This is the fifth week of a six-week Q & A series. Holly (aka Spleeness) asked:
How do you manage meals?
There are three types of grad students when it comes to meal management
I am one of the many graduate students in the world who gained weight in grad school. I had no idea that I would gain 20 pounds in my first two years of graduate school. It can be frustrating at times (especially like the time last year when I had to buy a new wardrobe to attend an academic conference). Most people who know how I eat know that I eat relatively healthy. They swear I am just gaining weight from stress. But I don’t exercise enough, I eat too many carbs and I have long days. I eat too much during the day. The silver lining is that I love my body more now than I ever did when I was a size 4 and I am not living in a dream land where I expect to ever fit in my jeans from college.
Then there are the protein shake grad students. They eat on the weekends, but live on protein shakes, juice and smoothies during the week. Most of these students contend that liquid diets are more efficient. They are right. Really, the best way to eat is not to eat, but to drink. It is better for our digestive systems. The few people I know who live on shakes are relatively healthy. I lived on shakes when I had braces in college and I hated it. I love food too much. And I love to cook. If you want to know more about how to live a chewing-free lifestyle, I highly recommend reading one of my favorite books: The Tao of Detox.
Then there are the grad students who do not eat. When they are stressed and busy, they forget to eat or lose their appetites. They go all day without really eating. When they do eat, they eat out. Usually fast food because it is… well… fast. Some wait all day and then eat a ton of food at night. So some people lose weight in grad school.
How I adjusted to eat healthier since the summer
My first year of grad school, I ate meals out quite a bit. There were days when I would spend 12 hours in Panera with fellow students. We might eat two meals there in one day. Free WiFi + large tables for notes and books + coffee + “everyone can find something to eat” = grad student hide out. Once I became acclimated to 12-24 hour academic days, I started cooking more and bringing food with me to work and campus. I work from home on the weekends and at least twice during the week. I am only on campus two full days and a half day one day each week. I am in my office or working off site at least once per week. It may seem like this would be frustrating and make meal planning difficult, but I have found a way to make it work for me. I do have access to coffee pots, microwaves and mini-fridges on campus in my labs and at my office. Also, keep in mind I am a little neurotic, I love food, I love to cook and I do not eat any four-legged animals (and fish is the only meat I cook in my house). I also probably spend more on groceries for myself in a week than some couples spend. I justify it in my head and in my budget by not eating out at restaurants like I used to.
How to plan meals when you have a hectic schedule without any semblance of routine
Make menus for the week.
I have a calendar on my fridge that I use just for menu planning. I shop for groceries weekly or bi-weekly depending on how busy I am. I base my menu off of what I anticipate my week will look like. I do not plan meals for breakfast and lunch on weekends because I am home and usually eat the same kinds of things those days. I am rarely able to stick to my menu exactly, but it helps me budget my time and money wisely.
Menus come in most handy at dinner. I know that I have something at home ready to make and I am rarely tempted to pick up food on my way home in the evenings. I do eat out most Thursday nights after class. I meet up some fellow students around 5pm so we can hang out and avoid driving in rush hour traffic. Unless I am going to meet up with some friends on a Friday night, I cook dinner for myself every other night of the week. I started making weekly menus that I stick by fairly well.
I have to eat the same thing for two or three meals sometimes, but I change it up a little so I don’t get tired of it. I might make enough homemade Mac and Cheese for three days, but I might eat it with a tuna steak and peas for dinner, with a small salad the next day for lunch, and with a sautéed Portobello mushrooms and spinach that night for dinner. I might make a small homemade pizza one night for dinner with leftover veggies in my fridge. I might cook brown rice one night as a side and make enough to use the leftovers for fried rice with veggies and tofu the next. You just have to be creative. Here are some pictures of some of my favorite things to make for dinner.
Keep a bag/box of non-perishable snacks and food items at your office.
Hide it so people don’t steal your food. Rely on it. Keep it stocked. If you have access to a microwave and fridge/freezer, keep a few frozen or perishable staples available, too. I have a bag of food hidden at my desk and some lean cuisines in the freezer at my office in case I forget my lunch. If I know I will be on campus or at work a lot, I usually keep baby carrots and hummus in the fridge, too. There is really no excuse for me to eat out for breakfast or lunch any day of the week. There is no excuse for me to spend money at the vending machine on junk food. I do eat out for lunch sometimes because my boss and I prefer to work in coffee shops and restaurants.
Purchase an insulated lunch bag to carry snacks and food in little containers or bags.
