CNAs and weight

[fuzzywuzzy]

I used to be on a Yahoo mailing list for CNAs. There was a message on there one time about how People magazine was looking for nursing assistant volunteers in a weight loss challenge, because CNA work is "the fattest job" or something like that. At the time I dismissed it as ridiculous- CNA work is very active and a lot of us are young enough so that our metabolisms are still going pretty strong. How can it be that we have more overweight or obese people than say, office jobs, where people sit on their butts 40 hours a week for years? Then yesterday I was flipping through a People magazine at work and lo and behold, there was a weight loss article featuring a CNA. What do you think? Are we really the "fattest job?"

[systoly]

Hotmama2be, I'm glad you're taking up for CNAs, but there must be a misunderstanding. I've read many posts by fuzzywuzzy and while we often disagree on issues, I can assure you she's a dedicated CNA interested in positively contributing to this forum. If you have a beef it's with the magazine not the poster. I do think she makes an excellent point in that CNAs, the folks at the core of delivering care, rarely get media exposure, and when they do it's mostly negative.

[classykaren]

I remember Burt Reynolds saying People magazine is for people who can not read the National Enquier they just have to look at the pictures lol

[Miwila]

Great thread! , I have wondered the same thing! I would love to hear from those CNA's who make an effort to stay in shape, and how you go about doing so, with your jam packed work schedule!

The job itself, in my opinion, is a great way to stay in shape. On the side I do maybe an hour a week on a treadmill and a half hour on an AB machine although I have gone for weeks and months without being consistent. But with all the running around CNA's do I don't see how we can not stay in shape compared to other professions.

[prettyNpurple]

I started gaining weight just recently 7 pounds to be exact and it started because I now work from 3-11pm and when I get out of work I tend to want to eat...and I over eat!! its ridiculous!!! Im thin and tall...but my chunky side is starting to show up...Im buying a bike this friday...I wan't to loose these 7 pounds plus another 20 a total of 27 pounds to be exact.

but I think it also depends on the hours of the day you work too...

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

Yeah. I work 3-11 and I do the same thing. Plus I end up staying up late, so I sleep in late, and then I sit around on my butt all day before work. It's one of the reasons I'm thinking about asking for 1st shift. I enjoy the 3-11 routine and my coworkers but you can't have a life and personally i can't be productive on this shift.

[ZanatuBelmont]

I used to be on a Yahoo mailing list for CNAs. There was a message on there one time about how People magazine was looking for nursing assistant volunteers in a weight loss challenge, because CNA work is "the fattest job" or something like that. At the time I dismissed it as ridiculous- CNA work is very active and a lot of us are young enough so that our metabolisms are still going pretty strong. How can it be that we have more overweight or obese people than say, office jobs, where people sit on their butts 40 hours a week for years? Then yesterday I was flipping through a People magazine at work and lo and behold, there was a weight loss article featuring a CNA. What do you think? Are we really the "fattest job?"

Probably has to do with:

Location

Low income

[Cejai]

I Googled this and also searched People.com and couldn't find this story. I would like to have read it.

[Butterfliesnroses]

I'm overweight but I was overweight when I started the job. I'm more overweight now, but I don't blame the job. I had a baby! I'm finding my happy medium! Which isn't easy. I'm a mother, I work full time, and I got to school full time, so a healthy dinner isn't at the top of my list! However, now that it's gotten warm, I make sure to make it a priority to take a 30 minute walk ever day.

[naide88]

I think that article really is insulting. But I guess it was just an article and not an actual study...it doesn't mean anything.

When they go out and weigh people and get their BMI's and all that...then maybe they'll have some back up.

[systoly]

I think that article really is insulting. But I guess it was just an article and not an actual study...it doesn't mean anything.

When they go out and weigh people and get their BMI's and all that...then maybe they'll have some back up.

I understand were you're coming from, but there's another way of looking at it. If CNAs were indeed disproportinately overweight, that would just mean that overweight people are some of the hardest working and most caring people around.