Any teachers out there?!

danibee41989

Hey all!! I'm a first year teacher (second grade) and was wondering if there was any other teachers out there on MFP??? I need some motivation and advice for my first year. I'm struggling to find time to workout & my eating habits are horrible!!! With pot lucks, birthday clubs, a VENDING machine, and just being always on the run doesn't help! Any tips for staying fit and healthy?!! Feel free to add me!

supersandyshoes

Hi,

I am a primary school teacher (in the UK) and in my second year of teaching. I know exactly what you mean about trying to stick to healthy eating when you are at school. Its not a job that you can head out and walk/run during your lunch hour etc in which I struggle with.

I am still learning to be honest!

NyimaR

I'm a secondary (high) school teacher in the UK. I've found that the only way that it works for me is with planning. I gym on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I go to classes on Tuesday (pilates) and Thursday (zumba) nights. I plan all my food out for the week ahead but if I'm expecting kids bringing in cakes etc. I make sure to leave a couple of hundred calories free that day and then use some serious willpower to make sure I don't overindulge!

dreaminaway

Not exactly a teacher- but I am a substitute, and have two kids involved in sports after school, so not much time to deal with myself. The vending machine at school is a downfall for myself- each time the class is gone to an activity, I find myself getting a snack. Then the kids have snack time, where I often have something with them. The teacher's lounge usually has some kind of goodies that someone has brought- cookies, pie, etc. or brownies in the office by the sign-in sheet...

Depending on how the building is designed, and how far you have to walk the class to lunch, library, etc- you can add up all of that time and count it as exercising. Being a substitute, it's always a little different for me, but at the end of the day I will go back and calculate how much I think it is. In a class such as PE, it's more, but even in a regular classroom I often find that there is a half hour of walking I can count as exercising. All the trips down to the kids' bathrooms, computer lab, to copy papers... you are walking! No, it isn't fantastic and it won't cut out a ton of calories, but it's something. (I also do this when I go to the grocery store. I average half of the time I am in there as time spent walking- I figure the other half of the time I am standing still, looking at items.)

hughtwalker

I am married to a teacher - does that count?

KidP

I'm teaching 2nd grade until Christmas. My advice? Don't reinvent the wheel. So many times, new teachers try to do everything themselves when sometimes all it takes is knocking on the door next to your room & asking for help/advice. Having others who can help you out with advice, resources, etc will save you time that you would otherwise be spending well into the night searching for units, lessons, etc. In previous years, i found myself going in every weekend, Sat & Sun, running myself ragged. So far this year, i've not had to do that, mostly because of the help i've gotten from other kind hearted folks.

I'm firmly convinced that often, teachers burn themselves out by overdoing it. We're only human and need time to do our own things sometimes.

I do some of my exercise at home so if i do get home late, i can still go downstairs & do it. For food at school, it's boring, but i pack the exact same stuff every day for lunch. I don't have to think about it that way and can eat healthier than if i'm scrambling to find something at school. Fruit, vegetables, a sandwich on decent bread, etc. If i have treats from someone at school, i only do so if i know i have the time to work it off after school by exercising. I also tend to walk all over the school - rather than calling the room down the hall, i walk down for exercise.

eml48341

I am a teacher (4 years classroom experience) and have been a full time graduate student for the past 3 years. My first year of teaching was a terrible experience, and I was exhaused, both physically and mentally) every day. The first year or two in the classroom can be so challenging and exhausting and I can relate completely to your post. I found that by having a set workout schedule for myself that was non-negotiable (pending illness or a mandatory evening event at school), I was able to make my workouts a habit and I really enjoyed that physical release of stress and anxiety at the end of the teaching day. I went to the gym every day immediately after leaving school because I learned that if I went home first, I would get side tracked or make excuses and then not work out. I also joined a Tuesday kickboxing class and a Thursday step class with a colleague who also was a member at the same gym. This was awesome because we held each other accountable for attending classes and encouraged each other to show up. She taught in the classroom next to me so we could motivate each other throughout the day or laugh at how funny we were walking from tough sessions, and it was really just fun to have a friend in the class with me. I highly recommend finding a friend who would be interested in being your workout buddy...you won't even have to work out together, but it was really helpful for me to have an accountability buddy.

As far as vending machines and treats at school, I really avoided the faculty room or any area that I knew people brought in goodies. I usually eat in my classroom anyway because I learned early that the faculty room can tend to be a place for teachers to gather and gossip, complain, and basically be negative together. I preferred to eat in my room where I could have 20 minutes of peace and quiet lol! I did take advantage of the fridge in the faculty room and would stock it every Monday morning with healthy lunches and snacks to last the week. I found that having a planned menu available for me at school helped me becuause it was one less thing to think about in the morning and helped me avoid having to buy a cafeteria lunch as an emergency last resort, or raiding the vending machine because I was starving and desperate.

