Keeping up with exercise during 3rd year

[Brian Griffin]

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Hi everyone,

I'm currently a 3rd year on my surgery rotation right now, and I'm really wanting to incorporate exercise back into my everyday routine. I know it's all about just making it a priority, but I'm having a hard time finding the energy/motivation to put in the time to work out after a long day. I never had any issues with nighttime workouts during 1st and 2nd year, so that's not the problem. The rational part of me knows that I would have more energy and feel so much better if I just get myself to the gym for a little bit of cardio or whatnot, but it's just simply so hard for me to find the motivation - I just want to curl up on the couch when I get home.

I was wondering if anyone has any practical tips or tricks they've found that work for keeping up with their exercise routines during rotations with longer hours. Even some "motivational" words of wisdom would be helpful 😉

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Don't kill yourself when you're on brutal rotations, it's not worth it. Ideally yes you should keep exercising, but in practice it's just not a good idea to be trying to run 20 miles a week while pulling 24 hour Trauma shifts. Just hit it harder when you're on easy stuff and you'll be fine.

Another thought, I actually got way into working-out post-call. I know it sounds crazy, but you know you're going right home to bed and I think having that post-workout fatigue feels great as you settle into your bed.

 

[Hard24Get]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently a 3rd year on my surgery rotation right now, and I'm really wanting to incorporate exercise back into my everyday routine. I know it's all about just making it a priority, but I'm having a hard time finding the energy/motivation to put in the time to work out after a long day. I never had any issues with nighttime workouts during 1st and 2nd year, so that's not the problem. The rational part of me knows that I would have more energy and feel so much better if I just get myself to the gym for a little bit of cardio or whatnot, but it's just simply so hard for me to find the motivation - I just want to curl up on the couch when I get home.

I was wondering if anyone has any practical tips or tricks they've found that work for keeping up with their exercise routines during rotations with longer hours. Even some "motivational" words of wisdom would be helpful 😉

I guess I am the opposite of Amory, I worked out BEFORE I go in (not that I'm working terribly hard these days, mind you). Nothing crazy, just getting up 20 mins early to do something a la 8 mins in the am, and some karate moves. Helps you wake up!

 

[cdql]

Same thing. I like to wake up 30 minutes earlier than I need to in order to squeeze some exercise in. I find it's almost impossible (for me anyways) to work out after a long day of work.

I opted not to do this during my OB rotation as I was barely getting 5 hours of sleep anyway. I imagine exercise will take a backseat again during my surgery rotation.

 

[Roy7]

If your hospital has a gym (mine does), just go right before breakfast/lunch.

I usually get an hr lunch break at some point, so I put myself on a 2 bodypart split and can get it done in 20-30 mins and make moderate gains.

Every good athlete I know always stresses - it's how you take care of yourself outside the gym that'll make the difference.

 

[MrBurns10]

The key is to not go home before you go to the gym...even looking at the couch will make you lose all willpower. I suggest having your gym clothes with you if your school has a gym or having them in your car so you can drive straight to wherever you workout. Then, you know that when you get home you can finally just relax.

 

[akpete]

I usually get an hr lunch break at some point,

😱 Consider yourself quite lucky!

 

[ESPNdeportes]

The key is to not go home before you go to the gym...even looking at the couch will make you lose all willpower. I suggest having your gym clothes with you if your school has a gym or having them in your car so you can drive straight to wherever you workout. Then, you know that when you get home you can finally just relax.

Thats a great point!

To me, the biggest thing has been making the time to workout a priority. I found that if I didn't plan out my day and when I was going to work out, I would end up not working out at all.

 

[domer621]

I was wondering if anyone has any practical tips or tricks they've found that work for keeping up with their exercise routines during rotations with longer hours. Even some "motivational" words of wisdom would be helpful 😉

What are your goals? What type of exercise do you enjoy?

 

[Blade28]

After a while, once you get the hang of your rotation, all it takes is 30-45 minutes of dedication daily. It took me a while to figure out, but despite being in a busy G Surg residency I still find time to exercise for 45 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week.

Obviously you can't do it when on call, but post-call runs are great before the inevitable naps!

 

[etudiante04]

Do you guys also manage to maintain a good diet in the clinical years? In some rotations at my school, they offer free lunch, and sometimes it is soooooooo tempting . . . .

As for exercise, there are several 3rd yrs who are currently training for a marathon. I don't know how they do it!!!

 

[domer621]

Do you guys also manage to maintain a good diet in the clinical years?

Definitely. Diet becomes even more important, since chances are you're going to be exercising less. I've tried to keep it strict.

