to watching Criminal Intent on purpose. 🙂

Yes, it was the SVU- Elliot and Olivia are cool🙂 I also watched a couple of just the normal Law and Order, but I tried watching one episode of the Criminal Intent and didn't like it. The two cops on that one are creepy....

 

[LJDHC05]

First of all: Sweet side track on Law and Order

Secondly: you're not going to be denied access to a medical school over 10 pounds...

 

[drmota]

i'm trying to put on some weight. i dont eat when i study. at all.
-mota

 

[45408]

i'm trying to put on some weight. i dont eat when i study. at all.
-mota

Word. When I try, I gain weight (muscle), but my normal tendency is to eat very little. I gained 30 pounds my freshman year, 25 pounds sophomore year, and none my junior year. Unfortunately, I lost some weight after each time I gained weight, so I'd like to gain about 30.

 

[glp]

my lazy a$$ put on about 15 during the winter studying for the april mcat. 4 months later i have still not found the motivation to take it off. i know when i was a senior in college i was about the same as now and dropped about 20 for corporate interviews. i dont think that med school interviewers will be as vain as corporate recruiters so i am not as worried but i would still like to drop some wight and feel more confident.

 

[DrJen]

First of all: Sweet side track on Law and Order

Secondly: you're not going to be denied access to a medical school over 10 pounds...

To be honest with you, I wish it were only 10 pounds. It's actually more like 25, since I was in need of losing about 15 before I started with the whole MCAT stress-induced chocolate and McDonald's fiasco. I'm obviously not expecting to lose 25 pounds in such a short amount of time, but I think getting those 10 off will make a difference in how I look, but mostly just how confident I feel. I don't want to give the impression that I can't take care of myself.

Elliot and Olivia are the best! I love how Elliot always wants to kill the child molestors...

 

[C.P. Jones]

Word. When I try, I gain weight (muscle), but my normal tendency is to eat very little. I gained 30 pounds my freshman year, 25 pounds sophomore year, and none my junior year. Unfortunately, I lost some weight after each time I gained weight, so I'd like to gain about 30.

yep, i've been trying to gain weight (muscle of course), but I can't seem to gain any weight at all....i think it's a bit weird that i'm trying to gain weight and can't

i think all through college i gained like 5 pounds...and i lost 4 pounds my final winter break in 1 day as i got terribly sick and had to go to the ER (food poisoning), all my work gone...but at least it was all water weight, i'll stop talking now

 

[Saluki]

This is rather off topic, but I've actually been looking at those fellowships in child abuse... I didn't even know there was such a thing until a couple weeks ago....

 

[Saluki]

I'd just like to remind everyone- Although we may be feeling insecure about our weight right now, the important thing to remember is, as my grandmother always says, "Pretty is as pretty does"

 

[glp]

yep, i've been trying to gain weight (muscle of course), but I can't seem to gain any weight at all....i think it's a bit weird that i'm trying to gain weight and can't

i think all through college i gained like 5 pounds...and i lost 4 pounds my final winter break in 1 day as i got terribly sick and had to go to the ER (food poisoning), all my work gone...but at least it was all water weight, i'll stop talking now

one of my best friends in college was like that. one time he bought some "weight gain 1500" which were these chocolate shakes with 1500 calories and decided he was going to bulk up. funny thing was whenever he drank one of those shakes he got so full he couldnt eat anything for the rest of the day.

 

[Gracey103]

I gained 10 pounds while studying for the august mcats last year and I didn't have the motivation to take it off this past year. Im determined to lose those 10 pounds..but its not that easy..sigh

 

[SeventhSon]

I don't know about anyone else, but I've definitely put on some extra pounds with all the stress of the August MCAT, applications, ect. There really hasn't been much time to work out or eat decently. I'd really like to drop a few pounds before interviews start coming around so I can make the best impression. Anyone else in the same boat?

yeah i gained 10-15 due to April mcat and lots of other personal **** 🙁

 

[trishaaa]

To be honest with you, I wish it were only 10 pounds. It's actually more like 25, since I was in need of losing about 15 before I started with the whole MCAT stress-induced chocolate and McDonald's fiasco. I'm obviously not expecting to lose 25 pounds in such a short amount of time, but I think getting those 10 off will make a difference in how I look, but mostly just how confident I feel. I don't want to give the impression that I can't take care of myself.

Elliot and Olivia are the best! I love how Elliot always wants to kill the child molestors...

I think we're the same person.

 

[speranza]

I actually gained about 7-8 pounds when studying for the April MCAT last year (also had some major guy issues) but then I decided to wait and take the August MCAT and, for some reason, I lost all 8 pounds plus 2-3 more. I now weigh less than I have in like 4 years. So I guess one good thing came out of studying for that damn test all summer.

