Nursing student venting
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crystalroselynn wrote: »Not sure how you expect to be a nurse (on your feet all day, turning and moving people, doing a very active job) if you don't consider any exercise.....Size (and the health issues that go with it) aside, how do you expect to have the stamina and fitness level a job like that requires?
You CAN fit in 20 minutes a day, and you can walk to and from classes - wont take that long....And as others said, eating less won't take that much time......It sounds like you are looking for excuses.
Ok so first off that came off kind of rude. I know what the job entails. I was just trying to say that school is very stressful and I try to dedicate every minute I have to it. I don't have any spare time where I just sit and watch tv. Yes I can walk class to class but I can't walk from my house to class... That's a very far distance. I know about the eating part. I'm looking for tips and support. Not criticism. Thanks
It's a shame @crystalroselynn that of all the posts, you focused on this one.11 -
crystalroselynn wrote: »So I'm currently at a weight of 310 and I'm in nursing school. Well Ive been doing some research and hospitals want their nurses to be around a 35 bmi and I am far from that. I feel like I don't have time to work out because of school.
Anyways I'm just extremely stressed out because not only am I in nursing school, but I have to lose at least 100 lbs to even be considered.
Positive note is that I do have 1-2 years to do so.
Exercise, while healthy for you, is not necessary for weight loss. All that is necessary is a calorie deficit. Set up your profile here, eat the calorie goal it gives you measuring carefully, and you will lose weight.5 -
crystalroselynn wrote: »Not sure how you expect to be a nurse (on your feet all day, turning and moving people, doing a very active job) if you don't consider any exercise.....Size (and the health issues that go with it) aside, how do you expect to have the stamina and fitness level a job like that requires?
You CAN fit in 20 minutes a day, and you can walk to and from classes - wont take that long....And as others said, eating less won't take that much time......It sounds like you are looking for excuses.
Ok so first off that came off kind of rude. I know what the job entails. I was just trying to say that school is very stressful and I try to dedicate every minute I have to it. I don't have any spare time where I just sit and watch tv. Yes I can walk class to class but I can't walk from my house to class... That's a very far distance. I know about the eating part. I'm looking for tips and support. Not criticism. Thanks
I don't have spare time where I just sit and watch tv, either. But I make time for it and if this is important to you then you will, too. That being said, working out is not necessary to lose lbs but it is necessary for fitness. Maybe start out slow by moving a bit more throughout the day. Walk everywhere if you can. Heck, walk in place while you are reading something. Every little bit helps.2 -
Take a break from your studies and go for a short walk every night, earn those extra steps and link it to your MFP diary. Get a cheap fitbit or similar device and see how much steps you can fit in a day. You can add people on here or do little competitions with your friends. Park further away and walk rather than trying to find the closest spot. You don't have to go to the gym!
Going for a walk is not a waste of time either - it's an investment in yourself. There's only so much time you can spend staring at books. Put on a health, nutrition or diet related podcast if you want to continue to learn as you walk. Or, go with your nursing friends at school for a walk at lunch and talk about what you learned in school. You can get audio books in Amazon to listen to that may be related to nursing or just use this time as a mental detox, relax and listen to music.
How's your regular diet, do you find yourself hungry a lot? Are you looking for food advice or just how to fit in a little exercise?3 -
You are receiving tips and support! People are telling you that you can do it, its possible, and giving advice on finding places to get some movement/exercise in.
I'm a single dad of 2 who works full time. I work out on my lunch. I would love to have that time to myself, but I know that exercise is more important, mostly so I can keep up with my kids! Haha. If you want it bad enough, you will make it work. And don't underestimate the power of positive thinking
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I'm a grad student, working on my PhD in Chemistry. During the semester, I don't really "have time" to exercise, so I get up earlier in the morning to walk for two miles on the days I don't have 8am classes. I have an hour commute each way, take graduate classes, and teach 250 university students. You have to make time, I know from experience. I'm currently down 70lbs of the 200lbs I need to lose.
And, if it comes down to it, exercise isn't necessary for weight loss. It's amazing, and I find it helps me, and it's a great stress reliever during long study sessions when I want to munch on chips while redrawing chemical structures for the millionth time. But you don't have to exercise to lose weight, you just have to eat less.12 -
Wanted to add something, and op please take this in the spirit it is intended, I'm not judging- you are a female who is over 300lbs. Unless you are exceptionally tall, that means you are carrying around a good 150 extra lbs. Just your normal day to day activities are already hard on your joints and circulatory system (you're a nursing student, you should know this). Talk to your doctor, of course, but I'd think you are better off losing at least some of the weight before even considering upping your activity level. Your heart and your knees will thank you. Focus on the food. Once you've lost 50-60 lbs and checked with your doctor, then you can contemplate fitting in workouts. Just my layperson's opinion.13
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Hi OP, I am also a nurse and know what you mean about finding it difficult to fit in exercise around working and training, it's amazing how draining studying is too! There's also the extra challenge of eating on a student budget. Definitely agree with what others have said - you CAN do this! Plan ahead with your meals so you don't end up eating junk when you're busy or tired...and say no to all the treats that always manage to find their way to the staff rooms... maybe treat the weight loss as just another part of your nursing journey. You got this 0
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crystalroselynn wrote: »Not sure how you expect to be a nurse (on your feet all day, turning and moving people, doing a very active job) if you don't consider any exercise.....Size (and the health issues that go with it) aside, how do you expect to have the stamina and fitness level a job like that requires?