 

[Miami_med]

Definitely. Diet becomes even more important, since chances are you're going to be exercising less. I've tried to keep it strict.

I'm just getting fat

 

[Brian Griffin]

What are your goals? What type of exercise do you enjoy?

I don't really have any specific weight loss goals or anything like that. I just know that when I maintain a regular workout routine, I feel great - my overall energy is up and I feel less lethargic in general, my body image is improved, and I even tend to eat better when I'm exercising regularly. It's just one of those things healthy lifestyle things that I know I should be keeping up with. As far as what I enjoy, well... that's sort of the problem.. I don't really enjoy cardio all that much...that's where the difficulty in motivating myself comes in. I do always enjoy how I feel afterwards, though.

 

[diosa428]

Maybe you should try a workout DVD. You could get yoga or pilates or tai-bo or whatever. Then you wouldn't actually require a gym, and the entire process would take considerably less time since you'd just be doing in your living room. I find it easier to motivate myself if I don't actually have to go very far - sticking a DVD in your DVD player is a lot easier than driving to a gym. And you can get workouts for anywhere from 15 mins to an hour. Another tip is to not pressure yourself into working out for long periods of time. I find a lot of times if I tell myself I'll just work out for 20 mins or a half an hour, I'm a lot more likely to go, and then if I hate it I can leave after that time, but if I start feeling good I can stay and do more.

 

[Richie Truxillo]

Workout options. My hospital gives us free gym membership but if you can't do that, workout at home someway.

I bought a cheap elliptical on ebay and it works well. I can play Guitar Hero II and run on it at the same time at a full clip now. 🙂

As for workout videos, Taebo and Turbo Jam are excellent workouts and you can do them in as little as 25 minutes. Keep some barbells around to keep your muscle strength up too.

A rule of thumb, if you are getting less than 5 hours of sleep on a given night, do not exercise the next day. You'll inevitably leave yourself open to getting sick...which will kill your routine! Oh and take your multi-vitamin everyday.

Don't let yourself become dormant in 3rd year...you'll gain weight fast especially on your hospital food diet. My internal medicine attending and I are racing to see who can lose weight the fastest this month. I'm winning with 6 lbs in a week so far 🙂

 

[Ypo.]

Take the stairs. Drink lots of water.

I take anywhere from 12-30 flights of stairs a day. It adds up, and you can avoid waiting for the elevator (which I hate).

 

[fakin' the funk]

Take the stairs. Drink lots of water.

I take anywhere from 12-30 flights of stairs a day. It adds up, and you can avoid waiting for the elevator (which I hate).

Great advice.

 

[domer621]

I don't really enjoy cardio all that much...that's where the difficulty in motivating myself comes in. I do always enjoy how I feel afterwards, though.

Lift weights and skip the cardio, then. Way more fun, and definitely more rewarding, IMHO. If you only like cardio, switch it up. Try running sprints or taking exercise classes. Just make it enjoyable.

Working out should be something to look forward to, especially for time-pressed people like medical students.

 

[etudiante04]

Don't let yourself become dormant in 3rd year...you'll gain weight fast especially on your hospital food diet. My internal medicine attending and I are racing to see who can lose weight the fastest this month. I'm winning with 6 lbs in a week so far 🙂

So do students have the opportunity to make and eat their own lunches, or do 3rd have to always rely on hospital food??

 

[etudiante04]

Maybe you should try a workout DVD. You could get yoga or pilates or tai-bo or whatever. Then you wouldn't actually require a gym, and the entire process would take considerably less time since you'd just be doing in your living room. I find it easier to motivate myself if I don't actually have to go very far - sticking a DVD in your DVD player is a lot easier than driving to a gym. And you can get workouts for anywhere from 15 mins to an hour. Another tip is to not pressure yourself into working out for long periods of time. I find a lot of times if I tell myself I'll just work out for 20 mins or a half an hour, I'm a lot more likely to go, and then if I hate it I can leave after that time, but if I start feeling good I can stay and do more.

Workout DVDs work for me. I can program how much and how long I want to exercise, which for me is crucial in time management. But I don't know how helpful it is for those who want to build muscles.

 

[UCLAstudent]

So do students have the opportunity to make and eat their own lunches, or do 3rd have to always rely on hospital food??

I just do hospital food. I'd have nowhere to store my lunch during the day if I were to pack one! Fortunately, there have usually been healthy options where I've rotated.

 

[UCLAstudent]

Workout DVDs work for me. I can program how much and how long I want to exercise, which for me is crucial in time management. But I don't know how helpful it is for those who want to build muscles.

