When do you exercise during IM residency?

[coffeebeanjenn]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Just curious if most IM residents exercise before (UGH so early) or after (UGH so tired) work?

I generally like to exercise in the morning and get it out of the way, but I think that means I'd have to wake up between 3:30am-4:00am and that seems, um, extra unpleasant.

During my IM and surgery rotations in med school I just didn't exercise, but I'd rather not revert back to that.

 

[Bostonredsox]

As a medicine resident you walk miles and miles daily on the wards. If your looking for aerobic exercise that's all you need, walk stairs and not elevators too.

 

[duckie99]

walk stairs and not elevators too.

that's gonna be tough when your patients are spread between floors 7 and 14 and you gotta go down to the ED several times... I tried to take stairs as often as possible but, man, it was tough after a while. Sure it's usually faster but also makes you sweat. And this is not to mention the code you gotta run to every now and then.

During my IM and surgery rotations in med school I just didn't exercise, but I'd rather not revert back to that.

I'm sorta in the same boat as you. My plan is to have an area of my place (be it another room or a garage) where I can set up some weights so I don't have to drive to a gym. Generally going on a run takes less than 1 hour for me so I should have time in the evenings at least. Just gotta get used it and do a little extra on days when you get done early. We'll see how it goes though lol. I admit I wasn't super successful during difficult rotations before.

And don't forget to watch your diet and weight. I've heard of people sorta letting go and then end up putting on some pounds. Been there and done that... I'd suggest at least weighing yourself weekly and monitoring for trends over months. Thing is that it would be tough to lose weight during residency.

 

[jackets5]

You can always find an hour3- 4x's a week to workout if you really want to, even working 80 hours. You can hit the gym do 40 minutes of weight training do some high intensity cardio (so much better than steady state) and be out of the gym in 60 minutes. Trick is do not go home after work, go right to the gym. Once you walk in your door, you are never getting back out.

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

And don't forget to watch your diet and weight. I've heard of people sorta letting go and then end up putting on some pounds. Been there and done that... I'd suggest at least weighing yourself weekly and monitoring for trends over months. Thing is that it would be tough to lose weight during residency.

I learned that the hard way on my surgery rotation. You can scarf a piece of pizza for lunch in the time it takes to ride an elevator (to the horror of everyone around you) but that adds up after the power bar, to-go breakfast sandwich, and fast food in the way home for dinner. It's kind of amazing I haven't choked considering how many meals I've eaten while power-walking. Put on several lbs third year that thankfully I've lost again during fourth year. I'm in a good groove for diet & calorie tracking right now, but I also want to maintain my cardiovascular fitness and not be such a wimp.

And yes, you do cover a lot of miles on medicine. I usually carry a pedometer and average a couple of miles per day on inpatient. But I still don't feel like that is enough to stay healthy. Or, at least for me, not enough to *feel* healthy. Stairs are variable and also depend on your team and whether you have to lug around a COW (refusing to call it WOW).

I am lucky in that I have a treadmill and some weights in my basement. I'm just curious if people are more successful sticking with an AM vs PM routine once they hit residency.

 

[tallash]

I usually get in a run after work. Average 20-30 miles a week. It's not that hard but you do sacrifice some other things (reading, research, etc.).

 

[jilliumm]

I run after work. Like other posters have said it's not that hard to find a few hours a week to work out even when you're close to 80 hours. Getting 7-8 hours of sleep and working out out are high priority for me and I'll sacrifice most things to make it happen.

I like to run outside so I found a running partner and bought a headlamp to run at night. I ran outside all winter in the upper midwest. It's definitely possible.

 

[gutonc]

Run/walk/bike to (or from if you take public transportation) work. Not practical for everybody I know but certainly an option. There will always be somewhere to shower in your hospital.

 

[infarct]

Just curious if most IM residents exercise before (UGH so early) or after (UGH so tired) work?

I generally like to exercise in the morning and get it out of the way, but I think that means I'd have to wake up between 3:30am-4:00am and that seems, um, extra unpleasant.

During my IM and surgery rotations in med school I just didn't exercise, but I'd rather not revert back to that.

i goto gym 3-4 times a week after work. golden weekends go twice and make sure to go every day i have off. certainly doable...but tiring so you have to make the commitment.

 

[jdh71]

There will almost never be a good time to work out. Wrap your mind around that now.

And.

Then.

Just do it anyways.

You will be tired. You won't feel like it. You're not going to set personal records given your sleep, nutrition, and less than ideal work out times/conditions, so be realistic about your goals.

Remember you cannot have it all or be it all. Something will have to give.

 

[lkthlttr]

There will almost never be a good time to work out. Wrap your mind around that now.

And.

Then.

Just do it anyways.

You will be tired. You won't feel like it. You're not going to set personal records given your sleep, nutrition, and less than ideal work out times/conditions, so be realistic about your goals.

Remember you cannot have it all or be it all. Something will have to give.

It's good to see you back around here.

 

[jdh71]

It's good to see you back around here.

Bah!

Everyone complains when I'm around and now I find out some of you jerks might have actually missed me?

I can't win for losing.

Remember: get swoll, get money, get bishes . . . in that order

 

[tallash]

Bah!

Everyone complains when I'm around and now I find out some of you jerks might have actually missed me?

I can't win for losing.

Remember: get swoll, get money, get bishes . . . in that order

I remember when you emphasized cocaine somewhere in that list. You haven't aged very gracefully.