You CAN fit in 20 minutes a day, and you can walk to and from classes - wont take that long....And as others said, eating less won't take that much time......It sounds like you are looking for excuses.
Ok so first off that came off kind of rude. I know what the job entails. I was just trying to say that school is very stressful and I try to dedicate every minute I have to it. I don't have any spare time where I just sit and watch tv. Yes I can walk class to class but I can't walk from my house to class... That's a very far distance. I know about the eating part. I'm looking for tips and support. Not criticism. Thanks
I'm sorry if you interpret my post as rude - it was meant to be honest, not rude. Maybe you should try being honest with yourself too? The fact is - I know many students with full case loads, part time jobs, (sometimes more than one job), social lives and good marks, and they still manage to find time to pack a lunch at home, get some sort of exercise and eat healthy.
Even if you do not want to face it, you are preparing for a physical, stressful job that will require you to be healthy and fit - which you probably are not at this stage. Whining about hospitals not wanting to hire morbidly obese nurses, borders on blaming others, and using your studies as an excuse to not have time for exercise, is just that - an excuse.
Do what others suggest, concentrate on eating less and try to get a few walks a day in, you will be surprised how easy it is....
Good luck...17 -
My most successful time losing weight I was working a 50 hour a week job and going to school full time. Still found time to workout 4 times a week because I made me a priority. My whole life was making my life better and I was happy doing it. I actually backslid once I reached my goals because I didn't plan for success, but you can lose weight while going to school.
I may have looked silly, but I didn't care. I carried around a gallon jug of water at work. I kept easy snacks in my fridge and car. (Almonds, string cheese, protein bars, and I actually ate a lot of microwave meals like a lean cuisine or equivalent on sale).
As far as studying, I was a HUGE fan of flash cards. I must have made thousands of them. I took them on walks with me and studied them. My exercise doubled as studying. I even did it at the gym on the machines. (Again, I didn't care what others thought of what I looked like, this was all about me)11 -
I've been an ER nurse for over 11 years and I've worked in about 10 different hospitals.... I was 45 pounds heavier than I am now at the beginning of my career as a nurse. I've never been turned down for a job because of my weight.
Granted, for the last 20 months or so I've been travel nursing and my interviews are on the phone. But I'm also rarely the heaviest nurse working the ER once I get to where I'm going. At 45 pounds heavier when I was interviewing in person - I have gotten EVERY job I've ever interviewed for as a nurse.
I get 13,000 + steps most shifts at my current assignment. About the "physical aspects of the job" - most hospitals nowadays have rules about staff not lifting over 20-40 lbs, so if you have a 200+ pound patient, you had better have plenty of help to move that patient or get a mechanical lift (which don't exist in the ER, but we make it work). They also have slippery slides and all sorts of accessories now.
Don't get me wrong - it's still a LOT physical activity! The current place I'm at does not have a tube system, so every time I need something from pharmacy - it's up and don stairs - at least 10x a shift. And I've worked places where you run your own labs to lab.... again up and down stairs.
With 12 hour shifts and hospital cafeterias serving unhealthy as *kitten* food.... MEAL PLANNING and packing ahead of time is the ONLY way I've been able to make it work.
Good luck with nursing school! I loved it!6 -
I'm an OR nurse in Neurosurgery. Take this time to get healthy. I'm only trying to lose 9 more pounds, I started out needing to lose 26 lbs. I stand on my feet for almost every minute of those 12 hours most days. Nursing can be hard on the body, and anything you can do to alleviate stress on your joints and feet will help you succeed more. When I was going through nursing school, I would study for 1 hour and then walk on my treadmill for an hour. It helped a lot. After my hour on the treadmill, I would eat something and then resume my studies. It kept me focused and helped with stress levels. Good luck, and best wishes!2
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I like to study on the treadmill, personally. I actually find it easier to focus on the book if my body is active. You can get a lot of extra steps that way. I multi-task my exercise whenever possible. Heck, I logged 8000 steps last night because I was pacing during a long conference call!1
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OP as a student is an accelerated nursing program I get it. School eats up a huge amount of my time as well, and after hours of lecture and skills lab the last thing I want to do is go to the gym. However I have found that making modifications to my diet has made a difference. Think through portion sizes on food and what specifically you are eating and find something that manages to balance the energy you need for school and clinical rotations with the calorie deficit needed to lose weight. It IS possible! I do encourage getting a little exercise when you can, it doesn't have to mean going to the gym - sometimes my exercise is taking a 10 minute break from studying to walk around the block. 10-15 minutes of exercise can be a great mental health break in the midst of studying. I've also found that bits of exercise here and there that I can fit in help me attain better quality sleep allowing for more energy to accomplish all the tasks of the day.
