Grad Students Unite!

i can't lie, even though there are lots of feelings of stress mentioned in this thread - it makes me happy to know that so many of us are in the same boat!

i started a 5 year phd program in september of 2007, in january of 2009 (half way through my second year) right before getting my masters, i decided that the 30lbs id gained over the course of my senior year of undergrad and my first year of grad school HAD TO GO i joined the biggest loser club online and started counting my calories, drinking more water, and workout out 6 days a week (using turbo jam at home, i still hate gyms haha). in less than 6 months i was down 30lbs and ive kept almost all of it off (im at 23lbs lost from my original weight right now, gained a few back over the last 6 months but am back on the losing side)

my suggestions are actually NOT to make humungous sacrifices in the sense of not socializing. get a salad and drink light beer when people want to go out for food and drinks on friday nights - if you continually skip out you'll feel like your missing out on the experience. a few light beers and a salad (dressing on the side of course hehe) will be cheap and keep you under cals AND you'll get to enjoy your feel grads

also - when i first started to lose the weight while working on my masters i became a HUGE fan of two three things - 100 calorie packs, frozen lunches (lean cuisine, healthy choice, and smart ones), and sugar free drink additions (crystal light, etc). of course there are HEALTHIER options (an apple instead of a 100 cal pack of goldfish, a salad instead of a 250 cal frozen mac and cheese, and just plain water...) BUT when you're first starting and you're a SUPER busy grad student, you work with what you can (choosing the apple, etc when it's available and won't make you hate your life more haha) i am now almost into my 5th year (THANK GOD) and i still continue to eat a frozen lunch almost every day (i already get up at 6:00 to work out at home, in the office by 9:30, and often don't leave until 8:00...so you're not gonna find me preparing lunches!). my boyfriend and i make dinner every night of the week, never making leftovers so that we don't eat too much - i eat a small piece of protein (4-6oz), a steam ready veggie (from the frozen section too), and a 1/2 cup of some starch (couscous, instant mashed, or pasta sides - again we work with what's quick and cheap)

as you can probably tell, im a little long winded but only when it's a topic im passionate about! if anyone wants to talk more about, id be happy to, i definitely think it's possible - life circumstances do NOT have to dictate your health and fitness achievements

oh and, im a 4th year in an experimental psychology program at northeastern university in boston, ma studying clinical reasoning... in case you were interested

I just finished my Master's Program & am going to Law School in the Fall.
I DEFINITELY FEEL YOUR PAIN.

During my master's program I was working full time - didn't help.

I HAD to create a scheduled structure.
I ate (& still eat) 5 times daily.
I pre-pack/carry around my snacks & always have my meals planned

I ran early in the AM, or late at night (found a few 24 hour gyms at apt complexes)
Or just did myself tough on Sat/Sun.

Once I had a schedule, I felt much better
and ate much healthier.

It's possible - just takes a lot of discipline.
Once the habits are formed you're in good =]

I'm in grad school, too...working on my dissertation (finally!). I've found that the academic life leads to weight gain for me. The stress, the time constraints, and the need to "reward" myself with treats creates a perfect storm for packing on the pounds. It didn't help that I went from a very active life in NYC, where I walked everywhere, to a sedentary grad school centric life in Los Angeles, where I'm always driving. I thought I'd be healthier in LA, but I was incredibly wrong!

Anyway, every time I tried to lose weight, it hasn't worked because I haven't really been prioritizing health. School always came before everything. But this has changed during the last few months since I found an amazing bootcamp...not the scary kind, a "wellness" bootcamp. I was going 4-5 days a week and got an amazing workout each time and great nutritional advice and support. My body changed more than my weight, which was fine with me. Now, my schedule is drastically different and I can only go once per week. My challenge now is fitting in exercise into my busy schedule and improving my eating. If anyone is looking for a buddy for motivation and accountability, I'm your gal!