Fat teacher wanting to lose 40 pounds...

dayha2
dayha2 Posts: 1
edited October 1 in Introduce Yourself
Hello! I'm a 30 year old second year teacher. I have gained about 15 pounds in the last year. I'm finding it really difficult to find the motivation to work out after work. I love my job and I have been known to spend 12 hours at the school. Unfortunately, the same desire won't send me to the gym. I also have the hardest time eating well. School food is definitely out of the question, but I know that the food I bring isn't all that better. I'm sorry, but I'm not too sure anything that can be cooked in a microwave is good for me. I'm battling obesity on both sides of my family. I'm about 20 pounds overweight, and I'm scared that if I don't do something, it's going to get out of control really quickly. I'm so ashamed of myself...

Okay, enough of a pity party! I got married a year ago and have two overweight dogs :) I love traveling, the theater, and any book that I can get my hands on. I love to laugh and spending time with my amazing family.
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Replies

  • streese50
    streese50 Posts: 17 Member
    Welcome to MFP. This is a great site. I just started by honestly tracking what I was eating.... and I let the guilt go. There are great folks at this site that have great tips.

    Good luck to you on your journey.
  • Amy_B
    Amy_B Posts: 2,317 Member
    Hey! I'm also a teacher. I was a teacher when I started this journey also, which was 110ish pounds ago...so it can be done! :wink:
    Can you get up before work and exercise? I did that a lot when I was first starting out. It made it so much easier. Also, I mostly eat last night's dinner leftovers for lunch the next day. I just microwave those.

    This year and subsequent years should be a lot easier, as you kind of know what you are doing now. That means you probably won't be spending that much time at school. I know how hard the first or two can be, but it does get easier.

    You can do this!!!
  • jupaba
    jupaba Posts: 25
    I understand. I too am a teacher and find it really hard to exercise after work. Even if I am home there is planning and marking to do. If you figure out the magic answer let me know. I know it's a matter of priority but it stillisn't easy.
  • aa1440
    aa1440 Posts: 956 Member
    Welcome. You said that the school food is not good for you. If it's not good for you it's not good for the students either. Does your school have a dietitian?
  • PST0622
    PST0622 Posts: 115
    Welcome!!! You will find lots of good advice and plenty of encouragement on here!!! Good luck to you!!!
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    How about trying to get in a nice brisk walk on your lunch break during the day? As, if not more importantly, is getting your diet under control. Taking leftovers for lunch is great way to stay on track. You might also try preparing your meals for the week on Sunday; make things that will keep well for a few days or you can even freeze some!
  • AngelicaDulas
    AngelicaDulas Posts: 196
    :D Congrats on the job marriage and furry children!! I have three old dogs myself (9, 7, and 5yrs) and also got married a year ago (inheriting the precious pooches) I find that taking them for a walk every day has lead to other healthy choices (I was 30lbs over weight) It comes down to choosing to make a salad and take that instead, or an apple and some peanutbutter, or some home made trail mix (raw almonds, craisins or raisins, sunflower seeds and cashews! YUM) Or getting a bag of unsulphered dried apricots from the bulk bin. Some times its better to eat lots of "snacky" type foods and get a big variety than to sit and eat a 500 calorie microwave meal. OR make a healthy dinner and make enough to put into a couple of tupperware and take it as your lunch the next couple days. I basically ahd to eliminate "junk" foods from my house, which included a lot of the processed stuff that I used to eat, and opt for the fresh whole foods instead. Chobani Greek yogurts (the flavored kind) have become a huge staple for me too. I add some granola or som Kashi Go lean Crunch to it and maybe some chopped strawberries or fresh blueberries and that makes for a protein filled nutritious breakfast.

    Again, use those doggies to your advantage! They'll thank you for it. Mine were over weight too, and now they're borderline ideal, with one being ideal. Good luck!
  • vacagal
    vacagal Posts: 5
    I am a school teacher as well. I have found it very helpful to go to the store Monday morning before school and buy my lunch supplies that I keep at school. These include; pre-made salad and any additional items such as sliced mushrooms, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and cheese; lean lunch meat such as turkey, roast beef, bananas, apples, nuts, pre-cooked brown rice bowls, pre-cut vegetables, just microwave and heat and various other items. It's all fresh and healthy. All the other teachers are usually pretty jealous because my lunches look great.