Thinking of your diet and exercise as being part of your self-care that will allow you to ultimately take better care of your patients may help you feel less guilty about taking time away from your studies to focus on you.0 -
Packerjohn wrote: »crystalroselynn wrote: »Not sure how you expect to be a nurse (on your feet all day, turning and moving people, doing a very active job) if you don't consider any exercise.....Size (and the health issues that go with it) aside, how do you expect to have the stamina and fitness level a job like that requires?
You CAN fit in 20 minutes a day, and you can walk to and from classes - wont take that long....And as others said, eating less won't take that much time......It sounds like you are looking for excuses.
Ok so first off that came off kind of rude. I know what the job entails. I was just trying to say that school is very stressful and I try to dedicate every minute I have to it. I don't have any spare time where I just sit and watch tv. Yes I can walk class to class but I can't walk from my house to class... That's a very far distance. I know about the eating part. I'm looking for tips and support. Not criticism. Thanks
Do you work in addition to school, care for children or other family members, etc? Typically a full load at college is considered 18 hours and assumed 2 hours of study per hour in class so that gets you to 52 hours, round up to 60, you have 108 hours left in a week.
Not trying to be mean or judgemental, just suggesting that you take an honest look at how you are spending your time. If you are rrally spending all your time with school and can't find time for anything else you may want to get some help with study skills
As has been mentioned, your diet will be the biggest factor in wright loss, but movement will help with calories burned and general health.
Best of luck.
(I have no idea what your life is like) divided by (Let me make some assumptions) +(I'll make the rest up)= you have 1,000,000 hours left to run a marathon!
Just like you have to focus on your studies, you need to focus a on what you are eating. It is not going to be easy to fight the cravings. But you can do it. You have to do it. Your life and livelihood are depending on it.
My experience with college age kids is that they prefer not to plan too much, but you might consider planning what you are going to eat tomorrow. Planning ahead will show you where your downfalls are. You will find yourself saying I would rather have 4 of these than just 1 of those!
Good luck with all.1 -
You've gotten great advice, from people who've successfully lost weight, and kept it off, while managing busy lives.
You're studying to be in health care. I can understand wanting to be healthy. Good for you.
Follow the advice here and aim for way way below a BMI of 35, as 35 is well above the cut off for obese. I'm hoping you meant 25...
You can do it, and have plenty of time. Don't get hung up on "must work out".
ETA: if you're going to have a shake for breakfast, consider switching to a BETTER one with more protein and nutrients. (and look for a better entry for the one you're using, I think it's not correct)1 -
@CoffeeNCardio has a great point about TV. I walk laps around my apt. Complex while watching on my phone. Since I'm usually watching The Walking Dead, etc. I'm usually told I'm very entertaining to watch and my fellow (human) walkers are very helpful when I hold the phone up and ask "Who just died!?!!? I can't look!"
I also do this with rented movies--makes the time fly for me.4 -
You're making me nervous- I start nursing school on Oct 4 and I have a history of emotional eating (stress eating, particularly). I'm trying to lose 10 pounds, but I'm worried I will end up gaining weight. When I used to be in school, I'd go for a quick run every morning. I would sometimes study on the treadmill or stationary bike with flashcards. I'd walk to school. I'd do squats at home while waiting for dinner to cook. Things like that add up and that's what I plan on doing. Personally, fitness is extremely important to me and I'm not willing to sacrifice it for school. Priorities. Put fitness up there with school.2
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OP
you do need to be in better shape to succeed at your career
one thing that bugs me about the hospital is staff taking the elevator 1 floor instead of the stairs.. how about starting there...
my spouse is a Dr and take the stairs all the time
it's a small thing but way to get some exercise3 -
A couple of thoughts. Looking at "OMG I have to lose 9000 pounds or I've wasted 11 years of my life and 3 trillion dollars" is crazy overwhelming. Or maybe I'm just queen of overreaction. But at any rate, you don't have to do it all this week, this month, this semester. When I get overwhelmed, my first reaction (outside of crying) is doing nothing. I have to work really hard at doing *something.
So, start with diet. Don't be all crazy and drop to 1200 calories. Follow what mfp gives you. The fun part is, right now as long as you're as accurate as possible, weight will drop pretty quickly. Then, as you gain some confidence in the process and your progress, more than likely the itch to move will worm it's way in. By then some of the food part will be auto-piloting and you'll have more mind space to dedicate to a bit of exercise. This may be in a month or six months.
Also, I'm big on mental role playing. Look at yourself as your own patient. What would you say to a patient in your shoes? You'd encourage and celebrate steps in the right direction I'm sure! So, you're here on mfp. You're learning your particular food needs. You're working toward nourishing your body in a loving way. How awesome is that?! And, you'll work out a way to fit in some exercise before long, I'm positive. And you'll hit that BMI in plenty of time! Don't let that negative jerk in your head win!5
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