Diet changed lately? What's changed about you since...?

[jordan_az]

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Am very interested in hearing about how people's eating habits & other aspects of behavior have changed since entering med school or going into residency. Is general deterioration of physical/mental health & fitness just part of med school and residency? Please share some stories about the past & now's regarding what you're eating & how much of any changes are attributable to med school/residency. Also would love to hear, if anyone is brave enough to share, about any interesting & peculiar habits, ticks, obsessions, or neuroses in general that has been "acquired" since med school or residency. Just want to get a feel for what's the norm from people's experiences. Thanks!!

 

[littlelimabean]

i think our class has gotten "healthier' in that a lot of us started working out after one of the lecturers kept telling us how we'd die cause America is fat.

 

[mackaikai]

since july (my school started on july..), i have lost 40 pounds...i exercise more often and eat healthier now.
but i guess it's because i am doing the same thing over and over everyday....a "less late nite snacks, late nite drinks...and sleep early, wake up early" kind of life.

 

[Pixye1]

i have to agree with the whole healthy thing. I remember in college studying and eating crap all the time but in med school somehow it's different....especially with cadaver dissections and seeing all that fat. I work out everyday and am more conscious about what I eat

 

[Sweet Tea]

I gained over 15 lbs my first year of med school. I wasn't necessarily eating more or eating crappy foods, but before school I did clinical research and was on my feet 6-10 hrs a day, I was an EMT, and I did Swiftwater Rescue and was training to join the High Angle Rescue Team. I went from a very active lifestyle to a very sedentary one where I just sat on my ass and studied all day long. That kind of lifestyle was miserable for me. This year, I've lost all the weight I gained, and I'm working on losing more. I go to the gym at least 5 days a week, even during exams, and I joined Weight Watchers and am slowly learning the art of portion control (I have to admit...it's difficult). I look better, I feel better, and I won't feel like a fraud next year on the wards when I'm telling patients how to live healthier lives.

 

[thackl]

My diet is a little more random these days, but I am working out more. All seems to be in reasonably goo ballance. I hear you need to have lots of discipline 3rd yr an beyond though.

 

[Hercules]

My diet is a little more random these days, but I am working out more. All seems to be in reasonably goo ballance. I hear you need to have lots of discipline 3rd yr an beyond though.

In the first two years you have so much free time that you should be able to get in the best shape of your life. During third year just try your best to maintain. Once you get to fourth year (depending on your school) free time should be abundant once more and you can get serious again. After that, it really depends on what field you go into.

 

[Espion]

I now think that a powerbar and a snack-size bag of popcorn is a full meal. 🙁

I do have my treadmill though. I don't know what I'd do without it. Well, that and multi-vitamins. 😀

 

[SarahGM]

I gained over 15 lbs my first year of med school. I wasn't necessarily eating more or eating crappy foods, but before school I did clinical research and was on my feet 6-10 hrs a day, I was an EMT, and I did Swiftwater Rescue and was training to join the High Angle Rescue Team. I went from a very active lifestyle to a very sedentary one where I just sat on my ass and studied all day long. That kind of lifestyle was miserable for me. This year, I've lost all the weight I gained, and I'm working on losing more. I go to the gym at least 5 days a week, even during exams, and I joined Weight Watchers and am slowly learning the art of portion control (I have to admit...it's difficult). I look better, I feel better, and I won't feel like a fraud next year on the wards when I'm telling patients how to live healthier lives.

Sweet Tea, you are an inspiration!!

I've always been a runner, and I've managed to find time to go three days a week. It helps that our dorm has a gym in the basement (especially during these winter months!). Sometimes I wake up and drag myself out of bed at 7:15am to go swimming (most often not).

In terms of eating, I was hell-bent on saving money and so bought stuff that was reasonably good for me (but probably not the best). Now that I have found the wonder that is Fresh Direct, I can have baby portabellos, goat cheese, soy milk, sheep's milk yogurt (you name it they HAVE it -- and for cheap!) at my door in a day or so. I 😍 Fresh Direct. Also... I'm moving to an apartment with a kitchen. That makes a HUGE difference.