    Give it a try! Go ahead and friend me if you like and we'll help each other through the school year!
  • mjmoore8480
    mjmoore8480 Posts: 26
    definately pack your lunch- the school food is awful!! my 6 year old even gained weight eating it!! She brown bags now, and that helps control portion sizes. Also- if you have access to a snack machine, they are the devil! Make sure you leave your change at home and stock a drawer or cabinet with some healthy munchies, trail mix, nuts, protein bars, etc. for when those late afternoon hunger pangs hit. If you know you have a healthy treat on hand you'll be less likely to dip into the breakroom treats that always seem to make their way into the break room! To fit a little exercise in your day, try adding some extra steps. When I worked at an elementary school, we did a fitness thing for the staff, and we all wore podometers throughout the day to track the number of steps we took. It was an eye opener- and it inspired me to fit a few steps in here or there to increase calorie burn. walk around the classroom a few extra times while your students are working, pass your classroom and walk to the end of the hall in back. doesnt sound like much, but at the end of the day the extra steps add up! Good luck, and I hope this helps! :-)
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    Hey welcome. I work in a school as a computer director and my wife is a 2nd grade teacher. It is hard. really hard.
    If you work in the high school, usually they let the faculty use the weight room and stuff for free.

    I agree cafeteria food is so bad for you, even if you try to pick the healthiest stuff.

    anyone that is a teacher or a school worker can certainly friend me.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    I love meeting other teachers on MFP! I'm sure others on this thread already could tell you that. :)

    I don't have my own classroom yet, but I'm working towards it. At my current job I pack things that are more like little snacks, a handful of peapods, some almonds, maybe a salad if I'm feeling adventurous.

    I understand school food is gross. At my last internship (before MFP) I actually ate it every day.
  • susanofarrell
    susanofarrell Posts: 30 Member
    Congrats for even STARTING! That's the hardest part. My advice is similar to others. Get up a little earlier (and I'm not a morning person as I say that) and go for a walk or a run if you can, or even play on a WII Fit inside if you have one. Is there a friend or neighbor who might want to go with you?? No matter what - just start.

    On the food, think about what you SHOULD eat (lean protein, non-fat dairy, fruit and veggies) vs what you shouldn't eat. Try to avoid packaged foods (like frozen dinners). I grill 5 lbs of chicken breast every Sunday night and that I can have it on a salad for lunch or for dinner (with salsa!).

    Hope that helps! You're worth the extra effort :-)
  • mjmoore8480
    mjmoore8480 Posts: 26
    Welcome. You said that the school food is not good for you. If it's not good for you it's not good for the students either. Does your school have a dietitian?

    The food individually isn't too bad- for kids. School systems typically have guidelines for the meals offered, so that well rounded meals are offered every day. And most children are picky eaters and will only eat one or two items off their plate. The problem comes in when extra is piled on a teachers tray or when everything gets eaten! ;-)
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    should have put my typical meals. I know is really hard for a teacher to get in snacks and stuff.

    breakfast:
    yogurt
    apples or some sort of fuit

    snack:
    granola bar or dry fiber cereal

    lunch:
    the frozen meal that is on sale at the grocery (280 - 350 calories)
  • pocha0704
    pocha0704 Posts: 64
    Welcome! I am a teacher too and can tell you that with a little dedication, you can do it! Remember is only one day at a time!
  • cantjustcant
    cantjustcant Posts: 1,027 Member
    My mother is a teacher...she said the hardest part is there is always some sort of snack/cookies/donuts/bagel in the lounge!!!

    Good luck on your journey!
  • Lashley01
    Lashley01 Posts: 10 Member
    Hello! I'm 25 and this will be my third year teaching. I totally agree with you that it's hard to go to the gym/do any sort of activity after work. I got stuck in a rut of coming home, sitting on the couch, and not moving. I also changed schools last year and got a longer lunch break, which I could have used for walking but instead my partner teacher convinced me to get fast food multiple times a week.

    I'm new, too, so we can motivate each other! Especially as we transition back into the school year!!
  • deadliftdavie1918
    deadliftdavie1918 Posts: 60 Member
    Welcome. You said that the school food is not good for you. If it's not good for you it's not good for the students either. Does your school have a dietitian?

