Weight loss/gain in med school?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
7

79avenuemozart

New Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2003
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Members don't see this ad.
Is there a phenomenon like the "freshman 15" in med school? Do people typically gain weight in their first year of med school? For those of you who are done with M1- any thoughts?

Thanks!
 
Until people get used to the amt of studying I think people will gain weight...I plan to actively combat this by working out regularly with other obssessive med students...anyone from U of C PM me...we'll figure something out...but yeah I think so.
 
The average of about thirty pounds were put on in the class that recently graduated from my school.
 
Originally posted by hossofadoc
The average of about thirty pounds were put on in the class that recently graduated from my school.
Click to expand...

Hmmm sucks to hear that...especially since i have already put on a solid 5 pounds this last year from being out of school (ie too much drinking and eating.)
 
Ugh! I have PCOS and have battled to lose 60 (yes, sixty) lbs since I graduated undergrad in 2001. I'm still no where near as scrawny as I was after h.s. I worry about being able to keep up the running/dancing schedule that got me this far in the first place.

Here's hoping that the gym available to NJMS students is as adequate as my tour guide said it was... 😛
 
I know for myself getting the time and energy to exercise is so hard, especially during exam times. What do you guys think is the biggest reason why med students gain weight: lack of exercise or is it dietary (i.e. no time to cook healthy so lots of fast and fatty food)?
 
For me it was lack of exercise. I went from a job where I was standing/running around a hospital all day to SITTING in class, SITTING and studying, and sleeping.

Gained ~5lbs.😡

BUT I packed my lunch or came home for lunch everyday, ate cereal or a nutrigrain every morning, (occasionally succumbed to vending machine chocolate during lecture time) and cook dinner every night...for a while there I was eating stir fry and pasta with vegetables a lot. And salad.

M.
 
Four years and a net gain of 50lbs!
 
I gained somewhere between 10-15 pounds. My culprits:

1. I went from a campus where I walked 15 minutes from my apartment to class in the morning, ten minutes between each class, then home each night to walking to school and then walking home (sometimes catching a shuttle ride if it was late at night).

2. I was spending 10-15 hours a day in class or studying-- and I like to eat when I study.

3. I drank bottles of mountain dew... 2-20 ozs a day packs a LOT of calories-- get some diet soda!

4. I just wasn't working out (had an injury and also freaked out with having enough time-- there is enough time, just schedule your life wisely).

5. Eating cafeteria food is a bad idea.

6. Ordering pizza, cheesesteaks, chinese food is a bad idea.

You get the idea. 🙂
 
i've only been in med school for orientation so far, but I'd guess one of the main culprits is diet. It doesn't seem like many students cook healthy food, or even shop for it. (ie at jefferson students buy chips, soda, snacks, etc at Wawa). This has everything to do how you use your time, I think. Personally, I haven't had much of any time to cook my own food so far this week...when I worked a 9/5 job I cooked my own food regularly, including lunch. I hope I don't fall out of this habit now I'm in med school.
 
I am hoping to rely on my crock pot to provide meals for the majority of the week. Make one, then freeze what individual portions so you can quickly thaw them for dinner.

I just lost 20 pounds over the last two years, and just got rid of all my "fat" clothes. So I am determined not to let the 'freshman 15 or the sophomore 20' get me like it did in college.

Keep in mind, alcohol is like drinking weight gainer 2000. I found this out at my last job (we went out every night and drank after work while we were traveling). Cut out the majority of your alcohol consumption and that will help too.
 
Originally posted by Allygator89
Keep in mind, alcohol is like drinking weight gainer 2000.
Click to expand...

:laugh: Too true. But question: is it impossible to find time to work out? is the only time, say, at 4:00 am or 11 pm? i somehow managed to stick to a regular workout routine in undergrad and i'm sort of worried about med school...it'll be interesting to see how that shakes out. 🙂
 
I had a completely different experience during the first two years of med school--I actually lost weight. And I'm not alone. There were only a handful of people in my class who had any weight to lose when we started, and by now I'd say all of them have lost at least 10 pounds if not more.

I think this is because my class is full of people who work out religiously--I can think of maybe 3 girls out of the 60 in my class who don't exercise at least 3 times a week. It is a big part of the social environment here. I usually go running with a classmate or two, and a group of us trained for and ran our first half-marathon during second year.

In my experience, it really hasn't been a problem finding an hour a day to exercise. Although there was a LOT to study, I didn't have as many time commitments as I did in undergrad so my schedule was pretty flexible.

On the other hand, I consume embarrassing quantities of greasy takeout food because I'm too lazy to cook for myself...
 
UP 25 lbs last year (MS-I).
DOWN 21 lbs since May 1.
 
I gained 10-12 pounds over 2 years. I blame my irregular, infrequent workouts and my habit of eating candy while cramming. I'm trying to make working out a part of my schedule now so that I don't keep on getting fat!
 
. . . of books. 😉

Up 20 first two years. Down 15 during PhD. Down another 5 in first month back in clinics. Gotta get running again.

P
 
I'm a new M1 and have the same fear ,as I'm currently on a diet and exercise program to try to shed the 30 pounds I gained in undergrad. I was spending four hours a day in the car (where I also ate many of my drive-through meals) in addition to classroom sitting time and a job sitting in front of a computer.

My med school includes gym membership with the tuition. I've already searched the website to see when it's open, what classes and equipment are available, etc. You might want to check out the same at your school. Of course, the more difficult part will be finding the time, and staying motivated.
 
