First Year--Gain Weight or Lose Weight?

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I was at my yearly GYN exam last week and realized (hardly a shock, just in denial) that I have gained over 10 lbs since the start of nursing school. I have this huge fear that in my first year of nursing, I won't lose the weight and I'll gain even more.

So, my question is, in your first year, did you gain or lose weight (or stay the same)? Does anyone have any tips (besides staying away from the cookies in the break room) on trying to lose weight while under the stress of the first year?

Thanks!

Well, they say college students gain up to 15 pounds in the first year. The 'freshman fifteen'. That being said I didn't not gain anything during my four years of collegeto become a nurse. School full-time, working nearly full-time and a social life and NO money kept me from eating out or getting any of those extra yummy snacks.

otessa

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i wish i had gained only 10....

^^^^^^yea that!!!

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Specializes in CTICU, Interventional Cardiology, CCU.

My first year as an RN,which my one year mark is only 1 month away woohoo, I lost about 10 lbs. on orientation, I was orientating on days 7a-7:30p for about 12 weeks. Before I started at the hosp. I had just moved from Philadelphia, PA to NYC to live with my fiance about a month before I started my brand new job as a brand new RN last year. I was so busy with moving, then orientation at a hosp. where I knew NO ONE, I met one of my best friends during week 1 of orientation, we work on diff floors, but both of us had moved from different states, to NYC and happened to live min away from each other in NYC, and ironically for us both to work as brand new RN's in North Jersey so we connected day one of orientation.

I started orientation and I dropped weight fast.

But I was originally hired for night shift. So I completed my day shift orientation, started my night shift orientation 7p-7:30a. I gained all the weight I lost back when I started nights.

Now 1 year after I started as a new RN, I have learned my biggest down fall is when I work 2 or 3, 13hr shifts in a row, and that 1st day off I sleep all day and night and when I wake up I am so hungry I could eat my kitchen table.

I also know that beer is a good breakfast or should I say dinner since I am night shift, what people think of breakfast I eat at 8pm, and what people think of dinnner I eat at 9am, but a good dinner or breakfast is not 6 or 7 beers, thst's just getting canned at 9am and packing on the extra calories that I am just going to sleep off all day and night. But after a rough few nights, 3 -14 hour shifts in a row with little to no sleep in between shifts, who doesn't love stroling into the local drunk tank at 8:30am, which happens to be my local CVS in Staten Island hahaha b/c you can buy beer 24/7 in NYC, after your shift is over still in uniform, looking like a train wreck with blood shot eyes from being over-tired, smelling like work ewww, and buying a 6pack of coors light, while the NYPD night shift guys just getting off work(my fiance is one of them) or FDNY guys/girls that just worked for a million hours in a row standing behind you carrying 6 packs too. The NYPD/FDNY take one look at you, just give you the head nod b/c they understand, as you are all lined up in a row with 6 packs, blood shot eyes and have only one thing in common, the 6 pack in you hand.

I have managed to take off most of the weight I gained when I switched to nights. I TRY and eat before I go to work, which never happens. I usually have 2 light and fit yougart's, the small ones, and some kind of low sodium soup, I always have a sugarfree rebull or 3 during the night, regular redbull has too much sugar and it makes me crash, so I love the sugar-free. I also take fiber one bars, love em'. When I get home from work I am never ever hungry, but if it's my 3rd 13-14hr. shift in a row, that's my cocktail time and that's my calorie consumer.

I do work out, I am an avid wakeboarder and that is a butt kicking exercise especilly when you do it 2 times a week. I have a pedometer I wear at work, on avg. I walk about 20-30000 steps a night and that's a slow night, I almost cried one day when my shift was over and I say how many steps I walked, I called my mom to tell her and she didn't believe me, it was only when I showed her, when she came to visit me ,the saved steps form that night and that week. I work on a very large cardiac unit and I try to walk as much as possible, I also have great shoes my beloved dansko's, so I never feel leg pain except for my knees or lower body fatigue.