    My school system can't even afford to upgrade their software so I can see my paystub on the latest version of Internet Explorer. I have to look online because it can't afford to mail out paper stubs anymore. I bought hundreds of pencils, many reams of paper and my own printer ink last year because the school couldn't afford to purchase it for me. No, my school does not have a dietitian. When schools are skimping on things like the number of teachers they hire, things like that fall by the wayside. Not saying it's ok, or that a dietitian isn't a fantastic part of a healthy school. Not at all - my kids actually told me one year they were convinced the schools pizza cheese was made of boiled cow ovaries. Not long after that, a version of the KFC Bowl became popular - mashed instant potatoes, corn, gravy and butter. So no, we don't have, nor can we afford, a dietitian.
  • leftymac
    leftymac Posts: 169 Member
    Welcome! I teach HS and I love my job, too. But, staying 12 hours at the school is not healthy for you. There comes a point when you have to realize that what doesn't get done one day can wait until the next. It's great to be devoted to your kids; I'm devoted to my students and I love them. But, I love myself as well and it took me a few years of teaching to realize that I have to put myself first sometimes.

    So now, I set a time limit to stay after school and whatever doesn't get done, just waits until the next day. So the kids don't get their papers back immediately? Experience has taught me that they don't mind. I've told my students that the reason their tests weren't graded that night was because I was working out, and was working out hard. Their response? "We're proud of you Mr. Ridgeway for taking care of yourself."

    I've learned not to touch school food. I just bring everything with me for the day. I eat breakfast, lunch, and snacks at school and it's all brought with me in a little cooler.

    Good luck, hang in there, and put yourself and your family first!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    What grade do you teach? If you're in elementary school, take the kids out for a walk every day before recess. My kids' school does this for every grade, K-6, as part of their curriculum (it's part of the recommendation that kids get physical activity time each day).
    You can even work it into other parts of your curriculum, depending on your grade. Math : how many feet in a mile, measure the intended path and find how many laps is a mile. Geography/history: Pick a place and as a class, walk there. Some classes have "walked" to Disneyland or Disneyworld, others to something else. I live in a western state, so we "walked" the pioneer trail (each child is challenged to walk a mile each day, or for younger, a lap or two, and keep track, we add up all the miles and mark it on the map). Health - kids need to know exercise is good for them, and what better way. Language arts - incorporate a book or story you're studying with the walk in some way (Walk Two Moons is good for upper grades). You get the picture.
    Of course, if you're in secondary education, this gets trickier. You'll have to schedule yourself time. If it's okay with the admin, maybe you can get there a bit earlier and walk the track before school. Or something else. Just schedule the exercise similar to how you would schedule the rest of your day, and then follow the schedule.

    As far as food, do you fix dinners at night? Focus on making them healthy, and then fix enough extra so you can take leftovers for the next day. And don't dismiss sandwiches as a good meal. Two slices of whole wheat bread, some lean deli cuts and cheese, and no more than 1 Tb of mayo is definitely better for you than many convenience foods. Add in a piece of fresh fruit and some raw veggies and you've got a filling lunch. You can also take a salad - even if you keep everything separate and mix it all there before you eat (always add dressing just before you eat so it doesn't get soggy).
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Welcome. You said that the school food is not good for you. If it's not good for you it's not good for the students either. Does your school have a dietitian?

    Children's caloric needs are different from adults. School age children need between 1600 and 2000 calories a day (I have kids this age) and teens need 2000-2200, or more if they're very active. That's quite a bit more than someone who is seriously trying to lose weight. So meals that meet a kid's calorie needs could be too high for someone trying to lose weight as an adult.

    Not saying school lunch is perfect. It is lacking in many ways (and that varies from district to district, and even school to school). And a school could benefit from a dietician, but most schools are lucky if they get a nurse to share with 4 or 5 other schools.
  • pazzescauna1
    pazzescauna1 Posts: 43 Member
    Hey!! Welcome to MFP! This is a great site to help you with all of your concerns, questions, and stories of your weightloss!!

    A few things that might help you: The MFP application for your phone will help greatly if you have that as an accessible feature. It is very accurate!! Also, I just wanted to throw out there: Getting to the gym is the hardest part of the whole "gym" experience. Once you're there, you will workout. Get some good music on your ipod/mp3 and you'll be ready to rock out and get the shape you want!!

    Best of luck to you, and remember: not everything worth working for comes easily. Stick with it! You can do it!
  • techymum
    techymum Posts: 168
    I'm not a teacher, but I just wanted to jump in and say that I feel some hope for the kids reading your entries! No doubt you are all familiar with Jamie Oliver's Food revolution - and with each teacher that comes on board for healthy eating and makes a noise about the school lunch program, we give our kids a better chance at a healthy life!

    Thanks teachers :-)

    edited to add - by noise, I don't mean you have to go in and make a huge fuss. Heaven knows teachers are already asked to do enough outside of the curriculum! A simple dialogue in the community I think will get the parents thinking!
  • lizsquish
    lizsquish Posts: 14
    I'm almost 29 and I also gained about 15 lbs in the last year. It began last August... i just stopped working out as much after I broke up with my last boyfriend... and I drank a lot more wine. I just joined this site and I am very motivated to get back out running and excercising. Best of luck to you!
  • craft338
    craft338 Posts: 870 Member
    i'm not a teacher (yet!) but i run the afterschool program in my district. my hours are a little different, but i'm still stuck in a school for the majority of the day.

    i know a lot of it is easier said than done, but it's true what people say about forming habits. after about a month of preparing my food for the day, it got way easier. in the beginning, it would take up so much of my time just to get my snacks and lunch ready and i was like "how am i going to do this for the rest of my life"....but this morning i woke up late and had to rush out of the house and i threw a bunch of stuff in my bag in probably around 35 seconds, and i'm all set for the day.

    it really is all about making new healthy habits, and it gets easier after you've been doing it for a while. =) GOOD LUCK!!

    oh, and i've gotten used to making a little extra at dinner time so i have enough leftovers for lunch the next day. kashi makes some of the "healthier" frozen meals, although they're a little expensive. i keep a couple in the freezer for emergencies =)
  • shele75
    shele75 Posts: 29
    Hello, in the PPS spectrum of things-don't hold it against me. I need to lose 6 lbs ASAP just to fit into any pants I have within two weeks. My goal is to lose 21 lbs.
  • shele75
    shele75 Posts: 29
    Hello! I'm a 30 year old second year teacher. I have gained about 15 pounds in the last year. I'm finding it really difficult to find the motivation to work out after work. I love my job and I have been known to spend 12 hours at the school. Unfortunately, the same desire won't send me to the gym. I also have the hardest time eating well. School food is definitely out of the question, but I know that the food I bring isn't all that better. I'm sorry, but I'm not too sure anything that can be cooked in a microwave is good for me. I'm battling obesity on both sides of my family. I'm about 20 pounds overweight, and I'm scared that if I don't do something, it's going to get out of control really quickly. I'm so ashamed of myself...

    Okay, enough of a pity party! I got married a year ago and have two overweight dogs :) I love traveling, the theater, and any book that I can get my hands on. I love to laugh and spending time with my amazing family.
  • shele75
    shele75 Posts: 29
    Yes, things are so difficult-pack your lunch and snacks and eat when you get the chance before you are starving from not eating all day@! You might look into used exercise equipment if there is room for it in your home or a nice walk in the evening, even if it is just 30 min a day. The gym can be a challenge to get to after a long day! Yes, leftover dinners can be great for lunch as well!

    You can do this!!

    Anyhow, stop with the put-downs-it does not help anything!! :)
  • shele75
    shele75 Posts: 29
    My mother is a teacher...she said the hardest part is there is always some sort of snack/cookies/donuts/bagel in the lounge!!!

    Good luck on your journey!
  • shele75
    shele75 Posts: 29
    Hey! I'm also a teacher. I was a teacher when I started this journey also, which was 110ish pounds ago...so it can be done! :wink:
    Can you get up before work and exercise? I did that a lot when I was first starting out. It made it so much easier. Also, I mostly eat last night's dinner leftovers for lunch the next day. I just microwave those.

    This year and subsequent years should be a lot easier, as you kind of know what you are doing now. That means you probably won't be spending that much time at school. I know how hard the first or two can be, but it does get easier.

    You can do this!!!
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