Grad Students Unite!

Options
shesnotthere
shesnotthere Posts: 117
in Introduce Yourself
Grad (or Med or Law, etc) school is so stressful! You are usually being pulled in a thousand directions. Plus, you are struggling to get by on grants and loans, which makes buying healthy food difficult.

One of the things that I find funny is that most grad students are constantly on the lookout for free food, which usually translates to pizza, happy hour :drinker: , and cookies. I can't (or shouldn't) take advantage of any of these things, so it's hard to relate with my fellow students' enthusiasm. :noway: Also, it's hard to fit in when you can't "socialize" (eat and drink) like everyone else.

The upside is that we usually get free access to school gyms, discounted exercise classes, and maybe even healthy eating advice. However, I am wary of going to the university gym with all those thin young things. I know I need to suck it up and get over that one.

Anyone else out there struggling with weight loss in grad school?
«1

Replies

  • arodriguez2
    arodriguez2 Posts: 218 Member
    Options
    I feel your pain! I actually commuted an hour and 15 minutes one way to my grad program, which meant LOTS of sugary coffee and dinner on the go..NOT GOOD! I'm not in grad school currently (but am waiting for a reply from a doctoral program) but hopefully I will be again soon!
    I wish I could help you, but I didn't do so well my first time around!

    Good luck!
  • erikblock
    erikblock Posts: 230 Member
    Options
    I didn't start my current weight loss journey until after grad school, but I would say that all of the same struggles still make an appearance in my life. I'm probably more broke now than I was when I was still in school. At least then I wasn't paying off my loans. :(
  • kjb0976
    kjb0976 Posts: 68
    Options
    Thankfully Grad school is over! I worked full time during my grad days and got into cycling. That helped a ton to not eat all the crap they offer.

    Good luck!!
  • shesnotthere
    shesnotthere Posts: 117
    Options
    I can't be the only one in the throes of grad school! I am just going to ignore those saying I will be MORE broke afterwards haha... I can't be more broke than now.

    I resisted an invitation for happy hour tonight, go me!
  • Frenchiesmiles7620
    Frenchiesmiles7620 Posts: 6
    Options
    I'm getting to graduate from my undergrad, and my fitness routine is lackluster to say the least! I'm worried that I will develop a great routine this summer while I have time off, and then ruin it when I start grad school in the fall! Help!
  • lollie1285
    lollie1285 Posts: 239 Member
    Options
    I am just about to finish my Masters in August and feel your pain!! I take night classes, but since I'm about to finish my thesis, I'm at school all day sometimes attending meetings and such! That calls for meals on the go, and if I don't make healthy choices for those meals, I beat myself up for days afterwards. Luckily, I have places like Cosi around me. I know it's considered fast food, but it's easy to grab a tomato basil and mozzarella sandwich there at only 390 calories or so and not feel completely awful about it after I'm finished eating. I don't eat from burger joints or anything like that, so I think that helps a bit. But I totally get where you're coming from. It's tough!
  • shesnotthere
    shesnotthere Posts: 117
    Options
    You will ruin it, trust me. Haha... no I am just in the last week of classes when everything is due and my adviser is asking what I have been doing all year so I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I went to grad school right after undergrad after going back at 30 years old, so I feel like I have been in school forever at this point.
  • shesnotthere
    shesnotthere Posts: 117
    Options
    bump :bigsmile:
  • brewingaz
    brewingaz Posts: 1,136 Member
    Options
    AHHH I'm with you guys on the Grad school! Going for a Master's in Geotechnical Engineering here!
  • SUSANB37
    SUSANB37 Posts: 61 Member
    Options
    :smile: Bump
  • MissMichellemybelle
    MissMichellemybelle Posts: 70 Member
    Options
    I am also in the grad school boat! School is so busy and stressful, some days it feels like there is no time for anything but school work and take out. But, I am finding now that I am saving money by trying to drink/go out less, I drink WAY more water than coffee, and the exercise is a much better stress reliever than an hour on the couch in front of the TV.

    Plus, I used to have trouble sleeping due to grad school demands. I would toss and turn thinking about all the work I had to do and didn't get the rest I needed. Exercise is definitely helping that! I have more energy during the day, and sleep so much better now.

    Let's channel the stress and frustration of grad school into improving our health and waist measurements!
  • ashade44
    ashade44 Posts: 27
    Options
    Me too! I'm a first year law student and during the fall semester, I gained almost twenty pounds!! It was awful, I felt disgusting and unhealthy (thanks free pizza every other day!!). On January 1st, I vowed to start going to the University gym and eating healthier (no more pizza :)) and have lost 20 pounds so far. I go to the gym at 6:30 when it opens, so there's not too many of those thin undergrads there at that time ;)
  • shesnotthere
    shesnotthere Posts: 117
    Options
    Yes! I've never had any problems sleeping until now. It makes it so much harder to be motivated to eat right and exercise the next day.
  • AdamATGATT
    AdamATGATT Posts: 573 Member
    Options
    I'm also working towards my Masters, with only four courses and my thesis left. Full-time job also. My weight ballooned last year, but in November I decided to make a change. Down 40 lbs (as of this morning, though I'll wait till tomorrow to record the loss). 10 more lbs to my goal, and I think Insanity & C25K will help me get there.
  • whiskyzee
    whiskyzee Posts: 102 Member
    Options
    I just finished a humanities M.A. and am moving to a radically different climate (from the mountains to the deep south!) for my phd. I'm usually a pretty active person, but I'm terrified that the heat and humidity are going to squelch my inclination to play outside. I've never really bothered tracking my eating before (I generally stick to healthy food), but I've decided good eating habits will help me transition.
    Part of what I'm trying to work on is portion control. It seems like I'm always starving (especially after teaching, for some reason), so I've been know to eat a whole box of Kashi crackers in one go. Four days into MFP, and I'm doing better than I thought--although I had to stop myself from inhaling a full pound of strawberries after my class yesterday. Anybody know why on earth thinking makes me want to eat everything in sight? I drink a lot of water and green tea, but it doesn't seem to help.
  • BettyandVeronica
    BettyandVeronica Posts: 333 Member
    Options
    There is a thread moaning about this very thing that was started last week. It's also exam season and I either eat like food is going out of fashion or I eat roughly 80 calories per day for the duration of the exam period.It is sooooo bad for the system.I can't seem to break the habit though. I'm nearly through with my masters but then there is the PhD to contend with and my weight woes will just mount. add me and we can get through it somehow together xXx
  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
    Options
    I am in grad school right now, currently working on my doctorate. I think healthy eating is hard, but if you balance it out by exercise you come out ok. I know it can be hard to find time to exercise, so I just make it a necessity and include it in my schedule and to do list. Just like you would never turn a paper in late, you dont skip your exercise either!
  • jcm214
    jcm214 Posts: 157
    Options
    I'm starting my second Master's in May and this time I will be doing it while working as a high school counselor. I'm terrified that I won't be able to focus on my health and wellbeing like I have been this past year. Gah.
  • twentysixpointtwo
    twentysixpointtwo Posts: 30
    Options
    ya-count me in.... I'm in grad school, working 12's, take call... I have a tough time adhering to any sort of schedule! And I like to eat while I study
  • mikeyml
    mikeyml Posts: 568 Member
    Options
    Yea I definitely feel your pain. I'm actually taking a break from school right now but I'm 3/4 finished my master's in public policy. I'm in a part time program at Hopkins and the classes are from 6-9 p.m. Once a week there is a symposium that runs from 9 to 10. I work 40 hours a week during the weekdays and the commute to school is 90 minutes with rush hour DC traffic. When I'm taking classes I don't get to eat dinner until 10:30 p.m. or later if I have to stay for symposium. During my first year of school I gained 85 pounds....85 pounds!!! Since taking my break I've been able to eat at normal times and drop 30 pounds so far. I should note that the weight gain wasn't from eating late per se, it was because I was so hungry by the time I got home I would eat really bad food in large quantities and then go to bed. In other words, I know exactly what you're going through. Do what's best for your body and stay on track. If you can keep your weight under control then school will be so much easier. Good luck to you!

Categories