How does a nurse refrain from weight gain? ;)

tackett · Sep 15, 2009

I don't think it's so much what you eat as opposed to how much you exercise.

Make it a habit go hit the gym after your shift. Most hospitals have gyms and strangely, every hospital I've ever been to, the gym is always empty. Don't eat all the tons of food everyone seems to bring in. (especially on nights) bring your lunch. Stand and chart, I like doing that. I hardly ever sit down, I actually make it a point not to.

Blackheartednurse · Sep 15, 2009

Just recently I went from 115 to 125-130...I know the reason why I was eating too much cookies,cake and the sweets or carbs I guess and not enough of fruits /fiber.I was never "fat" and I dont imagine myself being it so I had to find a solution quick in order to prevent additional weight gain...so I cut back on sweets and I introduced to my diet more fruits,veggies,like I try to eat at least 3-5 fruits a day...good luck!!

coreym · Sep 15, 2009

First off, I feel your pain. I eat for stress and comfort all the time, and I'm a huge foodie.

In the long run I'd be concerned about your overall health rather than numbers on a scale.

You need to be elevating your heart rate at least 30 minutes at least 3 times a week (even if it's just walking!) AS WELL AS changing your diet to have less simple carbohydrates, less harmful fats, more fiber, and more nutrients. Lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. Try to eat small healthy snacks like a cup of yogurt or an apple in between your 3 meals a day to raise your intake to 5 meals a day. It boosts your metabolism a little bit and helps keep severe hunger at bay which can lead to overeating.

Don't go crazy on exercise and think that doing an hour a day 6-7 days a week out of nowhere is a good idea. You'll probably hurt yourself, burn out, or eat so much post-exercise that you undo all that sweating you just did.

Don't think exercise gives you a free cheeseburger pass. At 175 pounds, running 30 minutes at 7 mph (about 8:30 per mile) only burns about 450 calories. This is the same amount in a 10 piece McDonalds Chicken Nuggets, with no sauce, fries, or soda.

Speaking of which, if I could name one thing to cut from anyone's diet to help them lose weight, it'd be soda. Diet soda seems to stimulate hunger, and regular soda is just empty calories that don't make you feel any less hungry at all.

I personally believe you can't be healthy without moderate exercise AND a healthy diet. You need both.

Bring lunch with you. Make it a habit. Pack it the night before if you need to, it'll stay good the fridge. Keep it simple and tasty. Nothing wrong with a thermos of homemade chicken noodle soup (which you can make gallons at a time on a day off and freeze) or a simple turkey sandwich with apple wedges. There are also some pretty healthy frozen meals nowadays, but be careful with the sodium content in those if your blood pressure is susceptible to such things. They can also get a little pricey.

Other meals that I like to make in bulk are ham & beans, turkey chili or lean beef stew / pot roast (with lots of veggies!). I like meals where all I have to do is dump everything in a pot/slow-cooker and put my feet up to decompress after work while it simmers away. My favorite "uh-oh I'm late for work" quick meal is natural peanut butter and jelly (no corn syrup or added oils) on good whole wheat bread with a piece of fruit, and maybe a individual size bag of baked chips if I need that salty crunch. I can have that done in 3 minutes flat and the only dirty dish at the end is the butter knife I used to spread with.

Don't measure progress by the scale. Muscle is heavier than fat. Measure progress by how you feel and how your clothes fit. Dig your skinny jeans out of the closet and give them a try every two weeks or so.

If you're still not making progress, keep a fitness/nutrition journal. Treat it sort of like a I&O for yourself. Sit down for 5 minutes every night and record what you eat and what you burn. Most of the time the mere act of having to be accountable for what goes in your body makes you think twice before you get a Snickers out of that lounge vending machine. (1 2oz bar = 271 calories, 122 of which are from fat, half of those saturated) An apple is 80 calories, 0 fat, high fiber.

All this said, don't be afraid to have some fun and let loose in moderation. You need to allow yourself small or occasional pleasures. Self control is like a muscle... you need to let loose and relax every now and then or you'll weaken your self control down to nothing.

