Grad student needing daily encouragement

allyfry
allyfry Posts: 22 Member
edited October 1 in Introduce Yourself
Hello everyone!

I've been on this site off and on since January. It works while I use it and then I get busy with school, stop tracking calories, and end up coming back after I've gained a few more. So here I am 10 pounds up from last year. I'm *hopefully* in my full year of school and a lot more of my time is filled with writing papers and programming than lab work where I'm moving around a lot more. Also, I've moved to be with my significant and will now have an hour commute each way to get to the lab. So getting to a healthier weight will only get more challenging and I'm looking for some buddies to help me out along the way.

Hit me back if you are having similar struggles and need some cheering on!

Replies

  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Hey! I'm a full time grad student as well. The key for me is to bring food to school! (Do you have a fride / microwave?). I bring snacks, lunch and a protein shake for the afternoon. I get up early to squeeze my work outs in, and walk around campus as much as possible.
  • stepbystep6
    stepbystep6 Posts: 88 Member
    For a daily partner - check out the Diamond Challenge - it am finding it so helpful!
  • mkallie
    mkallie Posts: 110 Member
    I'm a little worried about that too... I work full time and do class almost full time and it seems like I always get derailed mid-semester when I get stressed out. This summer has been awesome. I'm down about 30 lb from my heaviest and I've really gotten sucked into being active and getting out and doing stuff, but once I go back to class I think my 3 hours of exercise per day are going to be a thing of the past. I'm learning to get out of bed and get my workout out of the way early, squeeze in walks and fitness classes at lunch or right after work, and I do a lot of brainstorming, studying, and pre-writing on the treadmill... but still. Those hours of sitting work that grad school tends to require are hours of not being active and I definitely agree that it's a challenge to fit in being healthy.
  • kater8er
    kater8er Posts: 364 Member
    I'm a senior undergrad---I'm adding you right now!
  • sp53
    sp53 Posts: 40
    My life circumstances different from yours, but have tons of encouragement to offer! Am middle aged, a nurse, spend way too much time sitting. I was an overwt teenager/young adult, developed a system of staying reasonably healthy that worked for me. Menopause screwed up my old system so I've had to become more adventurous in seeking out new ways to stay fit, new ways to eat. This effort is so worth it! Your health is first and foremost, especially with the stressful life of a grad student.
  • rs2361
    rs2361 Posts: 40 Member
    Hey! I'm starting my second year of grad school and also looking to stay on track!
  • RocketsGirl75
    RocketsGirl75 Posts: 648
    I feel you on this! I work full time and go to school part time and the stresses of school and life always make me want to fall back on my comfort food (Dr Pepper!!)! So there are lots of people around that can give you the encouragement that you need!
  • kdm97
    kdm97 Posts: 111
    I'm starting my first year in grad school. I'm nervous and hope I can keep my healthy lifestyle up while in school and working full-time. Need all the encouragement I can get.

    Good Luck Everyone :smile:
  • karenwill2
    karenwill2 Posts: 604 Member
    I am a full time student and mom. I always bring my lunch and snacks with my water bottle. I recently got off the caffiene too. I like to save money and time so this helps out. I also walk back and forth across campus as much as possible whether it is needed or not.
  • allyfry
    allyfry Posts: 22 Member
    Most of the time I bring food. But sometimes when I have trouble getting out the door I end up grabbing just snack food; an apple, bag of carrots, protein bar, then I'm starving when I get home and have dinner at a time that isn't the greatest for going on an evening run. Thinking ahead is key for me.

    I don't exercise during my lab days. Ever. I'm horrible about taking breaks for mental or physical sanity. Once I get in a groove I'm afraid to break it so I end up with 8-12 hours straight. I break for lunch a lot of times only when I notice that my hands are shaking from low blood sugar. It's something I really need to work on because it also means that I don't drink anything through the day, I have to get out of PPE to step out of the lab to drink water. It's easier for me to take 30-60 mins in the morning or evening to exercise, but my normal routine for the rest of my day can really get in the way. Dehydration is a chronic problem and I end up eating too large of meals.
  • spaingirl2011
    spaingirl2011 Posts: 763 Member
    5th year history phd student, here! Crockpot dinner are my go-tos for hectic schedules. AND it leaves me some time to exercise so that when I get back home, I have a tasty, healthy and warm meal waiting for me!
  • 4cherell
    4cherell Posts: 6
    I to have been on and off the sight for sometime now. However, since my return in July I have been pretty good. I think that the key is to plan ahead of time. Once you know how long you will be out of the house on any given day prepare your snacks to take along with you, along with loads of water. Since my return I've lost about 16lbs and on many occasions I have strayed away from my goals. The key is to know what are your distraction triggers so you can identify them when you feel you are loosing your way. I'd love to be a support to you. Feel free to friend me. :}
  • rthompson81
    rthompson81 Posts: 305 Member
    I'm in my last year of my PhD and writing my dissertation. I've been around MFP for about a year and had my ups and downs, and am now close to my goal weight, but I still the motivation to keep it off. Feel free to add me!
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