Ditto. Kick-boxing, cardio, boot camp ... whatever DVD I'm in the mood for. I try to do 20 to 30 minutes each day. I'm on outpatient surgery right now, which means I get weekends off --- so that's when I go to the gym.

 

[Richie Truxillo]

So do students have the opportunity to make and eat their own lunches, or do 3rd have to always rely on hospital food??

Good question. If you are motivated enough, you can pack your lunch as long as it's light. I used to keep a small snack bar in my white coat pocket but by and far, it's cheaper and easier to eat the cafeteria food. Optimally, you would eat fruit and veggies but sometimes, especially after a rough time in ICU, that ice cream and fried food station is going to call your name. It got me in trouble! Exercise is really the key though. Take the stairs, do something everyday, even if it's just 10 minutes.

 

[domer621]

I'm just getting fat

I'm single, so I don't have that option. 😉

I'm on outpatient surgery right now, which means I get weekends off --- so that's when I go to the gym.

Same here... Fri/Sat/Sun are my workout days.

 

[domer621]

So do students have the opportunity to make and eat their own lunches, or do 3rd have to always rely on hospital food??

I'm way too lazy to bring my own lunch... I don't know anyone that does. There is usually always some type of healthy/semi-healthy choice at the cafeteria, though.

 

[Hard24Get]

So do students have the opportunity to make and eat their own lunches, or do 3rd have to always rely on hospital food??

What works really well is bringing those frozen lunches, like Lean cuisine or Trader Joes. They are more satisfying than a sandwich, cheap, and you can leave them in your bag and just heat it up when you are ready to eat it. Just be sure to choose ones with at least 350 calories unless you have something else.

BTW, I agree with the DVD people, especially if you were forced to give up your Pilates classes like I was 🙁

 

[PugnaciousF]

I've actually lost weight since the start of rounds (5-8lbs). That probably had more to do with:
1) Not sitting on my butt all day studying for the USMLE
2) Managing to go exercise 2-3hrs each 3x /w
3) Having medicine clerkship first and having to walk constantly on those killer 4 hr rounds!

 

[surrender903]

I used to keep a small snack bar in my white coat pocket but by and far, it's cheaper and easier to eat the cafeteria food.

whaaaaat?

pb and j = bread 3 bucks, pb 4 bucks and jelly 2 bucks.

thats at least 12 lunches right there and its cheaper to at the cafeteria how? unless you are getting vouchers im not following.

 

[Miami_med]

I'm single, so I don't have that option. 😉


Same here... Fri/Sat/Sun are my workout days.

My wife's pregnant, so as long as I gain slower than her, she still think that I'm thin 😉

 

[Richie Truxillo]

whaaaaat?

pb and j = bread 3 bucks, pb 4 bucks and jelly 2 bucks.

thats at least 12 lunches right there and its cheaper to at the cafeteria how? unless you are getting vouchers im not following.

Cafeteria food is 100% free for med students at my current hospital. So free = cheap and easy! If I had to pay for cafeteria food, I'd be thin to begin with due to malnourishment

If you gotta pay for yours, then yes, the PB&J is the cheap way to go. That or sneak into the surgeon's lounge and gank you some peanut butter and crackers.

 

[surrender903]

Cafeteria food is 100% free for med students at my current hospital. So free = cheap and easy! If I had to pay for cafeteria food, I'd be thin to begin with due to malnourishment

If you gotta pay for yours, then yes, the PB&J is the cheap way to go. That or sneak into the surgeon's lounge and gank you some peanut butter and crackers.

i hate you richie...

free food!?!?!? wtf. lucky lucky.

 

[Richie Truxillo]

i hate you richie...

free food!?!?!? wtf. lucky lucky.

Oh and they started carrying pints of ben and jerry's too about a month ago. It's been super hard to stay away from the frozen section but so far so good these past couple weeks 🙁 Though I bring home a pint every once in awhile for the fiance when she's at my place. She loves it 8)

Though, I'm heading to CAMC in a bit so I know the meals won't be free. As it stands now, I get my milk for my cereal from the cafeteria. No one drinks skim milk in west virginia it seems which is good news for me! My luck will be running out soon 😱

 

[etudiante04]

What! Lunch is free?? The staff must be really generous!!

 

[OddNath]

So do students have the opportunity to make and eat their own lunches, or do 3rd have to always rely on hospital food??

I generally carry a half sandwich or fruit bar in my coat pocket. But then, I've only been to the gym a grand total of 1 time since surgery started last week. Mad props to you guys who are actually keeping up any semblance of an exercise plan...