This is related to the last suggestion, of course. If you have a fridge/microwave access when you away from home, you can just use the bag to transport your food to the fridge. If do not have access to kitchen-like appliances all day, the insulated lunch bags can keep food cold with an ice pack. Etsy has some lovely ones.
{via Diane’s Corner on Etsy}
Staying hydrated improves your mood, boosts your energy level, helps your skin stay fabulous, and keeps your body healthy. If you normally drink a lot of soda and coffee during the day, try one serving of water at some point during the day when you would normally grab a soda or cup of Joe. People make fun of me because I drink so much water. They can keep making fun. I will continue to drink my many daily liters of Reverse Osmosis water, thanks.
{KOR}
Make giant portions of soups, curries and sauces and freeze individual servings in freezer bags.
I try to do this once every few months. I will make a giant pot of veggie minestrone or pasta e fagoili, chana masala, pasta sauce, and Indian sweet potato curry. I divide servings into freezer bags and pile them into my freezer. I also make veggie lasagna and cut it into individual pieces without baking it first. I store it in freezer paper and bags so I can take a piece out of the freezer in the morning and have it thawed that night.
{Giant pot of pasta sauce with spinach, chickpeas and artichoke hearts – I froze the leftovers}
You are what you eat
There are some foods that I like to have in my pantry/freezer/fridge at all times: romaine lettuce, frozen spinach, frozen fruit, bananas, brown rice pasta, brown rice, tuna, whey protein (does that count?), marinara sauce, frozen avocado halves, green tea, carrots, black beans, hummus, pistachios, raisins, cheese, popcorn, honey, coffee, chocolate chocolate chocolate, wine, ginger ale
{some of my staples for breakfast}
My friends on Twitter mentioned some great meal time staples: peanut butter, pasta, Mac & Cheese, applesauce, apples, popcorn, fresh fruit, beefaroni, ground turkey, marinara sauce, dried fruit, nuts, cheddar bunnies, blue corn chips, pretzels, cheese, wine, cereal, coffee
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When you had a major lifestyle adjustment, did you gain or lose weight or was food not an issue?
What are your favorite snack foods to pack on a long day away from home? Do you eat out every day at lunch or do you prefer to cook meals at home and eat leftovers? Do you live on protein shakes?
How do you manage your meals when you don’t have a second of free time to spare?
This is great! I love how you break everything down. I have trouble losing weight, even though I’m very active (play sports 2 nights a week and work out once or twice a week at the gym). I’m trying to change my diet. It’s not that I eat unhealthy or anything, but I’m trying to eat lots more veggies and fruits and a lot less carbs.
I’m finding that I’m spending a ton of money at the grocery store every week! Totally sucks that groceries are so expensive now a days, but I guess it’s worth it if it keeps me health and I’m eating food that is yummy and good for me, right?
I’m not in grad school nor college (any more), but I find it difficult to plan meals based on the fact that I cook for one and am not really into leftovers. I need to find more foods that are easy to freeze/reheat so that I can cook better for one.
Lately, I’ve been so busy working two jobs, I find myself snacking a lot rather than eating, which is good I guess because I’m not eating terrible snacks and only eating when I’m hungry rather than on a schedule.
And coffee. Lots of coffee, which probably isn’t good.
BUT I love to cook and when things slow down in the next couple of weeks, I’d like to spend some more time in the kitchen. Also, giving up red meat was a WIN. I don’t even crave it. Turkey burgers are so much yummier anyway.
This is a great post, and I think the advice is just as applicable to the 20-somethings who work 10 – 12 hour days in an office, like me.
Yay! Glad that you liked it. I figured it would generalize to anyone who works long hours.
Or people who work and go to school.
Great post! I have been struggling with food and weight myself because I usually don’t get home until 7 or later. By that time I really don’t feel like cooking. I am going to try some of the things you mentioned (keeping good stuff around you at all times and freezing foods).
Do you know of any good recipes or places to find how to cook tuna. I have always wanted to try tuna steak, but just don’t know how to cook it.
Also thanks for the heads up on the bags! I have been wanting to get a bigger one to avoid eating Subway on the nights I have class, but my lunchbox isn’t big enough for two meals.
I put on most of my weight when I started working in an office. When I was younger I ate whatever I wanted, but now after putting on 50 pounds since high school…yeah, I’ve decided it’s time for a change.
