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Would it a bad idea to try to lose weight during bar prep? I gained way too much weight during law school from stress eating etc. and I'd like to get started losing some of what I gained during bar prep if possible but I keep going back and forth in my head over whether it's a bad idea. Would a 500-calorie caloric deficit be that detrimental to my performance? I'll be working full-time in June - Idk if that matters. I would probably take 2-3 days off around the actual bar exam from dieting.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sun May 14, 2023 11:09 pm

Would it a bad idea to try to lose weight during bar prep? I gained way too much weight during law school from stress eating etc. and I'd like to get started losing some of what I gained during bar prep if possible but I keep going back and forth in my head over whether it's a bad idea. Would a 500-calorie caloric deficit be that detrimental to my performance? I'll be working full-time in June - Idk if that matters. I would probably take 2-3 days off around the actual bar exam from dieting.

Why would you not try to lose weight during bar prep or during the soonest available period if you are unhappy with your weight gain? What is the alternative?

Doubt anyone on here is a nutritionist (myself included) but I don't see how a 500 calorie deficit would be detrimental to performance. Also, most people follow strict schedules during bar prep and this can be conducive to dieting. When I've tried to lose weight during certain periods of my life, I've been most successful sticking to routine.

It's a marathon not a sprint so you should be fine keeping up studying and may even do better if you start feeling better and healthier etc. But I'd avoid taking the exam during diet mode. The actual days and a couple days before should be cheat days.

Great to keep exercising while bar prepping but agreed that you shouldn’t do any crazy dieting while studying. I’d definitely recommend trying different breakfast and lunch combos ahead of exams. You don’t want to have a messed up stomach during test itself

Great to keep exercising while bar prepping but agreed that you shouldn’t do any crazy dieting while studying. I’d definitely recommend trying different breakfast and lunch combos ahead of exams. You don’t want to have a messed up stomach during test itself

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sun May 14, 2023 11:45 pm

Why would you not try to lose weight during bar prep or during the soonest available period if you are unhappy with your weight gain? What is the alternative?

Doubt anyone on here is a nutritionist (myself included) but I don't see how a 500 calorie deficit would be detrimental to performance. Also, most people follow strict schedules during bar prep and this can be conducive to dieting. When I've tried to lose weight during certain periods of my life, I've been most successful sticking to routine.

I agree with this poster. A 500 calorie deficit should not be detrimental to your performance. Just make sure you are eating healthy brain foods.

Try to incorporate these foods into your diet: walnuts (and other nuts), avocado, blueberries (and other berries), eggs, dark greens (spinach, broccoli), peppers, and quality fish. Try to minimize empty carbs, i.e., pasta and anything with more than minimal added sugars.

Consider also intermittent fasting/one meal a day. You will burn more fat and build more muscle (and other health benefits) just by minimizing the window in which you eat every day, even without any changes to the quality or quantity of calories consumed.

Good luck!

I've actually been doing this going on like 3 weeks now. First week felt kind of tough, but now I actually feel better and better focused except from like 5:00-6:00 PM when I start to get pretty hungry. Of course, pair it with exercise so you don't lose as much muscle.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Mon May 15, 2023 9:52 am

I've actually been doing this going on like 3 weeks now. First week felt kind of tough, but now I actually feel better and better focused except from like 5:00-6:00 PM when I start to get pretty hungry. Of course, pair it with exercise so you don't lose as much muscle.

OP here. I think I'm going to do it, but I will most likely bump up carbs/calories a couple of days before the exam and then keep them a little higher until the day after day 2 of the exam.

I don't see an issue with a calorie deficit as long as you aren't having trouble concentrating because you are always hungry (probably a bad idea to cut calories that much anyways).

Bar prep is actually pretty good for exercise. You don't have a set time you have to go to a job/class, and exercise is a good way to break up the day.

If you went to a decent law school and got decent grades, bar prep is just a matter of slogging through the memorization. It's a high stakes test, so it can be stressful, but it really doesn't require 12 hours a day to do a decent job. Treat bar studying like a 9-5 job, with maybe a longer mid-day break for exercise.

Cringe. Everyone knows you need to eat like shit and gain weight during bar prep. There is literally no other way to pass the bar. Eat healthily and exercise AT YOUR OWN RISK.

GFox345 wrote: ↑

Wed May 17, 2023 12:59 pm

Cringe. Everyone knows you need to eat like shit and gain weight during bar prep. There is literally no other way to pass the bar. Eat healthily and exercise AT YOUR OWN RISK.

OP, don't listen to this guy. I lost entire pounds during bar prep and still passed.

Better now than when you are working at a firm!

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Sun May 14, 2023 11:09 pm

Would it a bad idea to try to lose weight during bar prep? I gained way too much weight during law school from stress eating etc. and I'd like to get started losing some of what I gained during bar prep if possible but I keep going back and forth in my head over whether it's a bad idea. Would a 500-calorie caloric deficit be that detrimental to my performance? I'll be working full-time in June - Idk if that matters. I would probably take 2-3 days off around the actual bar exam from dieting.

maybe try intermittent fasting?