Sorry for the long read. I'm no expert but I am a bit of a fitness geek. :)

Good luck!

caffeineRx · Sep 15, 2009

First off, I feel your pain. I eat for stress and comfort all the time, and I'm a huge foodie.
In the long run I'd be concerned about your overall health rather than numbers on a scale.
You need to be elevating your heart rate at least 30 minutes at least 3 times a week (even if it's just walking!) AS WELL AS changing your diet to have less simple carbohydrates, less harmful fats, more fiber, and more nutrients. Lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. Try to eat small healthy snacks like a cup of yogurt or an apple in between your 3 meals a day to raise your intake to 5 meals a day. It boosts your metabolism a little bit and helps keep severe hunger at bay which can lead to overeating.
Don't go crazy on exercise and think that doing an hour a day 6-7 days a week out of nowhere is a good idea. You'll probably hurt yourself, burn out, or eat so much post-exercise that you undo all that sweating you just did.
Don't think exercise gives you a free cheeseburger pass. At 175 pounds, running 30 minutes at 7 mph (about 8:30 per mile) only burns about 450 calories. This is the same amount in a 10 piece McDonalds Chicken Nuggets, with no sauce, fries, or soda.
Speaking of which, if I could name one thing to cut from anyone's diet to help them lose weight, it'd be soda. Diet soda seems to stimulate hunger, and regular soda is just empty calories that don't make you feel any less hungry at all.
I personally believe you can't be healthy without moderate exercise AND a healthy diet. You need both.
Bring lunch with you. Make it a habit. Pack it the night before if you need to, it'll stay good the fridge. Keep it simple and tasty. Nothing wrong with a thermos of homemade chicken noodle soup (which you can make gallons at a time on a day off and freeze) or a simple turkey sandwich with apple wedges. There are also some pretty healthy frozen meals nowadays, but be careful with the sodium content in those if your blood pressure is susceptible to such things. They can also get a little pricey.
Other meals that I like to make in bulk are ham & beans, turkey chili or lean beef stew / pot roast (with lots of veggies!). I like meals where all I have to do is dump everything in a pot/slow-cooker and put my feet up to decompress after work while it simmers away. My favorite "uh-oh I'm late for work" quick meal is natural peanut butter and jelly (no corn syrup or added oils) on good whole wheat bread with a piece of fruit, and maybe a individual size bag of baked chips if I need that salty crunch. I can have that done in 3 minutes flat and the only dirty dish at the end is the butter knife I used to spread with.
Don't measure progress by the scale. Muscle is heavier than fat. Measure progress by how you feel and how your clothes fit. Dig your skinny jeans out of the closet and give them a try every two weeks or so.
If you're still not making progress, keep a fitness/nutrition journal. Treat it sort of like a I&O for yourself. Sit down for 5 minutes every night and record what you eat and what you burn. Most of the time the mere act of having to be accountable for what goes in your body makes you think twice before you get a Snickers out of that lounge vending machine. (1 2oz bar = 271 calories, 122 of which are from fat, half of those saturated) An apple is 80 calories, 0 fat, high fiber.
All this said, don't be afraid to have some fun and let loose in moderation. You need to allow yourself small or occasional pleasures. Self control is like a muscle... you need to let loose and relax every now and then or you'll weaken your self control down to nothing.
Sorry for the long read. I'm no expert but I am a bit of a fitness geek. :)
Good luck!

:up:You're the best. I am tempted enough to print this out and frame it....and carry it around with me .:redpinkhe

diane227, LPN, RN · Sep 17, 2009

When I graduated from nursing school I weighed 114 lbs. I could not gain weight if I tried. I worked for a year on a 42 bed med surg floor and walked those halls non stop. Never gained an ounce. Moved to the ICU, same thing. Finally reached my goal of moving to the largest trauma center in Texas and again, ran my butt off, never gained one ounce. But then, at 36 I got a promotion to director of nursing and had my first sit down job with lots of stress. Stress= pastries and sugar for me so now I am ballooning up (and I mean up). I am now working on a med surg floor but I am the charge nurse and again I am mostly at the desk and the weight won't come off. Plus I don't exercise and I will mug someone for a twinky. So that's how it goes.

caffeineRx · Sep 17, 2009

See, I am a student...so I am doing a LOT of sitting, unfortunately lol. I think once I am working, it will be "easier" in the sense that I will be walking so much I will burn off a reasonable muffin here and there if I am tempted to eat one.

Right now, as it is, I barely have time to eat. However, that means I barely have time to cook, and so many times the nearest food choice is not a good one at all. That is my only struggle..and dear LORD--114 pounds!? I haven't weighed that since 7th grade. WOW!!

