Desire to be a fit nurse...

Katnip, RN · Nov 19, 2003

First, take a good look at what you're eating. Keep a diary of everything that goes in your mouth for a week or two. You must have taken a course in nutrition at this point. Andust your diet accordingly. Healthy really doesn't have to be expensive.

Get rid of drinks like sodas and stuff and go for water. You can go to Wal-Mart and pick up some really nice water bottels with the little freezy things inside to keep it cold. Carry it everwhere.

Ok so you can't run...so walk. Walk everywhere, and build more of it into you daily activity. Don't stroll, though, that won't do much. Take stairs, even if it's only one flight. If you can buy one or ask for one as a gift, get a pedometer. I read in a few places that you should aim for 10,000 steps a day. Most people don't do that.

Weight training. If you don't have them, invest in a basic set of hand weights. You can often find them at garage sales or in the paper. You don't need new. Go to the library, look on the internet and find a few really basic moves. Prevention magazine usually has a full workout that doesn't take much time. They might have some of them on their website Prevention.com Do that 2-3 days a week in addition to walking.

Map our a plan, clear it with your doc if you have any potential health problems then stick to the plan. Find friends in real life or online to form a support group.

Good luck!

edit to add: Just wanted to say, there basic formula for most weight loss, no matter what type of diet you choose: fewer calories, more out.

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 19, 2003

I am not a huge fan of Dr. Phil by rule BUT this book IS outstanding:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743236742/qid=1069207603/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-8966611-0768762?v=glance&n=507846

mario_ragucci · Nov 19, 2003

It's almost like a forsaken environment. We all have our own scale to balance, and we all have different Basal Metabolic Rates. If you want to reduce your adipose tissue stores, then you have to increase Kcal burnt each day. I wouldn't go for the pills or drinks to loose weight. And running is not the only way to burn up Kcals and increase your BMR. You have to do it every day and push as hard as you can. Get a doctor to give you a check up and clear you for sustained aerobic exercise. It's like a "shmaze" of choices of what to take in PO. Just eat stuff thats straight from the sunlight. Folks used to eat without machines putting the food into boxes first. Eating raw fruits and vegetables is the way to go, a must. Think about it, metabolically, and don't alienate your physical body from foods it should eat. If you had a human for a pet, I betcha you would be putting fresh fruits and veggies and other simple stuff in the plate (if you wanted it to look and feel right) if you kept feeding it scraggily food it would look that way.

Also drink water. It don't hafta be cold for you to drink it; you can down a liter of water easier if you drink it near body temperature. If its cold, your esophagus will constrict, as will your stomach, and you'll only get aphew sips. Remember, water won't go bad if not in the refridgerator :-) If you raise up a big jug and really take a big drink of easy to absorb water, soon you'll enjoy the feeling of being properly hydrated. It takes awhile (years) for your body to change to being more simple on the metabolic side, and so mush is mental and behavioral often we are not aware of. Modification is fun, and you'll feel great and proud. American. yes you can! Good Luck!

mario_ragucci · Nov 19, 2003

Seeks ways to alter personal health habits or the environment in order to move toward optimal health.

Expressed concern about effect of environment conditions on health status.

Expressed or observed desire for increased control of health practices.

Expressed or observed desire to seek higher level of wellness.

Expressed or observed unfamiliarity with human nutrition.

BL7162 · Nov 19, 2003

Anybody know anything about caffeine stimulating the pancreas to secrete insulin, therefore dumping more glucose into the cells. Can you believe it! Have a cup of coffee during a meal and more than the normal amount of glucose is going to be dumped into the cells, which = more fat buildup! That would account for weight gain from drinking non-diet coke. And then, there is the phosphorus in pop that stimulates calcium buildup in the kidney which = kidney stones, except they are not stones but crystals that scratch the heck out of the ureters! Those that have experienced them say that it is worse than childbirth! Just want to spoil all our fun!! To figure out servings the "Plate Method" works well. Half the plate full of veggies, 1/4 protein, 1/4 carbs., a small bowl of fruit, glass of milk and glass of water. Good luck, Nurse Barb.

DMR1 · Nov 21, 2003

ofcourse everyone's metabolism is different, but when I was overweight, I just ran. Ran, ran, ran, and ran some more. It didn't matter if I was tired and had no sleep, I ran, and then ran some more :cool:

when i couldn't run, i walked. It didn't matter what I ate. I could eat 2 bags of chips or have a veggie salad, with the amount of excersise I was doing, I don't think it really mattered.

I know a lot of people dont have the time for this, and lately, I have not. But I'm trying hard to make more time for running, but it's very very hard to do when it's -20c and there's snow everywhere. going to the gym is more time consuming.