 

[typeB-md]

i used to eat 3000 calories a day.... now i'm lucky to get in more than 2 meals.

but on an up note, my resting heart rate is down below 60.

 

[MeowMix]

insomnia, skin problems (women), and Deadly Testosterone Buildup (men) are rampant in our first-year class

half the class hasn't gone to the grocery store in a couple of weeks
the other half has their spouse/signif other buying food so they don't starve

but we're in good shape because we exercise instead of studying for biochem

 

[heldicus]

All seems to be in reasonably goo ballance

I'm definitely in "goo balance." My diet consists of pop, turkey sandwhiches, pretzels, pizza, chili, soup, cereal, chicken nuggets, and ice cream. I'm turning into "goo" alright....

 

[quideam]

Hmm... you guys are making me feel bad 🙂

My exercise (other than 1-2 hockey games a week) is running up and down stairs in my dorm (I try not to use elevators). As for food... my consumption of diet coke and coffee has increased 10 fold since starting med school.... Thank you, Anatomy and Physiology.

But I am trying to eat healthier... i've been substituting carrot sticks for candy bars... i know, i know, but it's a start!! *sigh*

 

[Sharkfan]

I too went from an active lifestyle to a sedentary one. While I hate sitting either a) in class or b) at my desk for most of every dang day, the one good thing is that I eat significantly less. I am too busy trying to keep afloat in my studies and lazy (weird combo, I know) to go to the gorcery store. So when I do get hungry, I look around, can't find anything worth snacking on, and give up. Nice system.

 

[thirdangel]

I haven't had much of an appetite since I started medical school in January. I think I have lost about 10 pounds and sometimes when i am studying I have to be reminded to eat when my stomach growls or when I start feeling dizzy and like I am going to pass out.
I only go out to eat once or twice a week now, but otherwise what I eat has stayed the same (wraps, salads, vegetables, chips, pizza, pasta, granola bars, fruit, sandwiches, veggie burgers, chicken, rice). The only thing that has changed is that I used to eat a lot of sweets because I love to bake, but now I don't have that much time so I don't eat them as much anymore.
I have been trying to stay active as well through walking and swimming, but I haven't been to the gym in a long time. Being on my feet for hours at a time in the anatomy lab has also helped a little bit, but before I started school I was exercising 1-2 hours a day. I can feel myself starting to get out of shape. It's not fun.

 

[quideam]

Something I did yesturday that I'm going to start doing more - jogging up and down the hospital stairs. I jogged up 8 flights, then ran down, then did it again. It was great - I got my heart rate up, a little sweating even - and definetely felt it in my legs afterwards. Plus, it only took about 10 mins - no need to take out a couple of hours to go to the gym. Anyone else have quick 'in-house' exercise ideas?

 

[NGemie]

I've never eaten healthy or exercised, but after taking biochemistry and learning how your body breaks down and stores food, etc....I'm trying to eat healthier and be more active.

 

[thirdangel]

I've never eaten healthy or exercised, but after taking biochemistry and learning how your body breaks down and stores food, etc....I'm trying to eat healthier and be more active.

That's funny because I just heard a classmate something similar when we were in biochemistry today.

 

[Duckie24]

I've only put on 2-3 pounds so far in my MS2 year, but I feel pretty lousy. We don't have block exams this year, so we had exams 10 of 18 weeks last semester and 14 of 19 weeks this semester. It sucks. Plus it seems like it's always snowing or raining/cold, so I'm looking forward to spring so maybe I can get outside again sometime.

 

[Bad Mojo]

I trained for and ran a marathon during my first semester of med school. There's still time, it seems, to exercise and eat normal meals. But then again, I'm a bad student...

 

[Long Dong]

After doing autopsies on so many people with colon cancer and diverticulosis I started eating vegs. Autopies on people with cirrohosis caused my decreased drinking etoh. After righting a paper on the adverse effects of excess dietary protien I cut back on meat. After a lipid lab I found out my cholesterol is over 200 and started doing cardio, because before I thought that lifting and having low % body fat was enough. Man was I ignorant before.