Health Professionals trying to become healthy [again]!

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PDot2014
PDot2014 Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
I am new to MFP, just joined yesterday. I had heard about the website from a friend but waited a few weeks until I looked into it. I knew I had gained weight, from the way my clothes did not fit to the way I looked in a mirror. But it was not until I looked at old pictures from college when it really sunk in how much weight I gained. Ironic thing is that I gained all of my weight from starting medical school. First it started with 5lbs from eating on the run, to 10lbs from eating late at night studying, to 20lbs from not making time to exercise and now 3 years later a total of 50lbs. This year especially has been really hard, being on the hospital wards and in clinics, working with overweight and obese patients with chronic disease like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Of course I try to educate them on the importance of exercise, a balance diet and overall healthy lifestyle but with each day and each pound, I feel like a hypocrite telling patients on how to be healthy, but they can look at me and see that I am significantly overweight. With my now applying to residency programs and one year away from being a doctor, I am determined to get back into shape, lose the 50lbs and become healthy once again. People say there is a lot of pressure to be skinny and fit in the "Hollywood lifestyle", but I say the pressure is equally high in the medical field, especially because people look to you for education on how to be healthy. Any other health professionals out there that can relate???
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  • nike2345
    nike2345 Posts: 17 Member
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    Hey I'm pretty new to MFP also about two weeks in. In high school I was a mega athlete. I played three sports and people called me superstar. In my 12 grade year my asthma became worse and one of my lungs collapsed. The doctors told me that I would never play sports like I use to. From then on it has been an uphill battle trying to get my asthma under control with all the medications that make you gain weight. So 12 years out of high school and I've finally have gotten my asthma under control but have gained a tremendous amount of weight due to lack of exercise, poor diet, and medication. I guess I decided it was time when one of my students asked me why I was so big. I gave him he usual people come in all shapes and sizes but I knew that I no longer wanted to be this size. So teaching in two places and running my own business I must learn how to eat better and not take the easy fast food way our. So I definitely understand your struggles and wish you all the best.
  • sweetooth1
    sweetooth1 Posts: 4
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    Hi there! Read your post! I know how you feel im working in a hospital too.. And people esp px do look up to the person whos is educating them.. Do what you preach they said.. Its hatd esp if years of eating unhealthy foods.. Im in the same page as you... But what others said... Determination is tge key... And little baby steps of change at a timeweight loss will not be done overnight.... It took. Years of pillling on... So we need patience of taking it off to be healthy and low risk of of
    All the consequences of eating the nit soo good food choices...
  • mmcdowell100
    mmcdowell100 Posts: 1 Member
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    I have been using MFP for a little over a month. I am a Family Nurse Practitioner and had gained about 50 lbs during school and while working at the hospital. As health care workers we are limited on break time and eating is something I tend to do on the fly. I usually find it hard to get time to pee. I guess I finally got to a point like you where I felt really bad giving advice to people and looking like I never follow my own advice. How can I expect someone to take me seriously in that circumstance. I started eating a small breakfast and if I am pressed for time I eat a pre-prepared peanut butter sandwich or a Special K protein bar to get me through the next couple hours. I forced myself to make time to work out. I try to get in a couple hours 3-4 times per week. This may be much more challenging in a month when, apart from my full time clinic gig as a Nurse Practitioner, I also teach 3/4 time for a University, and I will be starting my Doctoral program (full time).

    I have lost almost 40 lbs from when I first started, ( started losing before I started MFP) and I feel great. I also found the workouts are a huge stress relief after a day of non-stop patient care and all of the other stresses of the career and life. Keep up the fight. If you are truly ready to make the change you can make it happen. Good luck!:smile:
  • heatherbrosigyaskow
    heatherbrosigyaskow Posts: 28 Member
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    I work overnights in a busy ICU. In five years I added 50lbs to the already 30 I was already overweight with. I can totally understand where your coming from. How does it look the overweight RN telling you to lose weight. It has been heard planning lunches everynight and not living on vending machines and time hortons, but I can already see changes. Plus after one month I have no problem turning down the pizza and wings everyone always seems to order. The Sunday morning bagels, now that's a different story. Good luck !!!
  • kellyskitties
    kellyskitties Posts: 475 Member
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    You want expectations - I got them. I teach - and guess what one of the subjects I teach is - nutrition. The students always comment on my knowledge of nutrition and research but I feel like I just don't walk the walk and show credibility. I'm also medical. Friends?
  • Alicia_P_28
    Alicia_P_28 Posts: 76 Member
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    UGH! I feel ya! I'm working on my BSN and I've gained more weight in the year I've been in the nursing program than the other two years of college (or ever for that matter). I know it's because of the late night study sessions fueled by junk food and the lack of exercise. This summer I made my mind up to change! I will graduate next December and I will be in the best shape of my life then as well!! All during my 20 10th year of life ;) (I'm not ready to claim 30 yet!)...I'd love some more friends in the medical field for inspiration/motivation so feel free to send me a request :D