 

[mi1020]

My undergraduate major left something to be desired in terms of helping me gain weight.. instead of my freshmen 15, I gained probably 5 lbs max, ...instead of being up by 20-30 by senior year, I was down 10.. and NOW, I am still trying to gain 15 lbs to achieve my ideal weight.. UNFORTUNATELY, the doctor's office told me yesterday I grew an inch... so that means it's really more than 15. Sadly, I am trying to get rid of the anorexic look and it is not working..

 

[DrJen]

I think we're the same person.

I'm sorry. *LOL*

 

[morgan]

I'd just like to remind everyone- Although we may be feeling insecure about our weight right now, the important thing to remember is, as my grandmother always says, "Pretty is as pretty does"

ummmm hUh??? 😕

 

[abraxas]

I'd just like to remind everyone- Although we may be feeling insecure about our weight right now, the important thing to remember is, as my grandmother always says, "Pretty is as pretty does"

completely true pretty is as pretty does but if pretty can't get into her dress then she can't go outside...

 

[DrJen]

So here's a new question for us to ponder... How much do you think our weight is actually going to matter? I know that it probably won't matter nearly as much to them as it will to me, but at what point do you think it makes an impact?

 

[abraxas]

I think when you appear so obese that it is probably affecting your health than it might start to be held against you in your interview, but probably no more so then showing up dressed poorly.

 

[BooMed]

I work in a hospital two days a week, and I've noticed something really interesting. Almost all of the people who work there are really, really overweight. (Question, why do hospitals serve fast food? Isn't that the reason that almost everyone is IN the hospital in the first place?)

Anyway, I've also notice that on average, and this is only my opinion, the doctors in the hospital are WAY more fit and attractive than anybody else. Which is a pretty big deal since I'm in the South and Alabama has like, the highest obesity rate in the nation right now.

So why are the doctors so skinny, and how do they do it considering they must be crazy busy/sleep deprived/stressed out? 😕

 

[mi1020]

I have this theory.. (although if you've heard it elsewhere, don't believe them, I came up with it! 😀 ) ..that lack of sleep and extra stress will prevent you from gaining weight at the very least, if not help you lose it..

Given person A and person B, who each consume 2000 calories/day and all else being equal, i.e. 8 hrs sleep/night, but person A is a administrative assistant and person B is a paramedic, that person B will be on the whole more fit/lean than person A, even discounting the effects of running around for the job..

This might be because:

1. Person B has less time or mentality to remember to eat

2. Stress hormone levels prevent the storing away of extra glucose, i.e. inhibit the enzyme

3. Selective effect... people who become paramedics are more health conscious, thus are less likely to be overweight to begin with..

4. Person A leads a blue collar lifestyle and consumes more fast food, which is inherently more fattening than other foods..

On a side note, has anyone ever wondered why chefs are always so rotund? I refuse to believe it's because they eat snippets of what they cook every day... 🙂

 

[Jon Davis]

Forget the weight, I'm losing hair!!!

 

[trishaaa]

I have this theory.. (although if you've heard it elsewhere, don't believe them, I came up with it! 😀 ) ..that lack of sleep and extra stress will prevent you from gaining weight at the very least, if not help you lose it..

For some people (ME!), lack of sleep and extra stress will lead to overeating and weight gain.

Whether a person is overeating or undereating d/t stress doesn't really matter. What's important is that "normal," healthy, balanced eating is not achieved.

Btw, I do sleep research and I've seen the havoc that sleep deprivation can wreak on people. Ok, sleep deprivation MAY keep some people skinny, according to mi1020's theory, but I'd rather be overweight, energetic, and have a healthy brain than be skinny and tired.

BooMed: Most of my doctors wake up at 4am to exercise (and they don't understand why I can't do this-- I've always had this problem deciding what's more important, sleep or exercise. I love them both but there's not enough time for both). Oh, and the constant neuroticism helps too. 😉

 

[BooMed]

I agree with you that maybe the docs just don't have time to eat. However, they've proven that the less sleep a person gets the more likely he/she is to be obese, and that stress hormones specifically cause weight gain in the tummy area. So you'de think docs would be huge 😛 .

My theory is that a lot of M.D.s are super-anal perfectionists with very high standards, especially for themselves. Our downstairs neighbor is a doc who works constantly, but he also exercises pretty much every day. I don't think he could stand getting fat--he seems really vain and his wife told me that he's even had hair plugs! 😱 Eeewww!

 

[BooMed]

Oh my god I could NEVER exercise at 4 a.m.

In fact, if possible I don't want to be doing anything at 4 a.m.!

I totally eat more when I'm tired/stressed, and bad stuff too. When I am happy, relaxed and rested it's so much easier to eat well.

