How much weight have you gained in med school???

[Sonic Wig]

Hey, I'm looking around at my class, and I've noticed some of my class mates don't look the same as they did about 2 years ago when we started med school. they're looking...well, a little filled out around the middle , in the ass... They are taking on that well fed appearence!!!

Some of my class mates have taken up smoking- tabacco, some have lost weight.

I've desperately kept up running about 3 miles evey other day, but I'm worried about the third year.

How is your class doing? Of course maybe this is because I attend med school in the 5 th fattest city in the US, Philly!!!

Gotta watch those cheesesteaks!!!

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[daisygirl]

Unfortunately, I've become a little fatter in the arse and I've taken up smoking again. Although I am sure that some people handle the rigors of med school better than me, I still can't get over how damn stressful this lifestyle is at times.

 

[phllystyl]

I def. put on 5 or so lbs last semester. But since the start of this semester I've actually lost 15 lbs. Still like 15 more lbs from where Id like to be though ;/

 

[THE instiGATOR]

The only edible food substance in my apartment now is bread crumbs. Sadly, I have taken to eating this because I don't have time to go buy groceries (I do the fast food thing too, but sometimes they are closed or I don't have time to leave the apartment). Yes, I spoon bread crumbs into my starving mouth. My hellish month-long streak of exams is coming to an end, fortunately. Can't wait to have a free hour to go buy groceries. Who would have thought life could be like this? Why do professors torture us so? I wish I had someone to take care of me; be it a girlfriend, spouse, or parent. Something as simple as buying me groceries or doing my heaping pile of laundry would be a cherished gift.

Med school sucks! Hopefully it gets better.

Woe is me... [insert violin playing graemlin here]

 

[Street Philosopher]

damn, you gain weight in med school? i was hoping it had the opposite effect. add the weight i already gained in college and... damn.

 

[irlandesa]

gained about 10 lbs during first year (and wasn't tiny to begin with), lost about 5 during the summer, went up and down for a while when I returned for second year, and currently have lost about an additional 2 lbs. and counting over the past few months, hopefully (if studying for Step 1 doesn't do me in over th enext few months)..

 

[mudbug]

I think a lot of that has to do just with the age people are when they're in med school. I work in a regular old office setting and recently all the twentysomethings were standing around griping about how much fatter they are now than they were in college.

However, my boyfriend is in his early thirties and started med school this year, and he's put on a good 15-20 lbs in the past seven months. He used to run 10 miles every other day, and he just hasn't had time for that lately.

I think it's a combination of the two factors.

 

[hotbovie]

I probably was up 5 lb during the first 2 years. It wasn't too bad, though, cuz I brought my lunch to school and kept easy to make frozed stuff in the freezer (not really frozen dinners, but things like those pasta dishes that come in a bag and you cook in the skillet). I'm not much of a partier, so that probably helped too.

Toward the end of the 3rd year, I started running a bit, then slacked off early 4th year as I was doing visiting electives. However, in Nov or Dec, I started getting serious about getting into better shape. I went to bed a little earlier so I could get up early enough to run. Then in Jan I started lifting weights too. I have only lost a couple of pounds weight wise, but I have lost quite a bit of my flab and have dropped a size. Now I am in the best shape of my life (not bad for the high school nerd that got mocked in gym class for total lack of athletic ability). With only a few months to go til graduation, I've only got a few chilled rotations left and plenty of time to continue to work out. I know I won't have this much time during residency, but it doesn't take as much effort to maintain a level of fitness as it does to establish it.

One big regret I have about the whole med school expeirence is not taking the time to work out. I didn't think I had time to do anything but study during exams, and I studied a lot even when it wasn't exam time. I was a class goer, I dont' think it benefited me. I would have been better off skipping class to memorize the trivia in the syllabus for the exam, and taking some time to work out.

Those of you who don't feel like you have an hour to go to the grocery store...perhaps it's time to re-evaluate. Can an hour really make that big a difference in your grade? Take care of yourself, it's more important.

 

[gwyn779]

I gained about lbs. my first fall and then gained anoth 5 lbs. this past winter (2nd year). I attribute this mostly to not walking anywhere close to what I did in college. I walked _fast_ all over the place. This semester I've started lifting weights and dancing, but haven't noticed a difference. I'm going to increase my efforts after this next week of exams. But as far as fitting exercise in, it's a good study break, esp. if you just can't concentrate. Go do something physical and you'll usually come back more focused. I also fit in 3 hours of dance class a week, which is easier to do than you might think. Next year, though, when I'm going all over the state for clerkships, that'll be more difficult.