    ps. I know all about the hectic days that comes with working in the medical field, I was a CNA for a few years and while I stayed busy running up and down the halls, I ate like crap. It was a miracle I didn't gain a ton of weight then (I blame that on my "young" metabolism...which has obviously slowed down since I'm dangerously close to 30). I am already making plans on how/what I'm going to be eating and how I'm going to be exercising to combat the stress of being an RN...I know it won't be easy but it's definitely possible!
  • soccerdog693
    soccerdog693 Posts: 73 Member
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    Oh, I totally agree with you!

    Just got my BS in Biology and am heading to vet school, and I more than gained the freshman fifteen. I know this fall, if I was not starting on my weight loss journey now, I would gain even more.

    With me I don't have to to deal with the "practice what you preach" so much, as my patients (animals) are not too likely to judge my weight, but clients (owners) still do expect someone with a medical degree to be a generally healthy looking person.

    It's like, I go to school for 8 years to study biology and medicine, I have a thorough understanding of how food is metabolized and the benefits of exercise, and yet I can't put it into practice?
  • tjthegreatone
    tjthegreatone Posts: 324
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    I'm a general surgical trainee (I think they call it 'resident' in the US). Yes, we do work long hours and the lifestyle is not conducive to optimum health. I found that in my first year after graduation I piled on 20+ pounds simply due to the lifestyle. I thought that the fact that I was running around all day, barely eating during the day and the high stress I was experiencing meant that I could eat/binge on what I wanted, including endless curry takeaways. Err, wrong! Over the next year, I decided to lose the weight. Sadly the stress of trying to balance the career, diet and exercise nearly finished me off. I was thin but miserable and stressed.

    I hope I've reached a happier medium now. I love to eat and can't function if I'm hungry so I always have a few easy snacks on hand that I can wolf down whilst on the run. I often carry a can of soup in to work that I can heat up and consume in 5 mins. I figure the sodium load is better than resorting to the chocolate vending machines at 3am. I cook in bulk at weekends/off days. Fortunately, in the UK at least our hours are not as bad as say in the US, so for every 90 hour week I'll get one week where I have very reduced hours.

    I will often sacrifice social events to go the gym. I don't have a fixed schedule - I fit it around my work which means I'm often there at strange hours. Interestingly most of my peers whinge about being too busy to exercise, but then they spend their free time out drinking/with friends etc. I guess it's all about priorities. I do have friends but they know not to get in the way of my workout :laugh:

    Sometimes a curveball gets thrown (yet another set of exams grrr, more job applications, a particularly grim set of nights, a bad day at work) and I do derail every now and again but I guess it's all about long-term consistency.

    I admit that I wonder how sustainable this will be if and when I do get married/have a family/become more senior. Whilst most of my peers are slim, the bosses are not (life has become too cushy for them I suppose!)
  • chatogal
    chatogal Posts: 436 Member
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    Holdshand up!!

    Yup, midwife over here in the UK (all pregnant women in the UK have all/most of their care from midwives). Midwives have a tendancy to be fat - a lot of them morbidly obese and there we are advising about the dangers of gestational diabetes, moaning about how difficult it is looking after an obese pregnant lady in labour, all the while scoffing the choccies and cakes and junk food that litter our labour ward!! We all make the excuse that it's because we dont get proper meal breaks, work shifts etc etc - but, but - there are also plenty of other midwives/health professionals who are NOT over weight and never have been, so during my "journey" I have not only been trying to lose the weight but also learn and get advise from the people that have never gained in the first place... and you know what it is all about control. .. I could go on, but I am sure all you lovely people know the theory behind it all and certainly dont need a lecture from me!!!...lol

    Good luck in your medical career AND in your weight loss:smile:
  • tjthegreatone
    tjthegreatone Posts: 324
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    Holdshand up!!

    Yup, midwife over here in the UK (all pregnant women in the UK have all/most of their care from midwives). Midwives have a tendancy to be fat - a lot of them morbidly obese and there we are advising about the dangers of gestational diabetes, moaning about how difficult it is looking after an obese pregnant lady in labour, all the while scoffing the choccies and cakes and junk food that litter our labour ward!! We all make the excuse that it's because we dont get proper meal breaks, work shifts etc etc - but, but - there are also plenty of other midwives/health professionals who are NOT over weight and never have been, so during my "journey" I have not only been trying to lose the weight but also learn and get advise from the people that have never gained in the first place... and you know what it is all about control. .. I could go on, but I am sure all you lovely people know the theory behind it all and certainly dont need a lecture from me!!!...lol

    Good luck in your medical career AND in your weight loss:smile:

    Hahah thought I was the only one who noticed the midwives built like houses :laugh:
    Don't shoot me I avoid the maternity ward like the plague. Too much chocolate and too many screaming women :tongue:
  • mitzvahmom78
    mitzvahmom78 Posts: 64 Member
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    Yes, me too. I'm a clinical psychologist, and I know that patients must be looking at me (100+ pounds overweight) and thinking I don't have my own act together.

