Nursing school and weight gain?

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So I've been reading the thread: "What did nursing school do to you?" and I'm getting worried because a common complaint was this 20+ lbs weight gain...

What's with that? What would you say is the main cause of that?

I go to the gym for an hour 5 days a week early morning, like at 6:30am. Is it realistic to expect to still be able to do that during nursing school?

thanks! :-)

Specializes in ICU, Med-Surg, Post-op, Same-Day Surgery.
final semester= 4 total pounds=18 total grey hair=759 hours not slept=many friends left (outside school) 2? promises owed to my kids=25

yup, nursing school!!!!!:smilecoffeecup:

18 grey hairs?!? or 759??

And I apologize to all about the long posts. I wouldn't have read any of my longs posts either, but some things needed obvious clarification! I promise it won't happen again!!!

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I gained weight in nursing school. About 20 pounds. I have always been able to eat what I want, and just work out to keep the weight off. Before NS I worked out an hour and a half a day, and worked 40 hours a week as a housekeeper in a hospital. Then in NS, I only worked about 1 day a week and worked out an hour a day, when I was real tired though from concept mapping ect, I would skip it. I graduated and was so happy and kept eating and just having a good time. So about 20 lbs all together. It sucks, but thats how I gained weight, eating the same, and not moving as much. It happened to a lot of us. I am in a med surg unti now though, so it should pour off :)

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I lost about 10 pounds very fast after starting NS, and I really don't have much room to lose weight. I think it was because I was in class/clinical all day and I am a snacker. Also, some may have been muscle because my workout routine went out the window. I was an exercise science major in my first degree so exercising was a way of life for me. I had to learn to just do the best I can. If I have time to work out I do but if not I just make sure to do it the next time I have a window of time.

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Specializes in ICU, Med-Surg, Post-op, Same-Day Surgery.

Just wanted to update. I have graduated from nursing school, been working for awhile, and have NOT gained weight. In fact, I am in better shape than when I started school! I was able to work out throughout school, managing my time in such a way that my health was not compramised. I didn't turn to fast food. Yes nursing school was hard and took a lot of time. Was it harder than other programs I have done? Not really. I put 110% into the things I do. Some of my classmates did gain weight due to stress eating and changes in eating habits, work habits, and exercise habits. But not all students fell into that category. Bottom line - you can do it if you put your mind to it. That includes nursing school, losing weight, and living a healthy lifestyle.

Good luck to all those starting school, in school, and just starting their new jobs!

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To the OP: I wish I were you!!! lol. I've lost weight! 15-17 lbs. I need help gaining weight.

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Hi, not really sure if anyone is going to read this but figured it was worth a shot. Let me preface this with NURSING SCHOOL IS NO JOKE!!!! I tip my hat to all of you women and men who have endured the sleepless nights and stress that accompanies nursing school. I think it is safe to say that no one can truly understand how brutal NURSING school is unless you have walked the walk.

On that note...

I'm currently back in school getting my second degree. I'm in an accelerated nursing program (11 months for my bachelors) and I can not believe how much weight I have gained!!!I eat healthy but calories are calories and they do not discriminate. I tried eating bags of carrots but even that has only contributed to the problem. I do NOT have any spare time to go to the gym, in fact, most nights I have to decide between cooking dinner and wasting 30 minutes or eating PB&J. I can hardly manage to find time to go food shopping. I am not on here to complain. I am looking for advice from those who have been there and done that. I feel like I have spread myself so thin (too bad that isn't literal) that I can not give anything else my undivided attention i.e. focusing on weight loss.

Any suggestions or words of wisdom?

Thank you to all of you nurses out there making a difference :)

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Take control over your body, don't let the food control you. Bring something from home. Food courts can get addicting lol, stupid fries. When I am in school I eat food that I would never eat at home.

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Thank you:)

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I didn't read through all the replies yet but you can get through NS without gaining weight. Due to medical problems I gained a lot of weight the couple years prior to NS after my last kiddo.

My goal was to lose most of it by the time I graduated. I wanted to go into Nursing on the right path. Nothing really happened the first year but come April in Second semester I decided to get through the pain and go for it. I have lost 60 lbs (I carry weight evenly which is blessing but also sucks. I can lose 20 lbs and not really go down much size wise, but I also gain evenly) anyway, I lost the 60 lbs by graduation and am looking pretty good. Which is rare for me to ever say. I can actually look at pics again and not think I look terrible but I am not to my goal yet. I was mostly mindful of my eating and drank tons of water in clinicals and most times at clinical if I ate at the hospital I ate salad bars.

It get really hot in the summer where I am at and I moved to the skinnest state in CO, my city is a health town and college town. So that alone also gave me the incentive to get with it and it's so nice to be able to feel comfortable wearing tank tops and "girl" clothes again.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

Just saw how old the OP was.

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Specializes in I'd like to get into neonatal or ob-gyn.

Hi everyone :)

I'm starting nursing school is less than 6 weeks and I've been trying to lose weight in the whole summer so I can be in shape when school starts.

I have a blog to hopefully keep myself accountable and if anyone out there has one and would like to support each other in maintaining and keep losing weight through nursing school, let me know and let's keep it touch!:heartbeat

gertie

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You have to have your priorities straight. 5-6 hours at the gym per week might not be a good idea if it is taking away from your study and homework time. If you are on the verge of failing, or having acedemic difficulties you can't be stressing about gaining weight or your time at the gym. On the other hand, it is very beneficial to exercise as a stress reliever.

I am very athletic and love working out. I recently started training for a half-marathon.... but after I failed one of my tests I realized that running 20+ miles a week was taking a huge chunk out of my study time. I had to stop training, and do short workouts instead. My grades are thanking me! Most people do gain weight during nursing school, possibly due to high cortisol levels....and if you are trying to lose weight - good luck! You will be needing good nutrition for your brain to work...and most likely exhuasted 90% of the time... consequently, you will be hungry! =/

School doesn't last forever though!! Just be mindful!

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