Are there any teachers out there?

Working in a school can make healthy eating difficult... the teacher's room always seems to have goodies out to share, sometimes you have to gobble your lunch at your desk, and drinking all the water you're supposed to would mean you'd have to pee your pants - not enough time to run to the bathroom when there are kids in the room!

I have found the following to be helpful:

Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead.

The weeks I did the best were the weeks I did a bunch of food prep on Sunday and knew what I was going to eat for every meal during the school week.

I made sure to pack lots of quick and healthy snacks - veggie sticks, easy to eat fruit (no drippy peaches, for instance), nuts/seeds, yogurt, etc. I found that if I knew I wouldn't get hungry during the day, I was less tempted to wander hungrily into the teacher's room.

If you do get a lunch break, consider having a small group of coworkers eat in your room or away from the teacher's room to avoid extra food.

Teachers went back on July 17 and the first day for students was July 23. But that's okay. I have two weeks off in October, two more at Christmas, and two in March. I'm still done by the end of May. It's a glorious schedule. We've been on it for about 12 years and no one wants to go back to a more traditional one.

I did use the blog feature for the first week I was on here, but I quickly got really busy with school and haven't looked at it since.

FYI, what I take to school on a given day might include: chunked up grapefruit mixed with Splenda, yogurt (Yoplait lite is my guilty indulgence), dry Quaker Oat Squares, which I eat out of a snack bag, string cheese, carrots, sliced chicken breast, steamed veggies i can heat at lunch, whole almonds, Kirkland cashew clusters, the tiny albacore tuna cans (they come three to a pack), Kashi crackers, and my special Baked Apple Surprise, which is my after school treat. Last week I made turkey chili and portioned it out in 6 containers. I froze three and ate the other three during the week alternating with chicken or tuna.

Every day right after school, I eat one dark chocolate Hershey Bliss. That is medicine. . . 35 calories.

I'm a speech therapist in the public schools. I work with special needs preschools and then also k-6. I start work tomorrow and I am so ready to be on a schedule again. I find that when I am on a schedule I can do so much better. I gained 12 lbs this summer and I am ready to take that off plus another 12-15. I am looking for friends to encourage and hold me accountable as well...

I too am a teacher. I teach general music. I have 700+ students a week so I can appreciate the necessary energy level. Good luck on your journey and have a good school year. Heather

Hi everyone! I am moving to third from second this year but I taught first for years! I haven't joined any boards yet just trying to keep up with my diary exercise. I am commited to get the weight off and keep it off! I will have to join the teachers group, I need the support.

I teach 8th gr. Spanish & French! Anyone can feel free to add!

Hi! I am a teacher--I am a college professor at a university in Texas. I know how difficult it can be to find time for yourself amidst all of the planning, prepping, grading, etc. I have found success recently with my new approach to life--MAKING time for me. Even if it means giving papers back a day later than I normally would, it is in my best interest and my students' to make this time for my own health. I hope you find great success, too! Feel free to add me, if you'd like support from a fellow educator

I am looking forward to going back. I started in January and have been stalled the past few weeks bc I don't get as much done at home off my schedule. Anyone is free to add me. I am hoping - no working hard to loose 25 more pounds (that would be 100 total) by Christmas. Loved buying new school clothes today and buying sizes I haven't seen since college!

I just started as well I'm not a teacher but I work full time at a school as an office manager. I've actually been on vacation for the last 6 weeks and head back tomorrow to work. Gotta get everything ready for the students and teachers! I need to lose about 50 to get to a healthy weight....I'd like to have someone with a similar schedule as mine to be an encouragement to as well as receive encouragement. :happy: I have worked at this position for 6 years and always seem to gain a few lbs each year. I'm stopping it this year!

I'm a teacher. I start school up in a month and I am getting nervous because during the school year I often lack the energy to go to the gym and keep up with my work outs. I need motivation to maintain work outs.

Princess, I find if you press through the tiredness, the workout will actually give you more energy; many times what we perceive as fatigue comes from the stress from the day. The exercise will actually help alleviate the stress by giving us a physical release of it. Sometimes "resting" is actually the worst thing we can do if we are stressed.

Hi there! I'm a college English and Sociology teacher in Texas. It's wonderful seeing so many teachers here--I look forward to all the great advice and support. :-) I start up in two weeks, but I've been working from home, redesigning courses, writing up lesson plans and assignments, etc. I got my husband and son into MFP and we've just been using the apps. I might pop in to the website more often!

Hello, I'm a future teacher. Only 8 classes left. I worked elementary as a para for 6yrs, then the job was cut. That was in another state, so hopefully there will be jobs a plenty when I am ready to go! Welcome to MFP and good luck!

Hello everyone! I am a veteran elementary school teacher. This will be my 16th year of teaching coming up!
I will have a 5th/6th grade combination class this year. I'm pretty excited because it is basically the same class I had last year as 4th and 5th graders...I am "looping" them up.
It's nice to meet you all :happy: