Any teachers out there?!

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sunbunzi
sunbunzi Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
:blushing: Soooo I teach 2nd grade in Mississippi and school starts tomorrow. I really get stressed this time of year and find myself eating junk to cope. I don't want to gain weight but it's hard to concentrate with 27 other little kiddos in the room. There aren't moments for myself. I am guilty of being married to THAT classroom and affects me. Any advice from those who are in the classroom with me or a job that is similiar? I love teaching, but find it hard to diet and exercise during beginning of school stress. Thanks motivators! I am also brand new to this site.

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  • Regina1185
    Regina1185 Posts: 18
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    I am so glad that I am not the only one feeling this way! I teach first grade in Arizona and am SCARED that all of my hard work and the 58 pounds that I have lost will dwindle away! Honestly I am going to just take it a day at a time, be prepared with healthy snacks and lunches and check in everyday on MFP. The beginning of the year is so stressful maybe all of us teachers can friend each other and check in and make sure we stay on track!
  • Asmik
    Asmik Posts: 3
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    Hi there! I am a college professor, and I am on the same boat with you! But I found lately a great technique of dealing with teaching and keeping up with scheduled eating. If you eat your breakfast early in the morning, before 7 am, then around 10 am you have a short break for a snack! Have the snack, it is so important, and it can be just an apple, or a Kellog's bar, or yogurt, anything around 100 cal, with little or no fat in it. The snack will take care of you for two hours, and then have your lunch (I usually bring my light soup for lunch: easy to eat, fills you up with very little calories, and you do not have cravings for sweets!). We know how to be organized with teaching, so if we could apply some of that skill to love ourselves just enough to eat on time, we'll be fine! Good luck!
  • JimieLou
    JimieLou Posts: 273 Member
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    I teach first grade. I too agree with it being insanely hard to NOT get stressed. I learned towards the end of last year to leave it at the door when I walked out of the building at 4o'clock (trust me, it's easier said than done....but it IS possible)
    I also try to steer clear of the "sweet snacks" the students bring. I encourage them to bring healthy snacks, but that's not always the case. I stash granola bars in ny cabinet and string cheese in my fridge for those days when I really need a snack.
    And even though I'm exhausted when I get home, I force myself to work out....saying I can only do ten minutes...but once I get going it almost always turns into longer.
    I work in a high poverty school on a reservation where diabetes is a HUGE factor, so I've taken my lifestyle changes and encouraged all of my student (overweight or not) to make healthier choices at the salad bar. It's so neat to see how impressionable young people are.
    Best of luck with the upcoming school year!
  • yeabby
    yeabby Posts: 643 Member
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    School Improvement Specialist in Oregon. Just finished last school year's work 2 weeks ago and have to start next year's work in a week. I definitely find it harder during the school year. Good luck as your year starts.
  • kathywoo10
    kathywoo10 Posts: 139 Member
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    This is going to be only my second year teaching high school ESL and I am super worried about school starting in like 2 weeks. I have been so good about exercising almost everyday this summer but I know that I won't be as motivated when school starts.
  • brittg7
    brittg7 Posts: 146 Member
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    i am going to start my credential program!!! its one year and will be nuts im worried too about fitting it all in...i know im not a full blown teacher yet but i will be in the classroom twice a week all day and then in the spring im full time 4.5 days a week
  • sunnylv
    sunnylv Posts: 42 Member
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    I start teaching in three weeks. I will take advantage of the late afternoon hours after work to exercise with my own children! Then I can start a healthy dinner before it gets too late and be able to get any "homework" done before the next day. Take advantage of times when your children are exercising (younger grades). During recess, do some walking with the students if you can. Even five minutes helps. Eating breakfast, lunch and dinner plus two inbetween meal snacks is a great idea! I am going to try herbalife in the Fall. Hope this helps!
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
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    I'm a youth worker at an alternative high school. High stress, no breaks, and long hours have left me eating granola bars out of my purse and too exhausted to hit the gym afterwards.

    I am also scared that the success I gain over the summer will be lost once school starts up again.

    BUT - you have to take care of yourself in order to be good at what you do. I'm learning to set boundaries at work. I'm taking ten minutes - sometimes in my car to escape the crazy - to have something healthy to eat. And I force myself to get exercise, because that time is ME time, it's a stress release, and I'll just get even more stressed out if I let this all spiral downhill.

    Keep fighting the good fight!


    Feel free to add me, I'm from a similar realm :)
  • devteach1
    devteach1 Posts: 26
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    I teach high school...and stressing out due to our schedule now getting out at 4:15 and having 2 small children , 2 yrs and 4 months to take care of alone due to my husband's football practices. I feel all of ya'll's pain!! I just don't know what to do or how to do it yet!!
  • bcrugbygirl
    bcrugbygirl Posts: 43 Member
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    i am starting my practicums for teaching in september :) feel free to add me :) i think key is to be prepared ... im taking time sundays to pack and plan and prep for the week so my individual veggie bags and servings of nuts for easy to go to snacks to curb me if im munching or am too tired to worried also planning on freezing hot stuff so it can be microwaved easily :)
  • VApoppyseed
    VApoppyseed Posts: 5
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    I hope your first week of school went smoothly. We don't start until after Labor Day, so I still have a bit of summer left.

    I worry about sticking with good habits once school starts, also. I teach 5th grade and find that my water intake really suffers because I don't have many chances to get tot he bathroom during the day. I am going to find a way around that this year... I am going to make arrangements to have someone watch my class for me... I am determined not to break the good habits I've been using all summer.

    I also purchased a nice lunch bag and hope to make my lunch each night so that I don't fall into the habit of buying a school lunch. I talked to my daughter about planning lunches together, and I think she'll keep me on track and not let me fall into the habit of purchasing lunches at school. She has already printed a school lunch menu and marked the days that she will plan on making her lunch and when she will get a school lunch.

    I think teachers have different issues than other professions when it comes to sticking to healthy eating... I think we should share tips that are working for us!
  • parsonsno1
    parsonsno1 Posts: 1 Member
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    Last year I taught 7th grade math; this year I've moved up to 9th grade Algebra 1 and I'm really nervous! I'm thinking about starting my first class off with food, but I know it's not the best idea!
  • particleastro
    particleastro Posts: 68 Member
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    When I was teaching I used to find it much easier to stick to a diet as the eating times during the day are strict. Plan meals in advance, dont rely on what the canteen tries and makes for you. Dont let work run into your 'free' time and make sure you eat at the end of the school day before any meetings with parents, staff etc...

    At home, have a set time for your tea/dinner/supper and stick to it, regardless of what you think still needs to be done. Afterall, you certainly wont get paid any more for working four hours at home every night!
  • lynnie07
    lynnie07 Posts: 52
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    I am a teacher by trade and have taught in the past. I find having a routine is the best way to go about it. Try to put in your workout first thing in the morning prior to going to work. since by late afternoon you are exhausted and probably will make all the excuses not to go workout. For food choices, prepare all you meals in advance on the weekend, freeze it then there you go. Easy as 1, 2 , 3! Best of luck!
    Lynn
  • hedwardsb
    hedwardsb Posts: 201 Member
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    I'm a teacher, too, (elementary resource,) and more than once I have gained 10 pounds over the course of the school year. My 2 pitfalls are funning late in the morning & not eating a decent breakfast and/or not packing a decent lunch. Both result in me feeling like I'm starving, eating inappropriate food like peanut butter crackers, and then binging like crazy in the evening. I'm really going to try to get up earlier this year & have my lunch & SNACKS packed in the afternoon. Also eating the healthy carrots, apples, etc. that I take for snacks rather than sniffing around the workroom for junk. Feel free to add me, & we can try to support each other.
  • HeatherR930
    HeatherR930 Posts: 214 Member
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    I am a teacher, too! I teach 5th grade. My advice is to pack a healthy lunch the night before. If you are like me, you will have intentions to make it in the morning but never actually have time! I was so bad about being too tired in the evening to cook, but eating out really hurts my progress, so I will be having more crockpot meals this year! They will cook while you're at work & when you get home, you have no choice but to eat it & there is no cooking to do! Set aside the times you will work out & make it happen! It's easy to make excuses when we have so much going on, but it's important to find the time! Good luck! I
  • johnny_k
    johnny_k Posts: 150 Member
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    I'm a high school counselor and I started my weight loss journey during the last school year. I was having a hard time getting to the gym after school, so I started going before school. It took a little while to get disciplined enough to go everyday, but once I got into the groove I felt horrible if I missed a day. Pack your workout bag the night before. Same with your lunch and snacks, pack the night before. It will be hard at first, but it gets easier once you get into a routine that works for you.

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