Nursing school sent me to 200lbs

I've been trying my hardest to lose this weight but I just keep gaining. Nursing school is killing me. My scrubs are tight I study so much it just feels like more pressure. I would love to have a workout buddy who would help me get off my lazy *kitten*
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Replies

  • emodavis
    emodavis Posts: 44 Member
    Eat better. Sleep more. Exercise more.

    I'm sure there are other students who feel the same way. Talk to some classmates or check out your school's gym for group classes.
  • CompM
    CompM Posts: 47 Member
    Unfortunately it may not get any easier when you're on the nursing floor. My fiancee was a floor nurse for some years in acute care, med/surg, and in nursing homes. Between the candy/treats that facility liaisons handed out, a lack of time to eat right (necessitating stuffing your face with vending machine goods), combined with the stress of high patient loads, it sounded pretty rough. This may be a good opportunity to get used to managing your time wisely. A lot of it depends on where you work, but nursing is a very demanding profession.

    Be strong, you can do it.
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    Thank you so much it just gets really depressing knowing where I used to be to where I am now
  • CompM
    CompM Posts: 47 Member
    Hey, baby steps :) . I have a soft spot for healthcare workers because they go through a lot, and it's possible to burn out quickly if they don't take care of themselves first and foremost. My guess is that you went into the field to be able to help those in need, or in pain? You will be able to serve your patients to the best of your ability with a healthy body and healthy mindset.

    Coming from a nontraditional pre-med student with a family and a huge lust for active life, it gets easier over time to prioritize. If you keep at it, pretty soon you'll look back triumphantly. Discipline > motivation every time.
  • cpp_happy
    cpp_happy Posts: 60 Member
    I'm a RN. I would agree with building some healthy habits now - sleep enough, eat well and frequently, have some fun even for 10 minutes, exercise, vent in healthy ways (journal, exercise, acknowledge, be creative).
    Eating protein frequently with mini meals helps me... A boiled egg, a high protein granola bar with other quick munchie food (veggies and fruit). We usually get breaks, or you can pop into the break room and eat something healthy quickly. This helps me to not eat ice cream when I get home lol!! Healthy ways of dealing with the emotions and heartaches we encounter all shift also help me to not over eat (for me this is acknowledging what I am feeling).
    Also, exercise even if you don't have time (go for a walk after every 3 hours of studying or walk to work, etc).
    Nursing is hard but so rewarding also!!
    FYI I'm 5'9" 150lbs, heaviest weight was 161. Like you... I wanted to deal before it was too much for me to handle!!
    Anyway, hope that some of this is helpful!!
    All the best in your studies and career.
    Friend me if you want.
  • nsgmom04
    nsgmom04 Posts: 101 Member
    I'm a RN. As above poster states, learn to snack. Having healthy snacks around will keep you from eating the junk. Take study breaks and go for a walk, etc. Good luck in your studies.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Tbh its eating more than you need and moving less that resulted in the weight gain. You just have to reverse that by eating less and moving more.
  • Mini_Medic
    Mini_Medic Posts: 343 Member
    Paramedic here. Studying medicine is tough and time consuming. We have a running joke about all of us EMTs becoming fat alcoholics when we went through medic school due to the stress and lack of time. RN is just as grueling with plenty of classes and clinicals and especially if you're also working full time and or have a family to care for. Get some audio study material and listen to it while you walk work out or commute. My classmates and I would go running and quiz each other while we ran. Don't go for quick unhealthy snacks out of convenience. Don't have junk food in your house, or at least not where you study and work on separating eating time and study time. Joining the two is a lethal combination of grazing/mindless eating. Find some healthy fit nurses or classmates to hang around and study with. Being around overweight people that don't have the same goals as you will sabotage your efforts. It's all too easy to "grab a pizza" with them when you planned on a healthy meal just to have company and be social. The likeminded individuals will influence your meal choices and lifestyle positively. The best advice I can give from my past experience of losing 40lbs, was to always order and eat a small meal. You can always have more, later. 95% of the time you will be full and won't want or need anything later. However, if you order a large meal to begin with because you are hungry, you're much more likely to keep eating out of habit and to "finish the plate". Good luck and congrats on RN school!
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    Thank you so much all of you. It's hard when I feel like when I'm relaxing j could be studying or when I'm studying I could be relaxing. I have gott little fruit bars from trader hoes to help with the craving and it has helped because it kills he sweet tooth
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    It's still hard to drop the weight, I get down to 195 And the back up to 200 again. I know a lot hs to do with the stress eating my when I study cause I don't get much time for myself
  • SafioraLinnea
    SafioraLinnea Posts: 628 Member
    I just graduated nursing school and on grad day I was my highest weight ever. I'm down 14 pounds since the end of May and, while I have a long way to go, it is going smoothly. Pre-plan your food, put it in snack sized containers, and keep it fairly conveniently located so you can grab something when you have two minutes. I manage that 3-4 times in a 12 and it really works for me to have convenient foods handy. Your results may vary. I am very lucky that my specific job has a bit more flexibility built into it than most. I can take five minutes here and two minutes there without someone dying or chasing me to complete a task or ask me questions. And I have only worked through a lunch break by choice rather than necessity.
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    Well right now I'm in Lpn school, just about to finish my first block. Would anyone mind being a motivation buddy? I would do the same in return obviously, but it's nice to know you have someone rooting for you
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    CompM wrote: »
    Unfortunately it may not get any easier when you're on the nursing floor. My fiancee was a floor nurse for some years in acute care, med/surg, and in nursing homes. Between the candy/treats that facility liaisons handed out, a lack of time to eat right (necessitating stuffing your face with vending machine goods), combined with the stress of high patient loads, it sounded pretty rough. This may be a good opportunity to get used to managing your time wisely. A lot of it depends on where you work, but nursing is a very demanding profession.

