Do most people Gain or Lose Weight in residency?

[cbrons]

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I would think gain bc of hospital food.
I would think lose bc too busy to eat as much.

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[bashwell]

Yes.

 

[Merely]

No.

 

[DocWinter]

Everyone will gain or lose weight. I don't think we should blame residency for that.

 

[bashwell]

Maybe.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Gain

 

[sazerac]

Lose

 

[IslandStyle808]

LOL. Best part of reading SDN almost everyday you usually get the answer to these questions. The residents that have commented about their weight mostly lost weight. 1) because they barely have time to eat (they will shove their small lunch down their throats then continue their work) 2) because they are running all over the place. Easy question.

 

[kenjixshadow]

Yes.

No.

Maybe.

I don't know.

 

[Nasrudin]

i guess it varies depending on your eating/stress response link.

I lost a ton of weight. on the move, no time to eat. i drank tons of coffee and just ate a banana or something all day. and for long days. so... low caloric intake...high output. took a lot of stairs for quickness in getting somewhere.

i'm curious what the overall trend would be.

 

[Mad Jack]

Probably varies a lot depending on the field. Going to have less time to eat well in a General surgery residency than a PM&R or derm residency.

 

[Umyo]

Maybe


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[madchemist89]

Got more swole.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

I've lost at least 10 lbs unintentionally 4 months into intern year.

 

[Brorthopedic]

Got more swole.

My hero

 

[Raryn]

I would typically gain a few lb when at our main hospital for a few months (unlimited free food) and lose when at our VA (no food). Given our main hospital months outnumbered the VA months, I gained a bit over three years. Not much and I lost it all (and a bit more) in my first few months of fellowship (no free food at any of our three hospitals).

 

[PL198]

most people gain weight during stressful situations.

 

[Psai]

GAINS OR BUST

 

[thyroidpharma]

It all depends on the type of metabolism you have, the physical activity and the type of food

 

[WingedOx]

I got in good shape during residency, ran 3 marathons for the first time, though psych has an easier lifestyle and I didn't really get healthy until second year. Played a lot of soccer here and there. (took up ice hockey as an attending)

I was in really really bad physical shape in med school, so I kinda did it out of necessity.

 

[Crayola227]

I had a big personal loss 2 weeks before I started intern year. I had a hard time even keeping food down, cried myself sick a few times.

Breakfast was a latte. Lunch came from a very nice, healthy cafeteria. Sushi most days. I didn't get a chance to unpack my kitchen stuff from my move, for like 4 months, so I was mostly eating a pair of microwaved poptarts for dinner, or breakfast. Takeout if I came home early enough which wasn't often.

In literally 1 month, I lost 20 lbs. 5'8, 134 lbs and curvy, to start. Ended up at 114 by first rotation end. My co-residents asked me if I had cancer. Just the cancer of residency. Swimming in my clinic clothes, no time to shop. I had to use a kitchen knife to put several new holes in my belt to hold up my pants.

My seniors told me how they gained 20 lbs, per year of residency. You ever hear of the college freshman 15 from pizza and beer? There's some equivalent for a lot of residents. The intern 18? The senior 17?

TLDR:
Crayola lost 20 lbs, 134 -->114, her first month.
Either way, you have very little time. Starving and convenience foods (mostly high calorie) are the most time-saving.

 

[Moose A Moose]

Cultivate mass.

 

[Kgizzle]

I had a big personal loss 2 weeks before I started intern year. I had a hard time even keeping food down, cried myself sick a few times.

Breakfast was a latte. Lunch came from a very nice, healthy cafeteria. Sushi most days. I didn't get a chance to unpack my kitchen stuff from my move, for like 4 months, so I was mostly eating a pair of microwaved poptarts for dinner, or breakfast. Takeout if I came home early enough which wasn't often.

In literally 1 month, I lost 20 lbs. 5'8, 134 lbs and curvy, to start. Ended up at 114 by first rotation end. My co-residents asked me if I had cancer. Just the cancer of residency. Swimming in my clinic clothes, no time to shop. I had to use a kitchen knife to put several new holes in my belt to hold up my pants.

Not sure why that made me laugh so hard lol

 

[Gilakend]

I got in good shape during residency, ran 3 marathons for the first time, though psych has an easier lifestyle and I didn't really get healthy until second year. Played a lot of soccer here and there. (took up ice hockey as an attending)

I was in really really bad physical shape in med school, so I kinda did it out of necessity.

I'll streak on field if we lose to the Browns at home.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

I stayed mostly the same, except for pgy2 which is our most brutal year, I lost only 6 lbs but was already thin to begin with, and so looked scary skeletal. I got back to normal after 3rd year started.


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[mehc012]

I'll streak on field if we lose to the Browns at home.

I don't know who your team is, but they'd better not go screwing us out of a perfect season. We were so close last year!!