    I am having a tough time right now. I am currently rehabbing 2 significant injuries (recovering from one surgery and awaiting another), and that is on top of several chronic pain disorders (just dx'd last year). I was obese to begin with, but packed on much more weight during the recent struggles. It's very hard to take care of my patients and myself at the same time. I work full-time and spend 3 evenings a week in physical therapy. I'm also a mom and a wife in a less-than-satisfying marriage.

    It's hard! I feel like a fraud at work, but also feel resentful sometimes that my work interferes with my taking care of myself.

    Maybe we can check in now and then to support one another.
  • asugar
    asugar Posts: 181 Member
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    I too am a( mental) health professional trying to stay healthy. I have asthma which has gotten worse in the past year and I agree the medicines are making it hard to lose weight!!! Please friend me if you like so we can support each other. I need support and want to get my asthma gone. I just had to add a new medicine and do not want to ADD things at this stage. I am hoping healthier diet now will help. Have been on MFP for almost 3 years now! It has helped a lot.
  • looking4au
    looking4au Posts: 85 Member
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    I hear ya! Emergency Room RN here that went from ICU nursing to ER nursing. Traded one stressful food filled unit to an even more stressful food filled unit. I do find in the ER though, there is more teaching going on so yes it was important for me to start living up to my own advice. Good luck to you in your journey. We can all use a helping hand and word of encouragement.
  • MarieG2023
    MarieG2023 Posts: 61 Member
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    I can relate! I worked many years in the clinical lab, regularly worked 8 hour days and was always moving around due to lab testing. I switched to a desk job and gained about 30 pounds. Losing weight with a schedule like yours will be challenging, but it can be done. You have to make healthier choices for your meals and more importantly, MAKE the time to fit in exercise. The exercise is a great benefit for me now because it helps me handle the stress.
  • dcmitchell01
    dcmitchell01 Posts: 76 Member
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    Hi, all! I'm an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, working in a specialty outpatient setting now. I'm also about halfway through a DNP program, so still in school too. Also juggling a family with 2 very active little girls. I've been on track now for 8 weeks with my eating, with only a few little splurges. I'm trying to clean it up more, and hoping I can speed my loss up a little more. I feel great, I'm only down 14.5 lbs so far, but I feel stronger, and my relationship with my hubby is definitely better. Some of that is that I am happier, I feel somewhat accomplished! I've just not ever had the same level of commitment before that I do now. I've signed up for WW a few times, but never really stuck in there.

    Anyway, I'm still pushing, need to clean the diet up this week. I thought it was pretty good, then I only lost 1lb this week, so I went back and looked at my net calorie report for the past 7 days, I was actually a little over my net several days in a row.... so I'll be more diligent. That's a great thing about MFP, that you can go back and critique what you've actually been doing.
  • WiseAngel2
    WiseAngel2 Posts: 19
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    Hey all, although I'm not a health professional, I'm a former fitness professional who is trying to get back and struggling with putting the knowledge and info I use to help others to help myself. I've gone up and down for years now and am determined to make the transformation real and permanent this time around. I believe that success comes with support and encouragement and I've found some great friends on here and looking to support anyone who wants / needs it.

    Please feel free to add me to your friend list (anyone on the thread) and together we can do it! :)
  • melwharris91
    melwharris91 Posts: 80 Member
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    I am a pharmacist. We regullary work twelve hour shifts and try to squeeze in some time to eat since I don't have a set lunch break. I used to live on snickers cocacola and chips to keep my energy up while working only to crash and burn upon coming home. I now pack a turkey sandwich hummus veggies and grapes. I find it helpful to have snacks around me that are healthy.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
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    I'm not in your field, but of course a health professional has more credibility if s/he is a normal weight. Most people understand that, after education, the most important (and hardest) thing is to find a way to apply healthy eating and exercise habits to one's life.

    Good luck.
  • ereck44
    ereck44 Posts: 1,170 Member
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    Hi, I am a registered nurse and was about 70 pounds overweight. I was told to lose at least 30 pounds by my family physician and endocrinologist. You have no idea how much power you have. Yes' it is important to look healthy but your credentials carry a lot of weight. ( no pun intended).
    Mfp is amazing! Good luck!
  • chatogal
    chatogal Posts: 436 Member
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    lol...we need our very own group!!!

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