I have put on 14 pounds since I began my PhD in September. It has been battle I have not been able to win so far. I go on diet for a few weeks then I lapse back or I go to the gym for a week and then I stop because I BARELY HAVE TIME and I usually FEEL GUILTY for doing something other than study especially I am running out of time and getting close to my upgrade in June.

Help...

I'm sure you'll receive all sorts of helpful advice. Ignore it. Doing a PhD is like being pregnant - get bigger clothes and only eat what you REALLY enjoy.

LOL

Thanks for bringing a smile to my face. I guess I will continue trying to diet and go to the gym even if I keep failing. It's better than nothing

Thanks for the laugh though ;)

gym is not a good sport for phd, it is too lonely.. join some team sports, like volleyball, at least has someone to play with, like tennis. join a club.. then you will relax and build a nice body during PhD..

My weight barometer trousers are a bit tight lately.

I know what you mean, I can eat really well for 2 weeks, then feel so chuffed with myself that I celebrate...by eating crap for the next two weeks.

Juno, the question is why crap food is so delicious!!!

True. Why are we drawn to unhealthy food?

I've heard that it's because we have evolved to stuff our faces when fatty food was available, to see us through the famine periods. But now fatty food is always available, so we instinctively want to just eat and eat.

Actually, try dates: they're healthy, but they're as nice as sweets: especially the big fat Medjool dates.

I absolutely hated going to the gym, but I've discovered that it can work - you just have to change your mind set. I decided I was going to treat it as "my time". Time when I can be alone and do something good for myself to feel healthy. Don't get me wrong, I am one of the most physically lazy people on earth, but I find making the time to go to the gym and cook delicious healthy food a way of treating myself. Its taken me a while to work on this outlook (trust me, it doesn't come naturally!)but it does make me feel better. B.x

I think that if you took an hour out of your schedule every day for exercise it would be an hour well spent - and certainly nothing to feel guilty about! In fact if you do more exercise you will probably have more energy and be more focussed on work - thus saving an hour a day anyway!

The gym can be very boring sometimes though - maybe you should try to find something you enjoy more! Like some kind of class... Or try going outside walking/running too, it will break up the monotony of just going to the gym all the time

As for the weight thing, just ignore it! I have completely stopped looking at the scales - it only has a negative impact on me I think that if you eat right and exercise every day then you will eventually reach whatever weight you are supposed to be.

Good luck

Juno, I like the idea of your weight barometer trousers!!!! I have a pair of those! My fav pair of trousers sadly wore out shortly after I got to the UK and are beyond repair, another fav pair that came with me are still too tight to wear, but a newish pair of jeans are now starting to fall off my hips, which I think means that my weight has migrated upwards, not off...

My barometer trousers give me a muffin top when I've been overdoing it. Not a great look

Hello! I wasn't exercising and I got really stressed out so decided to go to the gym/swim/run and am now off about 3/4 times a week. Otherwise I get seriously stressed out from sitting at my desk and trying to think all day! It took a while to get a routine but now I do three hours of work in the morning, then exercise and have lunch, then sit back down for four more hours... it works really well and I don't feel guilty as have done a whole days work. I am sooo flexible though as have no kiddies/lab demands so may not work as well for others. During my MA I would run after work for half an hour to de-stress and then slump in front of the tele. I would always recommend it for destressing! I have lost weight as a consequence, but not intentionally so... anyways, thought I would share! x

Sorry to sound all fit and annoying btw... I drink too much booze if it helps my cred. hehe.

The battery has died in my scales and I'm pretending i don't know where to buy a new one.

I cycle into my dept - but I only go in about 1-2 days/week. Helps keep me fit rather than slim. I got pregnant during PhD - totally doomed!

You may find it plateaus - I think I'm on a long-term plateau but maybe submission stress will bring me down a bit.