Hippocratic Oats

About

Welcome to Hippocratic Oats!

My name is Sarah. I am 25 years old, and I graduated from Colgate University in 2006 with a BA in Molecular Biology. After school I moved to Boston and spent the past few years working in a lab researching canine cancer.  I just moved back to Upstate NY to attend SUNY Upstate Medical University where I will be working toward my MD.

During my post college years in Boston, I tried to maintain a healthy lifestyle as much as possible by eating well and working out.  For the first time in my entire life, I was near fantastic stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods and there were gyms everywhere (unlike back home where I had to drive 20 minutes to the nearest gym).  Initially, I lost quite a bit of weight.  Partially due to a change in my diet and partially because of all the walking I was doing in the city without my car.

Summer ’06 in Boston before I started losing

In Paris visiting Carolyn in the Spring of ’07

Summer ’07 at my little brother’s Grad party

I maintained my weight for over a year, but then I made the decision to apply to med school.  With all the stress from studying for the MCATs, the weight started to creep back on.  Studying took top priority over working out and eating healthy.  I discovered foodler.com, a website where you can order takeout online.  It was a fantastic time saver when I had long nights of studying, but not so great for my waistline.  A month after the MCATs I started the long process of applying to med school.  If you are not familiar with the process, it begins on June 1st and doesn’t end until the following May 15th.  Those 11.5 months are filled with the stress of application essays, interviews, and rejection letters and finally the joy of acceptance letters.

Me at our first Colgate mini reunion in Lake George in July ’07

The UCLA Bruin and I in March of ’09 post MCATs and applications

Toward the end of the process, I realized I needed to make a change before I started one of the most challenging times of my life.  Med school will be both physically and mentally demanding, and I need to be as fit as possible to endure the next few years.  I reprioritized my time and vowed to get healthy again.  I completely changed my diet, and I started training for my first 15K.  Along the way I completed another 5K and started working with a trainer. Although I’m currently not quite at my goal, I’m feeling and looking so much better.  I’m back on track.

Michele, Kelly and I after the 5k In May of  ’09

Over the past few months, I also started reading tons of food and healthy living blogs.  I was inspired by so many people who were writing about about their healthy lifestyles.  I discovered new food products and found support knowing that so many other women were working hard to achieve similar goals.  I recently decided I wanted to share my own story to help myself stay on track and encourage others.  I invite you to follow me as I attempt to balance med school with a healthy, active lifestyle.

Thanks for stopping by!