Hi there! I am Michelle form NJ. I just got restarted with MFP after having fallen off the wagon for 5 months. Feel good to be back! I am currently a pediatric vent nurse working in homecare. I moved to a new area and am looking for something more fulltime. I previously did double weekends (16 hr shifts) and am open to that again... its brutal while you are there, but is truly the best set up for a single mom! Wishing the rest of you nurses out there the best of luck on this journey! -Michelle

Hi all! I'm Patty. I'm actually a fairly new nurse, only 6 months now I work in a Pediatric ICU and I love it so far. I'm having a heck of a time balancing the crazy work schedule with trying to work out/eat healthy. I work 12 hr days/nights and rotate every 2 weeks. It's great to find a group of nurses out here in MFP world who can relate! Looking forward to the group

Nursing schedules can be a nightmare. It is good that you can work around your family's schedule but it is so hard on the body to work night shift. I worked nights for years and one of the main reasons I got into dialysis was for the hours. Now I work 4 days a week, 6a - 4p. Love it.

Hi Ladies! I am a Registered Nurse from Ontario Canada. I've been nursing for 1 year and a half. Presently, I am nursing in Oncology, and although it is very demanding, I do love it! Nursing has been great, but with all the long hours and with having a second job in a Dr's office, I find that I am lacking the time to exercise and cook healthy foods! Hope that we can all support eachother on our weight loss journeys and the struggles we commonly have while working as nurses! Glad I could be part of this group!

Hi Everyone!! I'm Brook and I've been an RN for about 4 years now. I've worked on a medical floor since I became a nurse. I started out on night shift but that just wasn't for me. After 8 months I went to day shift and have been doing 7a to 7p 3 days a week ever since. When I was on nights I found it easier to loose weight because all the restaurants were closed and the cafeteria only had minimal selections. I ended up bringing my lunch every night and was able to loose 30 lbs without even trying in the 8 months that I worked nights. However, when I went to day shift I noticed there is food EVERYWHERE!!!!!! Home care and hospice companies are ALWAYS bringing in candy and doughnuts and I gained so much weight!!! My hospital is right next to a Krispy Kreme so that sucks!!!!!!!!!! That damn hot doughnut sign is on every morning!!!!!!!!

Hi I'm Liz. I'm an RPN from Ontario, Canada. I've been a nurse for a little over three years and I float all over the hospital. I was never the "skinny" kid in highschool, but not fat by any means. Then, going to nursing school, then starting my first full time job.... they pounds just packed on. I'm very happy to say I've lost nearly 45lbs with mfp, and I recommend it to all my co-workers!

Hi, I am Christine. I have been a Registered Nurse for 17 years. I am also a Registered Midwife and Public Health Nurse. Best Wishes to you all on your journey to good health. I know for me I need to do this for myself and my health, but also to not feel like a hypocrite when I have to be giving health advice when obviously I am not the picture of health.

Hey, I'm Marie. Technically, I am an LPN working on my Bridge to RN program, but I hope I am welcome.

I'm over 400 pounds and hate the fact that I am a walking contradiction to healthcare. I am currently unemployed and doing school full time. I graduated LPN school April 2010, worked a year on the floor then lost my job at the nursing home.

I started walking in late September and consistenly am making it out the door now at least 3 times a week. I have 2 paths - 1.2 miles and .58 miles depending on my pain levels. I have started logging my food and changing how I cook for myself and the rest of the family (4 kids, husband, alzheimer's mother all under one roof right now).

Any encouragement and ideas on sustainable changes to a busy family lifestyle would be great.

Thanks,
Marie

Hello All, My name is Barbara and I am a night nurse on a rehab floor. I am extremely excited to get back on track w/eating healthy and working out. my goal is to lose about 40lbs for sure then continue losing gradually.

Hi all,
I am been an RN for 5 years (& took a 2 year break to work in London as a nanny-sooo fun!) in Australia. I work in an acute rehabilitation ward on a fantastic public research hospital. It is the best hospital I have ever worked in, and I use to do agency work and so have worked in heaps.
I find it easy to lose weight working nights and evening shifts but it's when I work a morning shift and have 5 hours at home before bed that I find it hard not to graze the entire time!
I have never had any problems fitting in exercise, and walk the 1 mile (1.5kg) walk to and from work everyday but at least 6 days a week do something extra, like body pump, spin, pilates, step or just 30min on the X-trainer or treadmill!
Good luck to you all!

Hello Everyone

I just graduated in May. Not yet working as I have not passed my boards. Currently studying and hoping to retest in Dec. Any tips for passing the NCLEX would be greatly appreciated. I precepted on IMCU and loved it hoping I can work there also one of the nearest hospitals just opened a new neuro step down unit so they are trying to staff that. I started MFP at 195 and am now 169 still want to lose about 30lbs. Ive also been diagnosed with PCOS so that makes it a little difficult to lose the weight.

Hi guys! My name is Lynne and I've been a RN for 18 years now (second career choice for me). I've done a lot of different things in nursing....med/surg, home health, more med/surg on an acute GI floor (pre liver transplants and the like), agency work. It seemed after a couple of years in each position I would start getting bored and wanting to try something new. So 11 years ago I moved to the OR and have not looked back since...its never the same and I'm always learning...I've been able to scrub/circulate just about everything( I was fortunate to be in a Unviersity setting)...tried travel nursing for about1 1/2 years (which I really reallly loved) but my boyfriend(now fiance) was missing me too much...lol. I currently working at a local hospital and we do inpatient and out patient procedure. Its a slower pace than what I expereinced in the University setting. But I'm at the point in my life where I am ready to take a step back and focus more on me(something I've never done before). No matter how bad my days are at work I still LOVE what I do! Now I can handle stress better because I am eating better and actuallly enjoying exercise. This is a journey not a destination..something that has taken me 54 years to figure out!

Good luck to everyone!

PS...I forgot to mention I was doing floor nursing at my all time high of 260 lbs....85 lbs ago. I have no idea how I did it! When I started in the OR I slowly(did I say slowly?...lol) lost down to 215. I started in July and have lost 38 lbs so far...I have not lost any weight in almost a month but I am not discouraged...I see and feel the difference in how I move and how my clothes fit.

Hello,

I'm a cardiac medicine nurse in Canada; have been one for almost 3 years. I'm very happy with my career but have become worried for myself. Every work day I see what's in store for my future if I don't make a change. Despite my heavy weight, I do not have any chronic or acute illnesses, diseases or conditions, yay! However, it's only a matter of time.

I heard about this myfitnesspal app which helped an acquaintance of mine lose 10 lbs, simply because it was a quick visual way for her to keep track of what she ate, and helped her make adjustments to help her reach her goal. I've downloaded the app to my phone, and I will be using the website; hopefully it will assist me losing some weight.

At this time, I won't be following a particular diet. I'll just be using common sense i.e. eating healthy and incorporating exercise. I am open to any suggestions you may have!

Chichi

My name is Melissa and I am an RN in ICU. I have been a nurse for 10 years. I have been on night shift for most of my career and my husband will graduate with his RN in may. I am new to MFP. Looking forward to a fresh start!

Hi, all! I'm Vanessa, from Utah. I've been an RN for twelve years, the past five on a medical/tele hospital floor. Can't beat the flexibility of nursing though the crazy hours can be hard to take! I worked 50/50 for the past five years with two years of straight nights prior to that to accommodate my family of four kids and hubby! Straight days now, thank goodness!!

It's nice to see so many nurses on MFP!