    Be strong, you can do it.

    Is this for real? I'm not American, so I don't know what facility liaisons are, but does a health facility really hand out candy to the staff/students? And don't they give you time to eat/rest? It sounds so backwards. How can this be allowed?
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    Not really you only really get time when you have a lull or you find a chance to eat. In clinicals that's what I have to do
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    That's rough. You just have to arm yourself with healthy snacks that can be eaten on the go, then :/ Good luck :)
  • boxitoff
    boxitoff Posts: 3 Member
    I'm currently entering my third year of university where i am studying biomedical sciences (think its call premed in america) , i started uni between 115-120 lbs with a body fat percentage of 18% i also exercised daily . i finished my exams this year at 150lb and I don't want to check my body fat! I have had enough and need to do something (15lbs weight gain a year means that my weight would be at 165lbs by next year!) . I am currently trying to stay on track with my diet and develop a workout routine that i will be able to continue when I start back so far i am at 145lbs with some yoyoing depending on how well i am eating and exercising for me i feel that when i am consistent with my exercise that eating healthy is easier, its as though i fall back into my previous eating pattern which i had prior to uni. Just wanted to share with you and let you know that you aren't the only one.
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    Thank you :) I really appreciate you're story. At least now I feel like I'm not the only one
  • cjwachsmuth
    cjwachsmuth Posts: 9 Member
    I understand how you feel on this! I am in the pharmacy program currently and I have noticed that I am a big stress/study eater. It's almost a form of procrastination because I'll get up from studying to get a snack that I most likely don't need. However, I am trying to get it in check and fit in time for working out more often. It's hard but one day at a time!
  • shank35l
    shank35l Posts: 102 Member
    edited July 2015
    I'm a PA and it is the same for us. It is how I gained a lot of my weight. Even after you are out of school can you guess what MDs like to do with PAs? Throw us on a ton of scut so that their interns can get the 2nd and 1st assist work in GS. That means I get plopped down in front of a computer or patient half of the week.