There is plenty of time to go to the gym if you refuse to attend lectures.
 
Originally posted by Fletch_F_Fletch
There is plenty of time to go to the gym if you refuse to attend lectures.
Click to expand...
Amen to that.
 
I'm worried about this too!! I gained 5 a year in undergrad (good thing I wasn't on the 5-year plan 🙂 ) and managed to lose 10 of those in the past year, and do NOT want to put them back on! One of my other M1 roomies and I are arranging to take dance classes with a bunch of law school girls - there's the benefit of seeing friends along with working out, and since we're paying out of pocket we'll be extra motivated to go! Oh, and I've written out a very specific meal plan already, keeping to <1500 cals a day, but with frequent snacks to keep me going. I'll let y'all know how it goes....
-D
 
Originally posted by BigBadBix
I think this is because my class is full of people who work out religiously--I can think of maybe 3 girls out of the 60 in my class who don't exercise at least 3 times a week. It is a big part of the social environment here.
Click to expand...

Isn't this the truth? EVERYONE works out religiously in my class. I never used to work out before medical school, but now I work out 3 times a week just because of the healthy work ethic of my class rubbing off on me. I have lost 5 pounds over the last 2 months by just simply working out. I have alot more energy too. However, I still eat plenty of fast food. 😉
 
One thing that has helped me in the past is working activity into my day, for example, always walk if it is less than 20-30 minutes to get where you are going. As for MSI, I'm hoping that a 16 mile round trip bike commute daily will do the trick. Good luck, all!
 
Allygator89 said:
I am hoping to rely on my crock pot to provide meals for the majority of the week. Make one, then freeze what individual portions so you can quickly thaw them for dinner.

I just lost 20 pounds over the last two years, and just got rid of all my "fat" clothes. So I am determined not to let the 'freshman 15 or the sophomore 20' get me like it did in college.

Keep in mind, alcohol is like drinking weight gainer 2000. I found this out at my last job (we went out every night and drank after work while we were traveling). Cut out the majority of your alcohol consumption and that will help too.
Click to expand...

I would not recommend using weight gainer. It is best to use a natural products: peanut butter, eggs, oats, milk and others. 🙂😉
 
Lost 10 pounds the first semester; gained 10 pounds the second - could have been my lack of recovery from the holidays though
 
You should have time to take care of yourself during medical school. Get up earlier.
 
Timely necrobump. Starting school next month and I've been (intelligently) dieting since March. Down 15 lb (post bacc put me up 15 and then application year added another 10). I refuse to be a fat med student since I gather I would in a tiny minority. Well, tiny in a numbers sense, but not in a physical sense . . .
 
Wow, really bringing back the dead with this one. All of the posters early on in the thread are attendings now, haha. I was still in high school when someone made this thread.

I really stayed constant in weight until my 3 back t0 back sub-Is. I lost 15 pounds during them, from lack of time to eat. I gained all of this back and probably 10-15 more during interviews and during match day/graduation festivities. I don't regret the weight gain at all, those free steak dinners were awesome. Plus, I know intern year is going to be a forced diet....
 
I can't believe how much people are focusing on exercise in this thread over diet. DIET is what causes you to lose weight. Exercise is good for a ton of other reasons, but if you're trying to lose weight, check your diet.
 
pepes1lv1a said:
I can't believe how much people are focusing on exercise in this thread over diet. DIET is what causes you to lose weight. Exercise is good for a ton of other reasons, but if you're trying to lose weight, check your diet.
Click to expand...

The nice thing about working out is that it enables you to not spend every second worrying about a snack here or a beer there. Besides... simple loss of "weight" is not necessarily a good goal to pursue; one should aim to lose fat and build (or maintain) muscle.
 
I think it's important to be role models for our future patients so making time for health and fitness should be high on our priority list. I meal prep and workout 6/7 days a week for anywhere between 1-3 hrs. I passed all my classes first two years and did well on Step 1. I used working out as my hobby and found it made me much more productive in the time I spent studying. I was a much happier individual. I actually lost weight initially in medical school but have gained it back in muscle. I am much leaner than when I started school and am in much better shape, probably the fittest I've ever been. I attribute it to keeping my diet on point (one cheat meal a week, mostly paleo-ish diet) and doing high-intensity, constantly varied exercises. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it! Just think about all the tips and things you can learn to tell your future patients to help them in their health journey.
 
I gained about 10 pounds my first semester though was able to lose it my second semester. My med school roommate and I saw that our health as med students was suffering during our first semester so we made a commitment called "The Patient Promise" to do exactly what @xa4653 said: role model health and fitness behaviors for our future patients. Great thread!
 
Seriously. 45 mins HIGH intensity interval training and some solid free weight training.....
1 hour at gym ....
(I have no weight to lose and I lose body fat from this)


Legit only check your phone when it rings (if phone isn't ringing, it's not important), delete social media, remove cable subscription, and you have atleast one hour of your life back daily that you can now go to gym
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E
Endocrinology private practice $ (weight loss/TRT clinic)
Replies
4
Views
998
mrbreakfast
M
B
MD & DO Laser Eye Correction before Med School? Need older residents/M4’s to weigh in
Replies
10
Views
984
Lost in Translation
Lost in Translation
R
Things to buy/do before med school starts
Replies
10
Views
1K
cerebellar
cerebellar
M
Question about research in med school
Replies
1
Views
847
Goro
Goro
X0001234
How can I set myself up for success in med school and beyond?
Replies
9
Views
2K
clarkbar
C
Top