BUT I have really really bad knees, I am only 27 y.o and in great shape and 4 years ago began to have major problems with both of my knees, I was a gymnast for years and a soccer player for years and ran track for years. The stress of all three sports on my knees only started to affect me 3 years ago. I saw an orthopedic surgeon about 3 years ago, he told me to have a dual knee replacement but one at a time. I refused. I went to PT insted, that was a waste of time b/c I was already doing everything the PT guy told me to do.

So when I lost weight from my RN orientation my knees got worse, go figure you would think loosing weight wought make them better. NOPE.. So now I have to wear two knee braces on bad nights (when I have worked 2-3 shifts in a row), or when it is going to, or raining the humidity makes me hurt and swell like a 75 y.o. I walk like a robot b/c of the knee braces. I take 800mg of Ibuprofen q6h and 1000 of tylenol q4h while at work, I also take the other joint supp. I refuse to have knee surgery, b/c I know a dual knee replacement at the age of 27 will not be optional.

But I am maintaing my weight, and I have't gained or lost weight in the last 3 months, as long as I stick to my diet and work out routine, you know the 12oz. curls hahaha only kidding, not really, but I do stick to getting out and about. I can say I found my grove, physically, on night shift. It messed with my body when I first started nights, but I have been working nights for 8 months and I have adjusted.

Just keep a routine, get out on our days off and enjoy life!!!

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I wish I only gained 10 lbs in nursing school!!!

I look like a beached whale compared to my normal 'skinny minny' self. :(

I can't wait to start working again! ....No more late night studying and eating brain food! No more stress eating....ok, may a little, but I won't be at home alone with my fridge! lol

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

I wound up gaining 20 lbs in the 2 years of NS...but I plan to get back to the gym...work out more often...take advantage of the hospital fitness center and the 1/2 price enrollment...so here's to the hope of thinning down...

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im only into my first year at univestity in australia and in the past 6 months i have put on weiht. i think all those study sessions and sweet biscutes have started to creep up on me and not doin any excercise as well donsn't help. but that is going to change next semester no more sweet biscutes and im going to get my treadmill back up and running again. then im going to start to learn how to cook diabetic food for when my partner finally get's here from the states as he is type 2.

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Specializes in Neuroscience, ED.

Gained a lot of weight in nursing school. Irregular meals, stress (cortisol). Would rather sleep when I had time off than exercise. But I also broke my ankle and had back surgery during nursing school, so that didn't help either.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.

my freshman 15 turned into the sophmore 20, and those 20 pounds stuck around all four years of my BSN. graduated in may, and i've lost 10 pounds so far! hoping to get back down to what i was at high school graduation.

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I bent down one day in a full room of inerns and my trousers ripped. I can laugh about it now..... ive learned to always have spare uniforms in my locker tho

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I've gained 10 lbs during the last 2 years of Nursing School.

It was the stress, bad eating habit, and lots of sitting for hours to study.

That was when I took the train and walked 15 minutes to school!

Now I'm in the 5th month of work on a busy Med/Surg floor and I've lost 8 lbs.

I work Night Shift and packed my own lunch. Still eat a LOT on my nights off.

More walking and physical activities on the job, but now I drive to work.

But I've noticed that I eat healthier. Less junk food, soda, candy, etc...

Even though I don't have much time to eat, still try to grab hot soup and a turkey sandwich.

Could lose 5-10 more lbs, but after that I might have to drink Ensure!

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Specializes in LTC, Med-Surg, IMCU/Tele, HH/CM.

I only gained about 10 lbs in nursing school, but I sat around for almost 4 months waiting to start working and gained another 20. Because I was at home in front of my fridge all day stressed out about taking the NCLEX and finding a job. And to put the icing on the cake I gained another 5 so far during orientation at my new job.

All I can say is when orientation is over, I am going to go on a D-I-E-T and start moving my butt again.

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my friend who has been an rn for almost a year now has actually lost weight because she feels a bit overwhelmed about everything. that, and because she's really trying to lose weight. lol. she did gain a bit, but now she's lost well over 10lbs. i hope when i start, i stay the same as when i began.

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