 

[shag]

Luckily, I'm one of those types who lose their appetite when under heavy stress. As a quasi-nontrad, I had to play a bit of catchup, especially at the beginning of the 1st year. I would lose 10 pounds when it was busy, and gain it back over breaks/holidays. So... The first 2 years ended up being a total wash. I slowly gained <1lb/month in 3rd until I was on Family Medicine because of weird eating times 2/2 gruesome call schedules and eating greasy caf or fast food. On family, we had GOOD food brought in daily by drug reps, and I ate like I did on previous rotations where your next meal was uncertain... i.e. I gorged . Unfortunately, meals were regular AND daily so where I would often go 24 hrs without a meal, I was eating excessively daily. I've gained 10+ lbs. My pants and the collars of my shirts have become tight, and I gave up today and finally bought larger pants. Unfortunately, I still don't have an arse!

 

[THE instiGATOR]

Originally posted by hotbovie
Those of you who don't feel like you have an hour to go to the grocery store...perhaps it's time to re-evaluate. Can an hour really make that big a difference in your grade? Take care of yourself, it's more important.

Can an hour make a difference? I don't know... Considering the fact that a large number of my classmates are bombing neuro and physiology, I'd say (emphatically) YES! I'm barely holding Cs in these classes. I'd rather not slip (hopefully I'll bump them up to Bs). It's not like I'm gunning for As.

Med school's all about extremes. Study hard when times are rough and party hard when you have the time to do so. Bread crumbs during test blocks and filet mignon during spring break (which is coming soon! ) .

I do think I need to make an effort to stock up on food before hellish exam blocks (marathons) begin, though.

 

[THE instiGATOR]

Originally posted by daisygirl
Unfortunately, I've become a little fatter in the arse and I've taken up smoking again. Although I am sure that some people handle the rigors of med school better than me, I still can't get over how damn stressful this lifestyle is at times.

Smoking AGAIN? When was the last time you did that? Let me take a guess... Could it have been during your P Chem period?

Hopefully I'll gain some weight by the time this stuff is over.

 

[Plinko]

I've gone from a respectable 180 to a whopping 195 in eight months. The last time I had a shift in wieight that large was when I moped around after my ex-girlfriend dumped me cold for staying out all night at a stripclub with a buddy of mine who just got engaged. I haven't yet determined if it's my being sedentary all the time or the fact that I only eat out of a box every night. The one positive note in all of this is that my current girlfriend has very graciously adopted a "more to love" philosophy. Yeah, she's a keeper. No stripclubs this time around.

 

[MD2b06]

With only 3500 calories in a lb. It's pretty easy to gain a few lbs in med school given the sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits due to time constraints. Lots of my classmates eat out twice a day. Although I think I started med school at 150, now I'm down to 145. I attribute it primarily to gross anatomy induced stress loss. So glad that's over and done with!

 

[KyGrlDr2B]

I have definitely gained some weight since school started, but I don't know how much because I never weigh myself. All I know is that I went shopping this past week and the size I normally wear did not fit...so I'm up one size. It isn't a big deal to me because I'm really small to begin with--in fact, if anyone I know is reading this they will probably roll their eyes, but I just don't want to have to buy new jeans and pants in a different size. That's annoying (and expensive!).

And to think, I just thought I had shrunk everything.

 

[mary]

I gained weight the first two years, but I made myself always take the stairs during M3 so far and that has helped me lose a little and keep from gaining anymore. it is usually quicker than waiting for an elevator, too.

 

[paean]

I'm trying to save some of my loan money for this summer, and so very rarely eat out. As a consequence, I haven't gained any weight, although I stopped going to the gym to swim in November (I still walk to school, about a mile each way). Having to cook is a great way to prevent weight gain, because if I'm lazy, unstead of overeating at some cheap restaurant, I just skip dinner in favor of a glass of soy milk or something.

 

[F/A-18]

Yeah, I'm concerned, as I will start med school this Aug. My best buddy went to Pharm school and graduated 20 pounds heavier. He said it was so stressful. Wow.....!!!!!

 

[Smurfette]

Originally posted by THE instiGATOR
The only edible food substance in my apartment now is bread crumbs. Sadly, I have taken to eating this because I don't have time to go buy groceries (I do the fast food thing too, but sometimes they are closed or I don't have time to leave the apartment). Can't wait to have a free hour to go buy groceries. Who would have thought life could be like this? Why do professors torture us so?

Med school sucks! Hopefully it gets better.

Woe is me... [insert violin playing graemlin here]

I can totally relate to this. Unfortunately, my med school roommates tend to beat me to the store so there isn't much room for my groceries when I DO finally get there. Laundry is even tougher as it's usually an all-day job by the time I have the time. I don't understand how they have so much extra time (in general) but I barely do.

I used to be a person who lost her appetite when studying. However, this year I vowed to make myself go home for dinner every nght instead of skipping a meal to study. I've stuck to that, but I end up compensating by studying later into the night.

Only two months to go, then rotations! At least my time will not be spent memorizing hundreds of pages of notes and exams will be more spread out and clinically oriented....the end is near.