I don’t want to be 110 pounds again. Just would like to be healthy. If I lose a pants size in the process then awesome, if not at least I feel good. I think people get to caught up in “I wanna lose 30 pounds” and just do it for the superficial aspect. Do it to be healthier and don’e be concerned about the pounds you lose. Just make yourself healthy, the rest will fall into place. I was glad to see your comment about loving your body and not expecting to back into clothes you fit into in high school. As women I don’t think that’s something to strive for. We’re WOMEN! We fill out. Our bodies change. It’s a GOOD thing. There’s a reason it happens. When I was in high school I felt too skinny.
Okay, I’m done now that i’ve written a book! Great post Alex! I love reading your stuff!
Keep it coming!
Preach it sister. At this point, I’m over 25 and know that my body will never be that of a teenage girl again. If a guy has issues with it, then he does not belong anywhere near me. Curves are sexy, damnit!
Also… cooking tuna can be tricky. Check your email.
When I used to go to yoga at 5 or 7:30, I would usually eat a bigger lunch and have a snack a few hours before yoga. Then I would make a giant protein shake with frozen fruit, soy milk, chocolate whey protein, a banana and some honey blended with ice. If you made stuff in batches and froze it, then that is the perfect time to thaw something during the day to eat when you get home!
I’m on the shake option at the moment, I started off just drinking them when I teach skiing (the food at the hill is gross) but then I started drinking them before early morning kickboxing and now… I’m using them as meal substitutes.
The lack of routine at grad school makes eating hardest for me, I keep working until I’m really hungry and then eat out (usually asian food, but still), or I drink sugared tea or soda so that I don’t have to stop working to go out for food. If I’m working from home, I’ll snack when I take breaks. I try to cook (sweet potato and stir fried chicken with orange and ginger sauce is a staple) but I don’t think I’ll ever be the kind of person that packs a lunch.
I do a lot of exercise, so getting enough protein is important, and my trainer tells me – 5 small meals a day. Who has the time to do that? I’m from the UK, but living in Canada now my biggest complaint is the supermarkets. They suck. The food isn’t fresh (three times now, I’ve had to throw out chicken within it’s sell by date because it was off), the fruit is beaten up… I miss Marks and Spencer’s, where you can get a 350kcal thai green chicken, that fills you up and tastes *good*. I miss Total greek style yogurt, too. I can’t find replacements for the healthier stuff I eat at home, and there is *so* *much* junk food in the supermarket, if I go when I’m hungry, it’s a disaster waiting to happen±
Thanks for sharing all of this!
I usually drink a giant protein shake on the days I do yoga and have to be careful about what I eat so I don’t feel sick or lethargic. So I definitely know how hard it can be to fit in meals when you’re trying to stay fit. I have a friend in my program who runs marathons and he just eats all day. He always has something in his hand: yogurt, raisins, apples, bananas, power bars, etc. He and I pack a giant lunch bag daily, but that is just what I have become used to. I understand why it is not an option for everyone.
I also had NO idea that Canada super markers were kinda lame. I would die without healthy food options. And no greek yogurt? What the heck?! My eating habits definitely improved since I gained access to Trader Joe’s.
You also seem to have more on your plate than I do, so I see why you would go for the liquid diet.
In the UK, we have really high-class supermarkets. M&S and Waitrose are “posh”, but they have wonderful food. The thing I miss most is the affordable, calorie controlled, low sodium ready meals which are great to have in your freezer – I never used to end up eating out or ordering-in as much.
(The Canadians will be mad that I’ve given the impression that their supermarkets are not as good as American ones. Disclaimer – I have no opinion on American supermarkets!)
Ok, that makes sense.
Like Trader Joe’s which has healthier pre-made and frozen items than your basic grocery store. No worries, I just misunderstood!
Great tips. I’ve basically been a different kind of eater for every year of grad school. The first year I didn’t eat and felt like absolute crap; I had these terrible dizzy episodes where I couldn’t function. The second year I started eating whatever I wanted, because anything was an improvement over not eating at all. The third year I, after gaining weight from the second year, I got healthy and lost 20 lbs. Now in my fourth year, I’m eating regularly, but still not particularly well. It’s such a struggle, but I just feel so much better when I’m eating at least kind of decently.
It’s amazing how many grad students share similar experiences with eating. Thanks for sharing yours. I hope that by next year I will really have a routine down and do what works best for me. I have 3-4 more years of this, so I hope I figure it all out soon!
I agree that I feel better when I eat more. I would rather feel better and be a size 8 or 10 than feel like crap and be tired and be a size 6. Seriously.