How much weight did you lose your first year?

ShiphrahPuah · Apr 11, 2009

I WISH I lost weight! I would think with all the constant running I do at work that I certainly would have lost something. I gained some weight in nursing school since I am a stress eater, and I had hoped to knock those pounds off. However, this first year of nursing has proven stressful as well, so I wonder if I just can't shut off the cortisol faucet. I don't allow myself to eat junk at work (but I often don't have any time to eat at all -- then I come home famished and eat whatever is quick and convenient.) Fortunately, I haven't gained this year at all either. I would bet there are some new nurses who gain weight from stress eating the first year.

scg08rn · Apr 11, 2009

I am VERY tiny already, always have been. Where I work, they order out every night. Let's just say, I haven't gained weight or lost weight. If I lose anymore weight than I already have, I'll dissappear.. LOL.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 13, 2009

try to take care of yourself. any weight you lose fast without trying is usually not fat but precious muscle and water weight!!! eat right and exercise to protect your self... i exercise almost daily and watch what i eat so the weight i lose slowly is fat and the weight i gain is muscle (i'm going for those mrs. obama arms to lift my patients.. i had them once before). gl!

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2009

I've dropped twenty - yes, twenty - pounds since June - but I think that's more attributable to having that god-awful Mirena IUD I had taken out than destressing from nursing school (but I'm sure that helps as well)!

I, too, have recently begun the quest for Michelle Muscles - and I too had them once!

It was hard at first figuring out my new schedule. But I'm not rotating shifts anymore - I went to all nights after my initial review back in January, so I'm pleased about that. I try to get up with an hour or two to spare and at least lift free weights while catching up on my TiVo. I've taken up ice skating (and I mean proper ice skating - with lessons and spins and spirals and footwork) since becoming gainfully employed again and I love the feeling of hitting the ice before a shift. (Not literally, mind you. . .) The cold is exhilarating and really sets the tone for me before coming in to the floor.

So be kind to yourself - we've all been through a lot to get this far!

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 17, 2009

I lost about 7lbs in 7 months. Leveled off as I increased my daily calorie intake but I'm still down. I'm going to get back into working out, see if I can bulk up a little that way. The problem for me is working 3p-3a means I lose 1 full meal every shift I work, so I need to make that up. Don't like free weights but guess that's what I need to do besides the cardio work which I love.

Freedom42 · Apr 18, 2009

Nursing is the easiest diet I've ever been on. I started my first job during the second week of March. I've lost 12 pounds so far. It's easy to lose weight when you never have time for a break and are always on the move. My husband gave me a nifty pedometer that I tuck into a pocket every night. I walk between four and a half and six miles on a shift, roughly. Sometimes I'll throw in a hike to the lab at the end of the shift just to get in some extra steps. I'm often too tired to eat when I get home.