How to stay FIT during residency?

[DocBrown]

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I don't want to get fat. I don't want to look in the mirror and be disgusted by a developing spare tire. I've worked hard my whole life to stay fit and healthy, and I don't want it to go down the toilet.

So, how do you stay fit during intern year? Is there even enough time to workout? Any tips on nutrition?

 

[darrvao777]

i guess it depends what you're doing

some residencies only work 40 hr weeks so if you are fortunate enough to be in one of those, you may find yourself with more free time than you know what to do with!!

 

[southerndoc]

Always take the stairs. Bring your own lunch if the hospital has nothing but fatty foods or if there is a chance you will miss lunch (and be forced to order out or worse, eat from a vending machine).

30 minutes is only 2% of your 24-hour day. You can spare 2% to exercise.

 

[waterski232002]

Get weights at home... It takes 30 min to get a full workout in whether it's running, stairmaster, or weight lifting. If you use a gym, your workout time is greatly increased b/c you have to drive to the gym, change, drive home, change again (you need at least an hour, if not 2). Plus you can do other things while you workout at home (I often check e-mail, watch tv, look up info while in between sets).

Also, on call months, make it a point to work out at least 1 time between every call. It's hard to make time to work out when you're q3 or q4, but making it clear to yourself that you will do it once in between will prevent you from just skipping the entire month all together.

 

[darrvao777]

Or you could be like that doc in Dr. 90210 and actually lift weights right before you go in and perform an operation 🙂

 

[waterski232002]

Or you could be like that doc in Dr. 90210 and actually lift weights right before you go in and perform an operation 🙂

That is actually really sketchy and dangerous. Have you ever tried to write after lifting weights??? Your fine motor skills are completely shot.

 

[darrvao777]

hahaha...i know

it was a joke

the last thing you want is to be tired and cramping up in the middle of a surgery

 

[gutonc]

I intend to keep in shape by continuing my current regimen...I bike to work. My usual route (to my main hospital) is about a 7 mile round-trip but I can make it 10 if I take a different route home. I'm actually hoping to find a similar length route when I move to Portland.

BE

 

[radonc]

walk as much as you can (including UP the stairs), dont eat fried foods on call, exercise whenever you can (at least 2xweek if on q4 call), organize a sports team (flag football, kickball, bball etc) for co-residents in a city/community league, keep on a strict eating schedule and dont munch at 3am while writing orders!

 

[cdql]

Swimming is also good exercise and it puts less wear and tear on your body then say jogging.

 

[southerndoc]

Go into a lifestyle specialty (EM, derm, rads, anethesia). We have lots of free time. You can use it to perfect your physique, travel, do other things, whatever you want.

 

[Danger Man]

I don't want to get fat. I don't want to look in the mirror and be disgusted by a developing spare tire. I've worked hard my whole life to stay fit and healthy, and I don't want it to go down the toilet.

So, how do you stay fit during intern year? Is there even enough time to workout? Any tips on nutrition?

I agree with the posts. Your diet will account for about 75% of your fitness. Being tired predisposes you to increasing your carb intake so take nutritious snacks with you while on call--almonds, fruit (strawberries, apples--low glycemic index), yogurt--so that when you are up at 3 am you have good food options.
Best wishes

 

[c diddy]

Diet is definitely #1 on the importance list. One thing I do is eat dinner at like 430-5pm at the latest, and make it light. This way I still work off some of the calories before bedtime, if I actually get some sleep. Also, make lunch your main meal of the day, when you eat carbs if you want them, etc. Keep a bag of cashews or something high protein in your coat pocket if you need a snack- and dont even walk in front of the vending machines so as not to get the urge. And if you dont have that much will power, avoid even hanging out with co-residents when they decide to order pizza at 11 pm. If it's out of sight it's out of mind. Lastly consider joining some sort of team activity (intramural sports, etc). I dont know about you but when going to the gym is just for the sake of going to the gym, it's easier to put off or ignore. When your team's outcome depends on your presence at the gym, I think it's a little harder to just blow off and you may feel more compelled to go. Good luck and dont get fat!

 

[c diddy]

If the above measures fail, you can always just walk into the closest 5'2", 120kg+ hypertensive, CHF, OSA, etc patients' room and see how they cant so much as turn in bed without calling for the nurse or speak full sentences without gurgling from the girth of their neck, and picture them the next time youre about to stuff your mouth with fries or cake.

 

[cdql]

haha...wow...no dinner for me tonight after that graphic description 🙂

 

[DocBrown]

great suggestions!

here's my current plan:

1. do 10-15 min ab workout EVERY DAY right after work
2. do 10-15 min dips and pullups EVERY DAY right after work (in the apartment complex gym, open 24 hr).
3. Once a week, do 1 solid hr cardio (bike or swim or run)
4. Lift wts only if have extra time

I'd love to be able to lift wts more, but like eveyrone is saying, diet really is most important during intern year. wts will have to wait until next year... 😡

 

[cdql]

Sounds pretty good

I think you'll need to do cardio more often than once a week though to see results

Perhaps you could try 30 minutes a day (3-4 days a week)?