ChicagolandRN · Nov 21, 2003

I took the summer off after I graduated and gained thirty pounds in two months!!! I've lost fifteen pounds since I started working as an RN a few months ago. I HIGHLY recommend Curves for women and Lean Cuisine/Healthy Choice...one of them is always on sale and they actually taste pretty good (and are quick too). Good Luck!

LisaRN2B · Nov 21, 2003

Originally posted by mbd
I'm a new student nurse and feeling the pain of no income.As a result, my diet is absolutely awful since I buy what will keep my tummy full (I have a man's appetite usually).I have 70-80 pds to lose but can no longer run like I used to....what do ya'll recommend for diet, organizing for exercise etc.? Please help.

I feel your pain! I have been on the South Beach Diet since September 22 and I have lost 23 pounds (have about 15 more to go, but I will never stop eating this way). It is really a way of life, not a fad diet, based on eating good carbs, good fats and eating things that are low on the glycemic index.

Here's a link to the SBD FAQ page:

http://www.prevention.com/cda/feature2002/0,4780,s1-6040,00.html

Let me know what you think...

skybirdrising · Nov 21, 2003

Originally posted by mbd
I'm a new student nurse and feeling the pain of no income.As a result, my diet is absolutely awful since I buy what will keep my tummy full (I have a man's appetite usually).I have 70-80 pds to lose but can no longer run like I used to....what do ya'll recommend for diet, organizing for exercise etc.? Please help.

Take the word diet out of your vocabulary. Eat three meals a day that are portioned according to the five food pyramid chain. Cut out fatty, fried foods. Drink a load of water before bedtime and when you get up. And maintain a can-do attitude without punishing yourself if you slip a ho-ho every now and then. Thank God for Ho-hos.

brownrice · Mar 19, 2006

Congrats on wanting to take the time to get health advice...I think we all benefit from the tips we can give each other, and can always learn something new.

Two foods that are staples in my diet are actually pretty cheap: pinto beans and brown rice. I store a big pot of the cooked beans in the fridge, then use them to make bean burritos throughout the week. You can mash them up if you like, or just whole. Put a bit of cheese or fat free sour cream and lots of salsa. You get a ton of fiber from the beans, and the burrito is warm, filling, and satisfying.

You can eat the brown rice with some sugar, milk or vanilla soy milk and cinnamon for breakfast. For lunch or dinner, you can mix the brown rice with green onions and seasonings as a side dish to anything. Or, you can put some in your bean burrito!

Try to eat whole foods. Mother nature won't steer you wrong, but Kellogs, and the food manufacturers add fillers and chemicals that we don't need.

Remember that fats are not created equal. There are good ones, like olive oil and the fat in avocado or nuts. The bad ones can be found in most processed foods, like the saturated or trans fats in bread, cold cereals, crackers, etc., etc! If you do not eat enough fat, the satiety center in your brain will not shut off. It will keep telling you to eat, eat, eat. This is mother nature's way of making sure you eat some good fat. It is needed by so many cellular processes in our body.

In my opinion, many people may not be successful with a "diet", because they try to cut out fats and end up starving! So put some avocado on your burrito. Or, try it just cut in half with a dash of hot sauce and a sprinkle of salt. Don't be afraid of cheese. Yes, there is some saturated fat in it, but if used as a condiment you can enjoy it with good health. Eating half a pound of it on a pizza is the unhealthy way to enjoy cheese. Rediscover how delicious whole foods taste, and how good they will make you feel.

My best to you. Let us know how you are doing!!

PS. The weight watcher Smart ones cheesecakes with raspberry are processed, but they are small and I eat them when I have a craving for something delicious and sweet.

DaFreak71 · Mar 19, 2006

I need to lose weight as well. This may sound childish, but making a menu really helps (helps me anyway). I created a breakfast/lunch/dinner menu using the foods that are on the Sugar Busters and South Beach diets. This helps because I no longer have to wonder what I'm going to be eating, because it keeps me on track, because if I put off eating until I'm starving I'll eat anything within reach and because it really helps when you are on a budget and you need to shop for foods that you are actually going to be eating (not wasting away in the fridge).

A sample breakfast for me includes:

Protein shake + cottage cheese

OR

Breakfast quiche (spinach, feta cheese, eggbeaters, ham)

Lunch might include:

Chef salad + V8

OR

Tuna Salad + 5 whole wheat crackers

Dinner is usually:

Chicken breast + faux mashed potatoes (made with cauliflower) + milk

OR

Fish (usually salmon) + steamed veggies + sugar free popsicle for desert.

For snacks I will eat nuts, sugar free pudding or Jello, one or two pieces of sugar free candy if I'm really craving sweets, protein shake, cheese sticks or a few slices of lunch meat.

I'm diabetic (type 2) plus I have PCO which only serves to compound my metabolic disorder from being diabetic. That is why it is so important that I stay far away from processed foods and sugar.

I have never felt better than when I eat this way. Give it a week and see if it helps.

Adri