Any other nurses? Or anyone in the medical field?

Hey Shauna! My name is Holly, I'm a recovery room nurse, and feel your pain. I graduated 5 years ago and before that was a paramedic for 7 years. Being OFF the ambulance definitely improved my diet (we would always eat out), but I've definitely slowly been creeping up the scale. Actively working on that by reducing cals/exercising/strength training. We caregivers have to be extra careful because we tend to look after everyone else but not ourselves! Good luck with your weight loss journey! All the best!

Well, I work 4 ten hour shifts, with weekends off, usually. I found that if you bring healthy snacks and eat every 3 hours, you don't become so hungry that when it's time for your break you eat terribly because you're starving. Pack your lunch, don't eat in the cafeteria. You can't control your calories and you'll be saving lots of money! You have to MAKE time for yourself for cardio/weights, because you'll use every excuse in the book to not work out when you get home or before you go to work because you're tired, or stressed, or whatever. You feel that way because you're out of shape and overweight! Once you start losing weight, you get much more energy and it gets easier. When you're first starting out, you have to just plow through the first few weeks, because they're gonna suck.

Hey guys! I'm a nurse as well. I'm now in a management position and I sit a lot instead of being on my feet all day! I used to have an office on the third floor, so I did the stairs a lot to keep in shape, and they have now moved me to the first floor, and I'm not getting as much exercise during the day! it really sucks.

Hello...I've been an RN for 12 yrs working from wound care to community based home services. I 'm a returning MFP member after a year off. I'd like to get in better shape because it just feels so wrong to teach and encourage a healthy lifestyle to my patients, but not practice what I preach. Fellow RN's...feel free to add me. I could use all the support I can get!!!

I am a Business Consultant in the healthcare/medical sector.

I am a Surgical Tech doing endoscopy! I hate our break room as the Doctors are always filing it with donuts and the like. Well not just them, patients bring thank you stuff, the drug reps buy lunch.. Sigh I have to stay out of there... when I first started working there when it was brand new I did good and then I started gaining weight.. after 6 years I had gained 50lbs... Now 100lbs lighter I stay out of there and away from the "brought in" foods.. When we have pot lucks I just have a taste of a few things and call it a day!
So hard as I know being in the health care field there is so much "junk" food to choose from.

I find this hard as well. I work 3-11:30pm on a med/surg floor. I find if i have something to eat around 9pm Im ok. But sometimes I get home at 12:30 and im starving!! I try to just have a bowl of special K. I mean I am on my feet for at least 6hours running around so I should be allowed to fuel that activity level. Also on my days off I drop my calories as I only exercise on the treadmill.. so I kinda of compensate for those extra calories on my days on.

Nurses have the worst eating habits!

Hey guys, lovely to see lots of fellow RN's out there. I'm an RN in merry ol' England, and when i started my training nearly 12 years ago i was slim, but now i'm not!!! Whilst i'm certainly not going to be applying to appear on the biggest loser any time soon, i definately weight more than i should. I spent 3 years after qualifying on various wards, so plenty of walking to do, but i've spent the last 6 years working as a specialist nurse in contraception and sexual health, so LOTS of sitting and talking to people, oh and eating crap as well!
With lots of weddings and special events to go to, and the love of an amazing, supportive guy, which has been so important, i finally feel motivated to do something about it. 3lb down 25lb to go.
Good luck to eveyone else
x

I'm a school nurse. There are tons of sugary, sweet snacks in our faculty lounge. UGH!!! I try to stay out of there! I heat up my own prepacked meals and eat at my desk and then walk/run during lunch.

Hello all,

I am a phlebotomist and quit my job about a year ago to go back to get my nursing degree. While being on the floor in the hospital, I began to drop a few pounds here and there, but the 12 hour night shifts became snack time shifts. However, now that I am in school, the stress, the late night studying and constant snacking has brought my weight to a place I don't want to be. When I achieve my goal as being an RN, I want to be as healthy as possible.

Here to give support and for support.

I am applying for the nursing program at my school this fall.

I currently work as a medical assistant, if that counts for anything.

Hello everyone. GM, Shauna. I'm a full time paramedic and guuuurl, I've gained 50 darn pds. I've been a medic since 1999 and was thin, in shape and sexsay.....after multi work related injuries (my right knee, my wrist and on going back problems) the weight has crept up. I do understand your frustration. When we're busy we don't. We don't get lunch breaks, we have to fit our meals in when we can. I've been so unhappy with my weight gain that I've finally decided to take charge. I've been slowly making sure that I eat in the morning when I'm working the daylight shift (we switch shifts every month) I've also been working out to Jillian 30DS and Insanity. Which at times can be difficult because I'm tired when I get off work and when I'm (3-11) I do it in the morning. I've lost 20pds since Jan (that's including me not working out....blah) We have to try our best to take care of us first. Easier said than done, but if we don't care about ourselves, no one else (meaning the job) will.

I've been an RN for almost 12 years, and I find that my schedule actually helps me! I work 3 12s, 7a-7p, and on those days I don't worry about working out. I figure I get activity at work. So I only go to the gym on my days off. That helps me from getting burned out!I

I actually have an easier time eating healthy at work too. I just eat only what I bring. Sure, we get goodies every now and then, but I just stay away. One day we had Panera catered for lunch and I just stayed out of the break room until it was gone. I eat a high protein breakfast before I leave home, then usually have oatmeal about 10am. Then lunch between 1-2, and that's my biggest meal of the day. Occasionally I'll have a small afternoon snack but usually just dinner around 8. I try and make it pretty light since I go to bed pretty soon after that.

Feel free to add me...I still have a ways to go but with over 80 pounds lost I'm the healthiest nurse I've been in years!

I'm also in the medical fiedl and I agree with everyone: it is really hard. Unfortunately we all know the negative effects, yet and still when you are finally done with a long day, and a house full of kids awaits, it is so tempting to skip the run/gym whatever and go home and eat all the comfort food you'd fix for them. Let's encourage each other.

I'm Charla, an EMT and LMT. I work a full time day job in the IT Department at a local hospital, run as a volunteer EMT, and have my own massage therapy office, so as you can imagine, I stay pretty busy. It's so easy to lose focus, especially when you're on the go and it's just so damn convenient to run through the drive thru. So, to avoid that, I try to cook a bunch ahead of time and pack it accordingly so I have it right at hand and available. If I don't, that temptation tries to rear its ugly head and creep in. Fortunately, the guilt over-powers it and I'm usually safe. It was a challenge at first because I'd be so exhausted by the end of the day, it was easier to order something, but, reality kicked in and being on BP and Cholesterol meds at 33 has a lot to do with my will to stay in the game and be a better, healthier me. I wish all of you the best on your journeys, feel free to add me if you'd like!