 

[SoCuteMD]

Keep a bag of cashews or something high protein in your coat pocket if you need a snack- and dont even walk in front of the vending machines so as not to get the urge.

Just a note, as a sister of someone with really bad nut allergies - be careful bringing cashews ANYWHERE near patients. I can tell you exactly what would happen to my sister if you did.

 

[nosoupforu!]

Just to add my 2 cents... I agree with everything previously said.
Diet is definitely #1. I know when I work out for 15 - 30 mins on the treadmill (according to the readout) I burn approximately 100 - 250 calories. That's basically equal to 1 can of (non-diet) soda.

So eating low-cal is a much easier way to maintain than trying to burn off calories. I actually know a dentist who lost 50 pounds just through diet alone with no exercise.

 

[Hercules]

Go into a lifestyle specialty (EM, derm, rads, anethesia). We have lots of free time. You can use it to perfect your physique, travel, do other things, whatever you want.

Agreed If you do have the misfortune to be on call, take advantage of your post call days and try to get a workout in before you go to sleep. It won't be the world's best or most intense workout, but it's better than nothing, and if you're just doing cardio you can always slog through that no matter how tired you are.

 

[cdql]

I figured this would be a good place to get nutrition advice.

Would chips and salsa be a (fairly) healthy snack?

 

[DOtobe]

If the above measures fail, you can always just walk into the closest 5'2", 120kg+ hypertensive, CHF, OSA, etc patients' room and see how they cant so much as turn in bed without calling for the nurse or speak full sentences without gurgling from the girth of their neck, and picture them the next time youre about to stuff your mouth with fries or cake.

Or just picture the pts who keep getting Candida infections under their pannus(es)...

On my last rotation, I had two 300+ lb patients, and they both smelled like fungus...yummy...

 

[Danger Man]

I figured this would be a good place to get nutrition advice.

Would chips and salsa be a (fairly) healthy snack?

All depends on what type of chips you are eating--oily v. baked.
Salsa is harmless.

 

[hzma]

Wow all u active people! I feel like such a lazy bum. I envy you. I've been thinking of doing some workout for years. Sigh. Oh well. Off to my bag of doritos! cya!

 

[Danger Man]

Just a note, as a sister of someone with really bad nut allergies - be careful bringing cashews ANYWHERE near patients. I can tell you exactly what would happen to my sister if you did.

I did not think of that.....you certainly do not want to push anyone into anaphylaxis. 😱

 

[Plastikos]

I intend to keep in shape by continuing my current regimen...I bike to work. My usual route (to my main hospital) is about a 7 mile round-trip but I can make it 10 if I take a different route home. I'm actually hoping to find a similar length route when I move to Portland.

BE

Hope you have a rainsuit.


Also, it doesnt take two hours to work out at the gym. You go to the gym (full gym bag is essential) in your w/o clothes, bust your asz for about 45-60min, shower--->scrubs and off to work.
Working out at home is great but theres nothing like the atmosphere of the gym.

 

[mdphd2b]

great suggestions!

here's my current plan:

1. do 10-15 min ab workout EVERY DAY right after work
2. do 10-15 min dips and pullups EVERY DAY right after work (in the apartment complex gym, open 24 hr).
3. Once a week, do 1 solid hr cardio (bike or swim or run)
4. Lift wts only if have extra time

I'd love to be able to lift wts more, but like eveyrone is saying, diet really is most important during intern year. wts will have to wait until next year... 😡

This is really good advice for everyone! Personally I lost 85 pounds by end of MS2, and I've kept it off in grad school 😉 I'm going to start back to MS3 this summer, and I was wondering how to stay fit during the more intense clerkships like surgery and medicine. The 15-30 min rule looks like a plan.

 

[tiger4evr]

I intend to keep in shape by continuing my current regimen...I bike to work. My usual route (to my main hospital) is about a 7 mile round-trip but I can make it 10 if I take a different route home. I'm actually hoping to find a similar length route when I move to Portland.

BE

When I worked at ohsu post-college, I would ride my bike about 3 times a week up the hill to work. it is a great workout, and a beautiful ride. it never rained too hard, I just needed good fenders, and they had a shower in my building. I'm sure you'll have one in your locker room. enjoy portland!

 

[blue2000]

Surgery intern; busy program. I shoot for running 3 miles/3x a week. Usually accomplish this by running precall and then on my day off. Sometimes it's less, but I usually get close. You just really have to prioritize what you're doing in your time off.

My boyfriend (also in training) swears by CrossFit, which are high intensity but short workouts. He's in great shape. 😍