Like I said, the first year is not easy, and as you continue through the year you will become more comfortable with the schedule and have more energy at the end of the day. Make workouts part of the routine and plan your lunches and snacks out on Sunday so you have less temptations.

Also, we have teachers who would get together to walk right after school. They all met in the lobby and walked together for 30 mins to an hour around the building and neighborhood. You could maybe see if any of your colleagues would be interested in a walking and or running club and then you can get some exercise immediately after the kids leave.

I hope this helps

DawnieB1977

I'm a secondary school teacher in the UK. As I have 2 small children (age 3 and 1) I work part time, 3 days one week and 2 the other.

I qualified in 2005 and I was full time until I left in May 2009 to have my first child. The first couple of years were definitely the hardest but it does get easier as you build up a bank of resources and lesson ideas.

I used to go to the gym a lot back then, and would just go straight from school (on days we weren't required to stay late for meetings)- I'd make sure my gym bag was in the car. I also used to do a lot of evening aerobics classes, but don't now because I don't want to be out when my kids go to bed, plus my husband works lates every other week, so I'd only be able to do classes the other week.

Now I go to the gym on my days off, fitting it round my husband's shifts, or putting my kids in the crèche. On school days I go after work as I don't have to pick up my kids until 6, although I usually collect them around 5:15. I manage 4 or 5 times at the gym a week. I do a Saturday morning aerobics class.

We don't have vending machines at school due to the 'healthy schools' policy, and with a 30 minute lunch break I can't be bothered going to the school canteen, so I just take my own food in. I usually take some fruit and a salad with something like chicken and tuna, or just some crackers with peanut butter on. I just about have time to eat my crackers, drink a coffee and use the loo before it's time for lesson again!

I teach languages so i tend to be quite active in the classroom, and am on my feet all day. I think the only time I sit down is when I take the register. Teaching burns off 88 calories an hour apparently!

I find that doing lots of exercise gives me more energy. My kids don't always sleep all night, so sometimes I go to work on about 4 hours sleep, and I manage (with the help of coffee!).

tdotali

I'm in my 5th year of teaching and teaching 3rd grade for the first time.

In terms of working out - you can find the time. If you're like me and you're way to tired to even think about exercising, go to bed and wake up early to get a workout in. Workout DVD's are awesome cause you can workout at home or at school.

You can also always get other teachers to workout with you with the DVD's or even start teacher games n the gym after school.

Eating requires planning and prep - since you're already doing that for your class just throw some more in for yourself
Choose a day to do your meal planning, another for your shopping and another for your prepping/cooking. I do my prep and cooking on a saturday. I cook and freeze my meals for the week and that way I don't have to cook during the week and I know exactly what I'm eating.

For the treats and vending machine - that just requires will power. Avoid going past the vending machine or have a plan of what you're going to do when you see the treats on the table. It's hard but within your control

mkcmurphy

I taught high school for 14 years - the first year was tough, but each year got better, soon morphing into fun. It was a great job, always a little crazy, but happy, creative and goal driven. A super combo.

Regarding working out: right after school. I left at a certain time and either went straight to the gym or went home and plugged in a tape. It helped get rid of my fatigue and stress, so it was wonderfully helpful to me, and by extention my students, and by extention me again!

Regarding your first year: it helped me to build up a network of good people to talk with; great for ideas, advice, insight, etc. My first year I was friends with another new teacher which was great and if you have a mentor, use them. I also made sure that I laid low in terms of gossip generation and politics - staying out of drama was a relief as well as a way to build a good reputation and a good group of friends. What a previous poster said is also smart: using what's available is a great way to take some of the stress off. Eventually I was able to create a work "me", a lttle bit alter ego to help deflect some of the irritations, a little of the the real me in reserve. Things didn't effect me so much when I still had a part of me in that wasn't already used up.

You're going to be great - you're already on your way! Enjoy the rest of the year!

ka97

It is hard. For me planning ahead, and having a regular routine is the key. I plan out my food for the day, and eat only what I bring. I don't do teacher's room snacks or vending machines; for me that can snowball too quickly. If there is a potluck, I make sure to bring something healthy that I know will fill me up, and will take a spoonful of 1-2 other things that appear reasonably healthy. I have a workout routine scheduled for the week, and I stick to it. Usually I go straight to the gym after work, or straight home and run. I don't allow myself to go home and sit for even a minute, becuase then I won't get back up. I bring my gym clothes to school, and change before I leave, just in case I forget something I can stop at home and grab it on the way to the gym. There's a group of teachers at my school that walk together 3 times a week. Perhaps you could find some like minded teachers to join with you?