 

[bwells46]

Yeah, I'm losing weight to be healthy and get rid of the weight I put on during my business master's. Dam friends and groups members ALWAYS wanting to eat crap like Chipolte while we studied and worked on group projects 🙄. However, it's nice that it's also interview time. I've lost 15 pounds over the last two months.

 

[BlinkyCat]

I agree with you that maybe the docs just don't have time to eat. However, they've proven that the less sleep a person gets the more likely he/she is to be obese, and that stress hormones specifically cause weight gain in the tummy area. So you'de think docs would be huge 😛 .

My theory is that a lot of M.D.s are super-anal perfectionists with very high standards, especially for themselves. Our downstairs neighbor is a doc who works constantly, but he also exercises pretty much every day. I don't think he could stand getting fat--he seems really vain and his wife told me that he's even had hair plugs! 😱 Eeewww!

hahah ewww...

I haven't had any sleep, no time to eat healthy (so been eating lots of fast food and candy), and I keep losing weight! so...you guys don't think I have anything serious do you? I'm at almost 100 lbs now....but i'm a girl... I'm just freaking out because I stayed over at a few med students for a few of my interviews and it seems like every symptoms is like...omg I have cancer..or..oh no..diabetes...

 

[PineappleGirl]

My question for you peeps: do you really think that being a few pounds overweight is going to reflect negatively on you during interviews?

Seriously, do you think they will care? Are med school applicants obligated to look fit and healthy?

 

[DrJen]

For some people (ME!), lack of sleep and extra stress will lead to overeating and weight gain.

Whether a person is overeating or undereating d/t stress doesn't really matter. What's important is that "normal," healthy, balanced eating is not achieved.

Well said! I personally am one of those people who eat when I'm stressed, and from the looks of it, several of the people who've posted on this thread are too. In my experience, there are just as many, if not more stress-eaters than undereaters, especially women. We tend to have more emotional relationships with food. It is also common for someone not getting enough sleep to eat more, especially refined carbohydrates, to self-medicate to keeo their energy levels up. Although I've sometimes I wished I could be one of the undereaters, neither is healthy.

 

[bwells46]

My question for you peeps: do you really think that being a few pounds overweight is going to reflect negatively on you during interviews?

Seriously, do you think they will care? Are med school applicants obligated to look fit and healthy?

Unless you're morbidly obese or appear malnourished, I doubt they would care. I'm trying to lose weight for me not for any adcom.

 

[trishaaa]

Well said! I personally am one of those people who eat when I'm stressed, and from the looks of it, several of the people who've posted on this thread are too. In my experience, there are just as many, if not more stress-eaters than undereaters, especially women. We tend to have more emotional relationships with food. It is also common for someone not getting enough sleep to eat more, especially refined carbohydrates, to self-medicate to keeo their energy levels up. Although I've sometimes I wished I could be one of the undereaters, neither is healthy.

Seriously, I think you and I are the same person!

 

[PineappleGirl]

Unless you're morbidly obese or appear malnourished, I doubt they would care. I'm trying to lose weight for me not for any adcom.

Cool. Yeah, I would hope a few extra pounds is not gonna keep people out of med school. I really can't believe adcoms would seriously take your weight into consideratioin.

 

[prana_md]

The MCAT cost me about 30 pounds! (Added, that is.)
It would just kill me to be studying physiology (stress --> cortisol --> fat) and to know what I was doing to my body, but then have to keep doing it anyway. Then I got depressed, and took meds, which also cause weight gain.
I want to lose it just to feel like myself again ...

EDIT: I have a thing for the psychiatrist on SVU.

 

[Starvin Marvin]

I've always been too skinny, trying to put on some muscle so I can woo all those other pre-meds of the opposite sex at interviews. Also like long walks on the beach....

BTW, that weight gain stuff is a waste, just eat a bunch of this (just wanted to use that icon, why is it even there?)

 

[bwells46]

Cool. Yeah, I would hope a few extra pounds is not gonna keep people out of med school. I really can't believe adcoms would seriously take your weight into consideratioin.

Did you ever read the book "House of God"? The Fat Man was the best doc there 😉. It shouldn't matter.

 

[PineappleGirl]

Did you ever read the book "House of God"? The Fat Man was the best doc there 😉. It shouldn't matter.

😀 Indeed! I love that book. I read it while I was on jury duty.

 

[Dr2010]

Forget the weight, I'm losing hair!!!

I hear ya brother

 

[Risa]

While I don't think a little poundage one way or the other is going to matter to admissions committees, the way I perceive myself looking can definitely make a big difference in my self confidence. I think intangible things like that WILL come across in the impression I make. So yeah, I'm working on getting into better shape so I can feel fabulous in my suit. But I'm also working on getting in touch with my confidence and positivity enough that they don't have to hinge on my moment-to-moment body image. Because come on, we could all have totally hot bodies on the day of our interviews and get a giant zit! Gotta plan around these things 🙂