New nursing student/ getting back on track?

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gotxjones
gotxjones Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This is my first post on the discussion boards, but i have been using MFP for a while. Last spring/ early summer i lost around 23 lbs so i was fairly successful.. but during the summer time between friends birthdays, traveling and vacations i really got off track and have been having issues getting back to it. I started nursing school this August and i thought it would be easier to meal plan and be more structured with my eating once i had a set life schedule that i was sticking to... I was totally wrong with this assumption. I lowered my intake calories to 1200 because i am very sedentary now since most of my time is spent sitting in class, doing assigned readings and studying for exams. I'm finding it extremely hard to stick to 1200 because I'm constantly hungry, not to mention sitting and studying all day i tend to get the munchies and want to snack to keep my self awake. Within the past couple weeks I've attempted to start working out on the elliptical again... but i really hate working out and i literally have to force myself to do this. I've never been physically fit and have been over weight my entire life. I really want to be healthy and set a good example for my patients as a future nurse but I'm really struggling. Any advise would be greatly appreciated, my food diary is open if you would like to look at it.. If days are blank i usually just counted it as a free day... and dinners are usually blank because i live with my parents and its hard for me to input my moms cooking lol, i just apply the 1/2 veggies 1/4 meat 1/4 carb rule to my plate.
Thanks in advance :smile:

Replies

  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 791 Member
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    Instead of elliptical why not give something like body weight a shot I personally despise cardio but like you I'm a student, computer support though, and spend several hours a day in class. Due to an injury I'm not allowed to lift, which is my preferred option, or put too much stress on my shoulder but I've added body weight squats and things that I am allowed to do. I do that about 3 times a week Its not much but on the plus side its making it easier to lift those computers and in your case would help if you have to help move a patient. And if you know the recipes your family uses just input them here its what I've been doing.
  • gotxjones
    gotxjones Posts: 9 Member
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    Thanks shabaity, maybe adding a little variety and doing things over than cardio will make it less boring and less of chore. I just feel so bad not using the elliptical every time since i spent so much money on it.
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 791 Member
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    I can't say much about an elliptical its one of the few cardio machines I actually like. I'll turn on one of my shows and go for an hour at a reasonable pace and speed up during the commercials.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    You're full of reasons why you can't lose weight, which usually indicates that the person doesn't really have their heart I in it.

    To lose the weight, you have to do more than want to be thin. You have to do want to do the work of losing.

    If you don't really want it, stop trying half-heatedly. Eat what you want and enjoy it. Be happy doing that.

    When you're ready and really WANT to lose, it'll be time to be happy doing that.

    Good luck in school!!
  • NK1112
    NK1112 Posts: 781 Member
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    This is my first post on the discussion boards, but i have been using MFP for a while. Last spring/ early summer i lost around 23 lbs so i was fairly successful.. but during the summer time between friends birthdays, traveling and vacations i really got off track and have been having issues getting back to it. I started nursing school this August and i thought it would be easier to meal plan and be more structured with my eating once i had a set life schedule that i was sticking to... I was totally wrong with this assumption. I lowered my intake calories to 1200 because i am very sedentary now since most of my time is spent sitting in class, doing assigned readings and studying for exams. I'm finding it extremely hard to stick to 1200 because I'm constantly hungry, not to mention sitting and studying all day i tend to get the munchies and want to snack to keep my self awake. Within the past couple weeks I've attempted to start working out on the elliptical again... but i really hate working out and i literally have to force myself to do this. I've never been physically fit and have been over weight my entire life. I really want to be healthy and set a good example for my patients as a future nurse but I'm really struggling. Any advise would be greatly appreciated, my food diary is open if you would like to look at it.. If days are blank i usually just counted it as a free day... and dinners are usually blank because i live with my parents and its hard for me to input my moms cooking lol, i just apply the 1/2 veggies 1/4 meat 1/4 carb rule to my plate.
    Thanks in advance :smile:

    After reading your post, I found myself feeling upset.
    As a nursing student, please be certain to pay close attention to courses related to nutrition and exercise if any are available to you ... and take them!

    At 23 years of age, you metabolism is the fasted that's it's going to from here on out and you might be upsetting it with what you are currently doing. You base caloric needs are about 1800 calories and you are only eating 1200 ... that's a deficiit of 600 calories a day ... or enought o lose over a pound a week just laying there and breathing. But on top of that you are studying, going to classes, probably going out with friends and partying, and you are exercise .... you should be eating more calories. Of course you are hungry and tired!

    It seems that you are probably trying to drop a lot of weight real quick ... well it didn't come on real quick and it's not gonna come real quick either.

    Please stop ruining yourself through starving your body of the nutrition it needs for you to function properly. This is from a grandma who would say this to her own granddaughter ... out of respect for you and desire for your well being.
  • FFfitgirl
    FFfitgirl Posts: 369 Member
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    Here is my experience with sit on your butt all day classes
    I just finished an LPN program and will be going to school for a few more years. Once you get a routine down it will get easier. You most plan!!! I always had tea or decaf coffee with me in class, drank lots of water, and a few small snacks. I tried to walk on breaks to get a little exercise in or would keep my books in my car so I would have to go out to get them for my next class. I wear a body bugg to know how many calories I burn daily. I gained 17 pounds during the first half of the program and now they are gone....yet again.

    Exercise. Make it only a couple of days on your elliptical, Change it up and have fun. Weight lifting is super addictive!! :) While studying take 5 minuets to do jumping jacks, squats, push ups. etc.
  • gotxjones
    gotxjones Posts: 9 Member
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    You're full of reasons why you can't lose weight, which usually indicates that the person doesn't really have their heart I in it.

