Your Favorite Weight Loss Tip
Iceskatefanrn
Posts: 489 Member
Hello my Nurse Friends!
I hope we get more and more Nurses on the Intro Yourself thread in our group, but I wanted to get some other discussions going as well.
Let's all share our FAVORITE tip for weight loss! It can be anything from how you resist the food that's brought to work (nurses are notorious pot-luckers!), or how you get in your water or how you got off the Diet Coke, or how you get your exercise in!
Maybe someone looking for a hint will get a great tip here that will lead to their success in weight loss and better health!
:drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
Ice
I hope we get more and more Nurses on the Intro Yourself thread in our group, but I wanted to get some other discussions going as well.
Let's all share our FAVORITE tip for weight loss! It can be anything from how you resist the food that's brought to work (nurses are notorious pot-luckers!), or how you get in your water or how you got off the Diet Coke, or how you get your exercise in!
Maybe someone looking for a hint will get a great tip here that will lead to their success in weight loss and better health!
:drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
Ice
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Here's my tip - it has to do with getting OFF the Diet Coke, and INCREASING my water intake!
Years of working the Night Shift turned me into a Diet Coke addict of the worst kind... and I'm happy to say I no longer drink the stuff. I also never order a beverage other than water at a restaurant, and the same goes for my whole family - some places charge up to $2.99/drink, so for a family of 4 that's $12 bucks, before tax and tip! Great savings!
When I decided to get off the Diet Coke, I also felt the need to increase my WATER intake. I know there are differing opinions on exactly how much water you should drink. All I can say is that, for ME, when I do get in 8-10 glasses a day, I lose weight consistently. If I don't drink much water (even though I'm eating well), I just don't lose the weight. So for me, I go for 8-10 glasses of water a day, plus I drink a lot of green tea, hot and iced.
To help get some water servings in, and as a Diet Coke replacement, here's my tip:
Fill a PRETTY cup or glass with ice. I usually use a tall, 16 oz glass, but sometimes I drink this beverage out of a water goblet or wine glass - makes me feel so special, lol!
Sprinkle 1 packet Stevia-In-The-Raw over the ice.
Squirt juice of half a lime over the ice.
CAREFULLY pour plain Selzer water over the ice. (The Stevia makes it fizzle and foam a bit so be careful!)
It tastes nearly like a soda, like Sprite, but it's just water and so yummy! Sometimes I do a quarter EACH of a lemon AND a lime. Really refreshing when the weather is hot too, I can gulp down 2 tall glasses easily, and the glasses are 16 oz so count for 2 glasses of water each.
I get the Selzer water at Walmart - for a one liter bottle, their cheapest brand costs 64 cents where I live.
OK so that's my tip, and here are your 8 glasses of water for today....
:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
Ice1 -
I started doing this while I was precepting and it helps me get a little bit more exercise in.
While working in the ER I would purposely go to another pod to get supplies, especially if I knew the MD wouldn't be in the room for another 15-20 minutes. When I had down time, instead of sitting at the computer like everyone else, I made sure my rooms were stocked with supplies (carrying 8 foley kits is hard work!) and I'd even go into some co-workers rooms and flip beds (sheets) and stock their rooms too!
I also carried a camelbak water bottle or something similar and keep it on the desk when I could.0 -
Adding Green tea to the diet is not only an awesome weight loss additive, but great for your overall health. Also, helped me stay full after every meal. I would try to drink atleast 1 cup of green tea (even if it was small) after each meal. Green tea is also shown to burn alot of fat, so in addition to the food and exercise it is great!!!
Now somebody, please help me with staying away from the take-out, treats, chocolates from families and potluck dinners at work!!!! they kill me everytime!!!1 -
I think it is impossible to avoid the goodies that get brought in...............and I have to say that I am a bit guilty of baking and sharing!!!! I guess my tip would have to be - m o d e r a t i o n !!!!!!
Never been a big fan of fizzy drinks so can;t help advise on that I'm afraid. :happy:1 -
I heard from another weight loss group that if you eat a high calorie meal once in awhile like weekly it will increase your metabolism. I'm not saying get carried away but a little higher than you normally would.1
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I use the "smaller plate" at the pot lucks - grab a dessert plate and keep the portions small - I've also been known to eat a salad BEFORE mealtime so I'm not ravenous when I go throug the line... and bring something HEALTHY to share, so there is at least ONE thing you can enjoy!
C'mon nurses, there's gotta be more advice out there! Please share, we all gotta help each other so we can be shining examples to our patients AND to our coworkers!
Share Share Share!
:drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
Ice0 -
I've just thought of a healthy tip ..... Don't use processed pte packed meals !! Always make you're own from scratch ... And I'd have to say for me the old adage of eat less and move more works
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Have you all seen the new treadmill nursing stations? You have to walk to computer chart...I hope my hospital gets them!0
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I always have one of those double insulated glasses with me at work....I make ice tea with the Keurig we have and put Stevia or Splenda into it, packet Lemon crystals. It keeps me hydrated and we all know that keeping hydrated is good for the skin....keeps us younger looking. I also pack my lunch which keeps me from ordering out with everyone else.
Pam1 -
Have you all seen the new treadmill nursing stations? You have to walk to computer chart...I hope my hospital gets them!
If I tried to chart while walking on a treadmill I'd fall on my face 0 -
Have you all seen the new treadmill nursing stations? You have to walk to computer chart...I hope my hospital gets them!
If I tried to chart while walking on a treadmill I'd fall on my face
Isn't enough that when I finally get to sit down and chart, my patient at the waaaayyy other end of the ward needs a warm blanket?? lol0 -
(quote) Isn't enough that when I finally get to sit down and chart, my patient at the waaaayyy other end of the ward needs a warm blanket?? lol
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Very true 0 -
What a good thread!
