So I start medical school tomorrow (yikes!) and am concerned about keeping myself healthy during this stressful time. I've been doing the No-S Diet all summer with my husband, and we've both done pretty well, losing 9 lbs each. Partially, this is because we have time to go on walks, exercise, etc. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to be at school from 8 am to 5 pm, with an hour lunch, and probably a few hours of studying at night, if I'm realistic. I'm concerned about getting enough exercise, as well as eating properly. I know that I used to have trouble with getting hungry in class during undergrad...I can't afford to have that happen now. Any suggestions for how to adapt No-S to the life of a med student?
Thanks,
Katie
No S Diet during school
Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating
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ktharmoney
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:49 pm
- Location: Maine
- Contact:
Ktharmoney,
First, congrats on being in med school!
Second, I suspect this may be easier than you think. Your 8-5 sounds like a normal "work day," for me (and for many others). I find that the structure of a work day actually HELPS with No-S a great deal.
The key for me is to always plan ahead for meals. Pack your own lunches. Leftovers work well, but have "intelligent defaults" for the days that you don't have them. Or, if you're not a leftover person, plan ahead for sandwiches or something else you like. Whatever you do, don't suddenly find yourself at lunch or dinner wondering "gosh, what will I have to eat?" (I also plan meals I can eat at my desk, and exercise at lunch. If you can eat during class, consider fitting in a walk at lunchtime.)
I make up weekly menus, taking into account evening plans and time available. As part of my morning routine, I take out anything that needs to thaw for dinner and put it in the fridge. Early in the week, I plan something that makes a lot of leftovers for lunches for me and my husband.
It all comes down to routines. Set them up early, and they'll work for you.
Best wishes.
First, congrats on being in med school!
Second, I suspect this may be easier than you think. Your 8-5 sounds like a normal "work day," for me (and for many others). I find that the structure of a work day actually HELPS with No-S a great deal.
The key for me is to always plan ahead for meals. Pack your own lunches. Leftovers work well, but have "intelligent defaults" for the days that you don't have them. Or, if you're not a leftover person, plan ahead for sandwiches or something else you like. Whatever you do, don't suddenly find yourself at lunch or dinner wondering "gosh, what will I have to eat?" (I also plan meals I can eat at my desk, and exercise at lunch. If you can eat during class, consider fitting in a walk at lunchtime.)
I make up weekly menus, taking into account evening plans and time available. As part of my morning routine, I take out anything that needs to thaw for dinner and put it in the fridge. Early in the week, I plan something that makes a lot of leftovers for lunches for me and my husband.
It all comes down to routines. Set them up early, and they'll work for you.
Best wishes.
Congratulations on your no-s success so far and on starting med-school.
As KCCC points out, regularity of schedule is more important for building habits than having a whole lot of time, so maybe this won't be as bad as you think.
In any case, but the focus on a sustainable minimum of compliance for both diet and exercise. Don't get too ambitious about what's required, just make sure to stick with it. Make this external, minimum compliance a high level priority, even if it seems a little absurd compared to more immediate pressures. Because if it's a given that you'll do it, it'll become easy.
And don't reach too hard for even more impressive results, but focus on maintaining what you've achieved already, on keeping the habit going. It'll galvanize your habit so that when things get less stressful it'll be indestructible, and who knows, you might be surprised by how much just a little consistent effort can achieve.
Reinhard
As KCCC points out, regularity of schedule is more important for building habits than having a whole lot of time, so maybe this won't be as bad as you think.
In any case, but the focus on a sustainable minimum of compliance for both diet and exercise. Don't get too ambitious about what's required, just make sure to stick with it. Make this external, minimum compliance a high level priority, even if it seems a little absurd compared to more immediate pressures. Because if it's a given that you'll do it, it'll become easy.
And don't reach too hard for even more impressive results, but focus on maintaining what you've achieved already, on keeping the habit going. It'll galvanize your habit so that when things get less stressful it'll be indestructible, and who knows, you might be surprised by how much just a little consistent effort can achieve.
Reinhard
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blueskighs
- Posts: 1787
- Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:11 am
- Location: California
Katie,
your concerns are obviously very valid, good for you that you have had the summer to build your foundation of No S HABIT, for food I would find way to make that discipline HOLD STEADY
exercise is important BUT you really don't have to do that much, it is more about intensity,
you could easily make health gains doing exercise one to four times a week,
my husband maintains by doing one very intense body workout a week, thats it, on Saturdays, then he walks stairs at works he's figured out how much it takes to get 15 minutes and does it three to four times a week at work
i split my lower and upper body and do each twice a week, I do a 5 minute VERY intense cardio warm up on stair mill and post cardio 15 minute intervals on treadmill bouncing between 3mph walk and 8 mph run ...
THIS WORKS ... you do not need to be at gym, exercise for hours a day ... its about intensity and giving your body time to recover,
good luck with your start of medical school, that is exciting,
have i already asked you this - do you love House?
those clinic visits CRACK ME UP!!!!!!!!!!
Blueskighs
your concerns are obviously very valid, good for you that you have had the summer to build your foundation of No S HABIT, for food I would find way to make that discipline HOLD STEADY
exercise is important BUT you really don't have to do that much, it is more about intensity,
you could easily make health gains doing exercise one to four times a week,
my husband maintains by doing one very intense body workout a week, thats it, on Saturdays, then he walks stairs at works he's figured out how much it takes to get 15 minutes and does it three to four times a week at work
i split my lower and upper body and do each twice a week, I do a 5 minute VERY intense cardio warm up on stair mill and post cardio 15 minute intervals on treadmill bouncing between 3mph walk and 8 mph run ...
THIS WORKS ... you do not need to be at gym, exercise for hours a day ... its about intensity and giving your body time to recover,
good luck with your start of medical school, that is exciting,
have i already asked you this - do you love House?
those clinic visits CRACK ME UP!!!!!!!!!!
Blueskighs
www.nosdiet.blogspot.com Where I blog daily about my No S journey