Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone on the boards is in grad school?

I'm starting my 3rd year in a Science Phd program, and looking back on the first two made me realize what a challenge grad student life can be while trying to live a healthy life style.

Food-wise, I keep on struggling with eating well while on a low income and trying to dodge the free food at seminars (which usually means terribly greasy pizza -- yuck!) or conferences (usually not pizza, but rarely healthier :P)

Anyways, if anyone can relate, say "hi" - maybe we can support each other?

~Lina

I am in grad school. I'm not working on a Phd like you, but I am working on my Masters in counseling and I am a teacher which requires a lot of extra time at home grading papers, etc. It is tough. For me it is more a lack of time and energy. I have a husband and three girls also and it has always been easier to pick up McDonalds or pizza or KFC to feed everyone when I am just exhausted or have a big paper to write or chapters to read, etc. I feel your pain girl! I know how hard it can be to stay healthy and be on this journey too. Hang in there, you CAN do it...we both can!

I am doing a two-year Msc in Health Psychology (my bachelor's is in Psy as well), with the plan to do a phD afterwards... whilst working full time in a mental health hospital

the good news: am single, no children, so it's pretty straightforward shoppping healthy things for myself, prepack lunches/snacks and steer away from offerings!!

wow, grad school, work, and family sounds like it's keeping you very busy! I'm having a hard time *just* being a student... good job being committed to a healthy life!

I am also currently single, and it's nice to have full control over what goes into my fridge... and I've gotten pretty good at packing lunches! so good in fact, that some of my lab mates also started bringing their own packed lunch in

Ooh, let's start a support group!
I'm in my nth year of an fairly rigorous engineering Ph.D. program (only girl in my cohort, big fun ). I too am having a hard time just being a student, and the main obstacle to staying on a food plan -- beside the temptation of greasy, free food -- is the lack of structure in my life! Going crazy stting in a room with my computer for hours on end, and often alone, makes eating an entire half-gallon of ice cream seem more appetizing than it would if I lived like a normal human being, I think.

I'm not in grad school yet - 3rd year of my undergrad. But I definitely hear you on how absolutely exhausting it is to be a student of academia and trying to be a student of your own body as well (and THEN lets add a full time job to it!) I can't even imagine trying to juggle graduate level classes instead of undergrad right now. Keep up the incredibly hard work, ladies!

Woo! Grad students unite!

I am going into my third year for my masters in human genetics. I too have a hubby, and two kids - plus I do dv counseling on the overnight shift back home. Currently, I am working in a clinic 3000 miles away from my family - and I miss them terribly.

I too have found it easier to just pick up some take out for the nights I don't feel like cooking. But that has led to weight gain, and the time it takes for me to prepare healthy meals is small in comparison to the time i spend feeling bad about my body. So it's worth it to me now! Plus, I want to look HOT at graduation!

haha, I'm also working on getting rid of the qual exam pounds :P

I'm not the only girl in my program, but we are definitely the minority. It doesn't help having so many male colleagues that seem to be able to put food away like it's nothing :P my lab's favorite lunch time event is the communal walk to the mexican place for burritos. They know us there already...

I agree, we should start a support group!

ohhh, I remember being an undergrad and trying to watch my weight while eating in the dining hall... it was tricky and I pretty much got nowhere! Are you eating at the dining hall or do you make your own food?

Being so far away from your family must be terrible! How often do you get to see them?
I have lots of nights where I don't want to cook, so I usually try to do my grocery shopping and cooking on the weekend. Then I freeze meals for the week, or I stock my fridge with salad fixings, so I can quickly throw a salad together. Beats the burritos

By the way, what diet plan does everyone follow? Are there plans that didn't work for you?

I'm trying to eat whole foods and no processed stuff. I have a low-gi list lying around. I gave up calorie or points counting, because I realized I wouldn't be able to track my food like that for life (too lazy :P!)

Happy Saturday, everyone!

Just completed Master's degree. What worked for me and still does, is to carry energy food in my book bag ( my choice was plain, unsalted almonds mixed with Craisins, to make them sweet and interesting). I would nibble on these before any free food events at school and in between classes to help keep hunger away.

I just finished my MSW in May (BA in psych). Whew...I can tell you, I worked my butt off in the summer when I was taking 1 class at a time. However, I was far too stressed to do any losing during the regular semesters. I thought I was doing great by maintaining my summers losses (within 5 lbs).
Those pre-made protein shakes were often all I had time to slug down in between internships and night classes. Fresh fruit, nuts all pre-packed helped too


Anyway, I just wanted to pop in and give everyone support. It is so incredibly difficult to stay motivated during the stress of grad school! Keep up the hard work! Now I wish I had been more diligent, because I would be so much closer to my goal now But now I get to leisurely enjoy my pre school aged kiddos after all that work, so it was all worth it!

grad students unite! this year was fairly easy for me -- the harsh part will be next summer when i have to do my dissertation.

is it too sad that i actually love studying and wish i could do it forever? i am contemplating academia as a carreer --- quite a turn around for someone who did not really bother with high school and felt it was all pointless.

what a difference finding something you love makes

hahahaha...I feel EXACTLY the same way. I love going to school. I also believe that if I go to school until I die I won't have to pay back all my student loans. LOL. Just thinking about how much I owe is enough to drive me to eat several gallons of ice cream...but I think I will hold myself back.

Hi all! Just stumbled across this.

Going into my second year of a science PhD program. I'm 22 so in general my metabolism is still working for me, and my boyfriend is in grad school in another state so I only have his boy food influence once or twice a month. I find summer has always been easiest for me to diet with more flexible working hours/locations (my advisor is on sabbatical i.e. not in the lab), so I'm trying to get a good jump start before next semester which, as always, promises to be ****. I've got a mid-semester conference, then I'm in my cousin's wedding in December, and then I tentatively have to take quals during Christmas break??

Eating plan:

Calorie counting with a focus on a South Beach Phase 2 philosophy. Little added sugar to foods (ok modified SB), whole grains but not overdoing it, lots of protein and veggies. In general I also try to buy my meat/dairy/produce locally or, barring that, certified organic. I think it's (generally) healthier or at least supports local farmers, and because I have to spend more money on it, I'm going to cherish it more and eat less because I can't afford junk on top of the good stuff.

I'm trying to do that too (thank you, Trader Joes, for opening a store in my neighborhood!) but it's sometimes hard to do on a budget.

I also signed up for a "community supported agriculture" project earlier this year with a friend, and for the past four weeks or so, we've gotten our weekly grocery boxes.

you should check into it!

I've thought about that for the "off-season," but the town I'm in has 4 excellent farmer's markets a week, a local seafood store, a local organics store, and a local meat market, so I'm pretty well covered right now! The produce becomes an issue in the winter. The closest Trader Joe's is an hour away, otherwise I'd make that a regular stop for staples that I have to get now at Walmart or Kroger.