Let's see. I work on the 5th floor, so taking the stairs up to work in the morning is quite the workout, since it's over 100 stairs and they are high!
My biggest tip is I never bring my wallet in to work. That keeps me from buying lunch or treats. And then I am not able to order when everyone else craves pizza or chinese!
I always pack a relatively healthy lunch, with extras like popcorn or oatmeal in case I get starving.0 -
1) EXERCISE: I bike to/from work. It's only 0.9 miles so it's not many calories burned, but it replaces my need for coffee (with cream) and ups my metabolism for the day
2) POTLUCK: I make plans with a friend on another floor to meet on her unit or the cafeteria for lunch and take my prepacked meal! Then you're not around all the temptation. OR don't bring anything to the putluck because in theory you shouldn't partake if you didn't bring.
I need a solution for getting more water. I work in pediatric ICU; our break room is completely off the unit and we're not allowed to have beverages of any kind on the floor/at the nursing station. Because it's ICU, we can't go off unit to the break room without having someone else take over responsibility for our patients. I know this is horrible, we all get dehydrated and women miscarry all the time I'm sure from dehydration/stress/etc.0 -
LOL! My thoughts exactly!0
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Recently started purchasing ww meals Smart Ones. They are lower in sodium and calories. Having a pre-packaged meal for lunch everyday keeps my calories on track. I have also been trying to get off soda. Crystal light has some pre-packaged drink mixes that you can add to your water, some even with caffeine for that pick me up on a crazy day. Eating more fruit fills my sugar cravings instead of candy.0
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I now bring my own meals and snacks. I have not eaten from our cafeteria I over a year!
I do have issues with just grabbing whatever is around (cookies, donuts, candy) when I am stressed at work - which is all the time.0 -
I was reminded today as I spent my day off with a friend. Having fun relieves my stress, laughing, it helps me to re-focus on my goals. Despite my day of fun, walking, lunch, decorating, buy fun things for my home. I made good food choices and walked alot today! Controlling my stress level is key to my success!0
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Keep a food journal. It is impossible to gauge success or fix problems until you know where you've been.0
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ktbia
Sun 01/08/12 12:25 PM
My biggest tip is I never bring my wallet in to work. That keeps me from buying lunch or treats. And then I am not able to order when everyone else craves pizza or chinese!
Seriously, not bringing your wallet is a great idea! I will often bring my shake in with me but then get hungry and go get food or end up ordering food when everyone else does. I'm going to try this when I got back to work Thursday.0 -
Have you all seen the new treadmill nursing stations? You have to walk to computer chart...I hope my hospital gets them!
Our floor is so huge that I would die if I had to walk and chart. Some days all I do is run anyways.0 -
Try to walk as much as possible for exercise. I work at a dialysis clinic and am responsible for 12 pts so instead of preparing all the meds and doing them all at one time I prepare one at a time and walk back and forth from the med station to each pt, plus as a nurse there are always opportunities to move at work every day. Being on my feet at work is my only form of exercise right now unfortunately.
We can't have drinks on the floor so I am drinking less these days, need to find some way to remedy that.0 -
It's great reading everyone's tips here! I have a Thirty-One lunch bag, which I pack my lunch in before my 12 hour shift. I place all items in, scanning them or inputting calories on MFP as I do so. I usually take my main meal, a veggie, and lots of low cal snacks to get me through the night. That way, I don't eat the donuts and "bad stuff" that is known to congregate at work, and I don't eat more than the calories that I am allowed for the day. I also make it a point to drink my water by filling a patient water pitcher insert with water (adding flavoring, as I can't stand plain water) and making sure I drink all of it, as I am really bad at getting my water in otherwise. LOL on the treadmill charting! I agree with those that say it may kill them....some nights I run like crazy, and can't imagine having to walk while I chart as well! Sometimes that is the only time I sit the whole night :-)0
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I'm gonna have to try green tea. I have started to bring my own meals. We get breakfast free on Mondays and are cook makes lunch on Sundays. If I crave a chicken finger, instead of having 5 I put 2 on a salad, its filling. I am big on portion control, I have always been a over eater. I continue to make sure I eat what I want. TOday I had pizza. i think I crave something new everyday. I started to exercise more. Added vitamins, ex vitamin b complex. Only weigh once a week.0
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I work 12 hour nights. I too have given up diet sodas and mainly drink water. A couple cups of coffee before I go in to work though. I hear too many bad things about Aspartame. Also Diet Cokes and Diet Mt Dews are dehydrating. Anyway, I avoid most of the food in the cafeteria. Maybe a light soup, yogurt,fruit or hummus. Being a Magnet hospital you would think they would be more concerned of the foods they serve. I rarely eat fried foods any longer. I make sure I have healthy snacks and protein shakes,fruit readily available. I get more hungry the sleepier I get. I bring boiled eggs and have Natural peanut butter on hand too. My locker is stocked up. It does help me. Used to I would go to McDonalds or Hardees after I got off work and then go to bed on about 700 calories worth of crap. I also try to eat small meals every few hours. I have totally changed my way of thinking and eating in the last 3 months and am feeling much better. Glad I foud this group.0
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Easy & simple plan plan plan, I found being organised the key!0
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Okay so my tip would be on my down time I run up and down eight or nine flights of stairs once or twice and I'll do that multiple times on my 12-hour shifts so that weight brings my heart rate up just a little bit and I'm getting those extra Footsteps.... also I completely meal prep most of my food for the whole week so I'm not tempted by potlucks or by going to the cafeteria and I always bring extra just in case feeling a little extra hungry that day. Lastly what's cause most of my weight loss is the removal of sugar and carbs I mainly eat a diet that high in fat and protein. And my body has definitely slim down and I feel really good.0
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