    To lose the weight, you have to do more than want to be thin. You have to do want to do the work of losing.

    If you don't really want it, stop trying half-heatedly. Eat what you want and enjoy it. Be happy doing that.

    When you're ready and really WANT to lose, it'll be time to be happy doing that.

    Good luck in school!!

    I actually have never been more motivated or wanted to loose weight more in my life. In the past if i hit a road block or plateaued i would just give up! I'm not doing that now and I'm really trying to change.
  • gotxjones
    gotxjones Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    [/quote]

    After reading your post, I found myself feeling upset.
    As a nursing student, please be certain to pay close attention to courses related to nutrition and exercise if any are available to you ... and take them!

    At 23 years of age, you metabolism is the fasted that's it's going to from here on out and you might be upsetting it with what you are currently doing. You base caloric needs are about 1800 calories and you are only eating 1200 ... that's a deficiit of 600 calories a day ... or enought o lose over a pound a week just laying there and breathing. But on top of that you are studying, going to classes, probably going out with friends and partying, and you are exercise .... you should be eating more calories. Of course you are hungry and tired!

    It seems that you are probably trying to drop a lot of weight real quick ... well it didn't come on real quick and it's not gonna come real quick either.

    Please stop ruining yourself through starving your body of the nutrition it needs for you to function properly. This is from a grandma who would say this to her own granddaughter ... out of respect for you and desire for your well being.
    [/quote]

    I have taken many nutrition, health and biology classes so i have a pretty good understanding of how i should be eating.. i guess I'm just not understanding why i should be eating more now than i did when i was waitressing/ not in school? i ate around 1350-1500 during that point in time when i lost the 23 lbs. I figured since I'm just sitting around all day i should probably eat less. I wonder if i should bump it back up to what i used to eat? I know i don't want to loose the weight quick because i ant to try to avoid the sagging skin issues as much as possible.. but i would love to keep it at a 2 pound loss per week.
  • gotxjones
    gotxjones Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    Here is my experience with sit on your butt all day classes
    I just finished an LPN program and will be going to school for a few more years. Once you get a routine down it will get easier. You most plan!!! I always had tea or decaf coffee with me in class, drank lots of water, and a few small snacks. I tried to walk on breaks to get a little exercise in or would keep my books in my car so I would have to go out to get them for my next class. I wear a body bugg to know how many calories I burn daily. I gained 17 pounds during the first half of the program and now they are gone....yet again.

    Exercise. Make it only a couple of days on your elliptical, Change it up and have fun. Weight lifting is super addictive!! :) While studying take 5 minuets to do jumping jacks, squats, push ups. etc.

    Congrats on your LPN!! :happy:
    Hahaha i found this too funny, I'm doing the same thing! During breaks i run up to the 3rd floor to use the bathroom and park in the back of the parking lot, and walk all the way across campus to the library in stead of driving over. I bring my coffee and my giant water jug to class. What is this body bugg? I've never heard of it! I've never done weight lifting... I'm kinda afraid of it for some reason... i don't really know where to start with it.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    You're full of reasons why you can't lose weight, which usually indicates that the person doesn't really have their heart I in it.

    To lose the weight, you have to do more than want to be thin. You have to do want to do the work of losing.

    If you don't really want it, stop trying half-heatedly. Eat what you want and enjoy it. Be happy doing that.

    When you're ready and really WANT to lose, it'll be time to be happy doing that.

    Good luck in school!!

    I actually have never been more motivated or wanted to loose weight more in my life. In the past if i hit a road block or plateaued i would just give up! I'm not doing that now and I'm really trying to change.
    Good. Then take it seriously. Go to the doctor, make sure nothing is wrong (and feeling well and thinking that matters does not count.). Get a goal weight and a daily calorie ballpark number. If you need referral to a dietician, get one! They're great for stuff like this.

    Make 20 minutes in your day to exercise.

    This stuff matters. You will see people - some of them young - who die of things they maybe could have been treated had the person bothered to get a yearly physical. Those people - especially the ones who will be leaving young children - cry and feel so hurt and angry that they're going to die when they didn't need to. Do not be one of those, "I only go in when I'm really sick" people. Take charge of your health.

    And you will be inspiring. You will be thin. When you want it, believe me, NOTHING can stop you because you're like, "No, thank you, and get out of my way because I am not here to be stopped!" :D

    You can do it. Soon enough, you'll love the exercise. After a few weeks, you'll need it. If your school has a pool, swim! You burn calories, you tone muscle, it's not hard...it's the best!

    Good luck!!
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
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    Try to find something that you actually enjoy doing, then stick with it.

    I wasn't a big fan of cardio (I'm still not), so all I did at the begging of my weight loss journey was weight lifting. I was able to lose about 70lbs from lifting and diet alone. Only now have I started doing more cardio.

    And just really do your best to stay on track for as long as you can. If there's a day that you fall off, get back to it again the next. That's how it was with me at the beginning.. I could only stick to my diet for a day or two at most, then I'd end up eating whatever the next day. But I kept working my way up to now.. where I can go 3-4 weeks without breaking my diet.
  • NK1112
    NK1112 Posts: 781 Member
    Options
    I have taken many nutrition, health and biology classes so i have a pretty good understanding of how i should be eating.. i guess I'm just not understanding why i should be eating more now than i did when i was waitressing/ not in school? i ate around 1350-1500 during that point in time when i lost the 23 lbs. I figured since I'm just sitting around all day i should probably eat less. I wonder if i should bump it back up to what i used to eat? I know i don't want to loose the weight quick because i ant to try to avoid the sagging skin issues as much as possible.. but i would love to keep it at a 2 pound loss per week.

    I'm relieved you have taken classes and know what you are doing. Good luck.

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