    To answer the question for the person asking if the above was for real. Yes, sadly it is. Nurses, Techs, PAs, MDs - we're all worked half to death. Sometimes in surgery you have to wonder if it is one us or the patient who got sedatives pushed. Why? because by the time you are on hour 22 and the OR board just keeps growing we're all about to fall over.
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    Thank you :) I really appreciate you're story. At least now I feel like I'm not the only one
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    I'm just worried I don't feel like I can get out of this rut. It's getting to the point I get winded just walking up a flight of stairs or doing a quick jog less than 100 feet
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    I'm just worried I don't feel like I can get out of this rut. It's getting to the point I get winded just walking up a flight of stairs or doing a quick jog less than 100 feet

    its not hard you just have to start small and be consistent, wlak 5 mins one day walk 10 the next 15 the next. Keep progressing then youll walk 30 mins and hour, then youll move up to jogging then running. You have to start somewhere and if you stick with it you will see improvements quite quickly.
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    Thank You for the suggestion. Right now is a little hard on my weight since I've got finals Finals going on but I'm doing my best
  • lavrn03
    lavrn03 Posts: 235 Member
    17+ years as a nurse! And loving it!! Best profession but it's very exhausting...mentally, emotionally and physically! All worth it... For the most part.
    Find time to exercise even for 20 mins. That is huge for me for de stressing. Play around with foods that are good, tastey, and keep you full. Increase protein!!
    Work on small changes but move more and eat better!!

    Good luck!!
  • shank35l
    shank35l Posts: 102 Member
    I've started sneaking in "calibration" stress tests (Bruce Protocols) to get a bit of extra cardio. I did 3 last week. That is just how crazy it gets here at times.
  • turkeyandrice
    turkeyandrice Posts: 7 Member
    I am a pct (patient care tech). I work on a med surg unit in a hospital. I love the rn's I work with! We have a gym we can use for free in the hospital before or after work. But the best part is we have some days when about 5pm comes abd dinner trays are served we get a few min to take some laps around the unit adding squats and lunges. Take the stairs avoid the elevator. Pack a healthy lunch. All those treats from families and such I cover with paper towel so I cant even see them. I buy a cake for co workers birthdays but have been buying fruit as well for a treat. I use to work nights and admit I had less energy then.
    Do you have any audio you can listen to while working out? Audio study guides?
    Drink lots of water :)
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    I do a lot of reading cause audio confuses me lol. But that's not a bad idea I try and get as much movement at clinicals as possible
  • jsimms2127
    jsimms2127 Posts: 14 Member
    Girl I gained a ton during nursing school. We all did. An instructor told us it is just as important for us to take care of ourselves as it was to read and study. You can do it even if it is just a walk here and there. Add me if you want snd good luck :)
  • CompM
    CompM Posts: 47 Member
    Is this for real? I'm not American, so I don't know what facility liaisons are, but does a health facility really hand out candy to the staff/students? And don't they give you time to eat/rest? It sounds so backwards. How can this be allowed?

    My other half is a nurse and I have a close friend who was a liaison for a specialty facility. Also, some friends and family are hospital or clinic staff. :) They talked about bringing/getting treats for the nurses, doctors, and support staff. It's common here to have someone go out to a general hospital and try to convince the doctors to send patients to specialty hospitals or clinics for certain things. More patients=more money.

    As far as patient load, when my fiancee worked in a skilled nursing facility there was an abundance of CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants/Aides) but she may be the only Registered Nurse on night staff, and that was OK because of the type of patient. In Med/Surg or Acute, they required much more involvement, and she has had up to 5 or 6 per shift before. When you consider the paperwork involved, that's a lot to deal with at times. You are "allowed" a lunch and two breaks, but since they are part of your clocked-in workday, if the patients need something, then sustenance has to wait.
  • Cutiepie1501
    Cutiepie1501 Posts: 19 Member
    I'm about to start med surg any suggestions?