I am just happy to stay in the 130-155 pound range for my 5'4 height.

jrbl77, RN · Sep 17, 2009

I really understand where you are coming from. I now weigh more that I ever did. I have been trying to go to the Y at least 3 times a week- doesn"t always happen. I find that there is rarely time during a 12 hr shift to sit down to eat a substantial meal in less than 10 mins. I know, people say just make the time, but as fast paced as nursing is now, there just isn't always the time. I have started taking cut up veggies, and fruit along with bottled water to snack on as the day moves along. It seems as the end of the shift gets closer, the hunger factor gets higher. Yesterday i left for work at 6 15 am, started at 7 am and din't get done with my work until 8 30 pm. by the time I got home it was 9 pm. Not much time in the day left for excerise. By the way, I had 8 pts to start with, discharged 2 and admitted one. One of my pts made the commemt, you are always running up and down the halls. Not much time to sit until the end of the shift.

WayneStateKatie · Sep 17, 2009

Hi there inbox!

I have been exactly where you are before. I am a huge stress eater and I gained over 15 pounds my first semester of nursing school last fall!!!!! ahh that was like a pound a week! (went up to 170 and I'm 5'2":sniff:) I was stress eating anything and everything in sight. I was eating horrible convenience food anywhere and everywhere and I still felt like crap after eating. While I realize I"m never going to be super small I'm very happy and feel very healthy at 130 so we have similar weight goals.

I managed to get 10 lbs off this summer by getting up off my butt a little more and counting calories, but I wasn't super serious about it. Now with school starting up again and working 24-32 hours a week I know I'm not going to have the time I previously did to think about meals and calories and all that jazz. This week I started nutrisystem again (I know the commercials are so cheesy and I feel like a little bit of a dork for using it but it works for me). I've done it in the past and had gone from 160 to 130 before my wedding (and I could kick myself in the butt for not keeping up on my weight:banghead:) It's really easy the foods are grab and go and don't need to be refrigerated and can all be made with a microwave or hot water which I can find on campus or at work. I take along a lunchbox with my add-ins like lowfat dairy, fruits, veg and salads. I don't have to think about what I"m going to eat and it works for my lifestyle right now, plus the food actually tastes pretty good.

It's the same idea as the above poster stated-- eating smaller meals several times a day. I always feel really full and I"m never hungry so I'm not tempted by the horrible pastries or vending machine.

Good luck, and I know with a little planning you'll be able to avoid the dreaded school/work weight gain. You might even be lucky enough to even drop a few pounds!

ibme · Sep 17, 2009

First off, I feel your pain. I eat for stress and comfort all the time, and I'm a huge foodie.
In the long run I'd be concerned about your overall health rather than numbers on a scale.
You need to be elevating your heart rate at least 30 minutes at least 3 times a week (even if it's just walking!) AS WELL AS changing your diet to have less simple carbohydrates, less harmful fats, more fiber, and more nutrients. Lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. Try to eat small healthy snacks like a cup of yogurt or an apple in between your 3 meals a day to raise your intake to 5 meals a day. It boosts your metabolism a little bit and helps keep severe hunger at bay which can lead to overeating.
Don't go crazy on exercise and think that doing an hour a day 6-7 days a week out of nowhere is a good idea. You'll probably hurt yourself, burn out, or eat so much post-exercise that you undo all that sweating you just did.
Don't think exercise gives you a free cheeseburger pass. At 175 pounds, running 30 minutes at 7 mph (about 8:30 per mile) only burns about 450 calories. This is the same amount in a 10 piece McDonalds Chicken Nuggets, with no sauce, fries, or soda.
Speaking of which, if I could name one thing to cut from anyone's diet to help them lose weight, it'd be soda. Diet soda seems to stimulate hunger, and regular soda is just empty calories that don't make you feel any less hungry at all.
I personally believe you can't be healthy without moderate exercise AND a healthy diet. You need both.
Bring lunch with you. Make it a habit. Pack it the night before if you need to, it'll stay good the fridge. Keep it simple and tasty. Nothing wrong with a thermos of homemade chicken noodle soup (which you can make gallons at a time on a day off and freeze) or a simple turkey sandwich with apple wedges. There are also some pretty healthy frozen meals nowadays, but be careful with the sodium content in those if your blood pressure is susceptible to such things. They can also get a little pricey.
Other meals that I like to make in bulk are ham & beans, turkey chili or lean beef stew / pot roast (with lots of veggies!). I like meals where all I have to do is dump everything in a pot/slow-cooker and put my feet up to decompress after work while it simmers away. My favorite "uh-oh I'm late for work" quick meal is natural peanut butter and jelly (no corn syrup or added oils) on good whole wheat bread with a piece of fruit, and maybe a individual size bag of baked chips if I need that salty crunch. I can have that done in 3 minutes flat and the only dirty dish at the end is the butter knife I used to spread with.
Don't measure progress by the scale. Muscle is heavier than fat. Measure progress by how you feel and how your clothes fit. Dig your skinny jeans out of the closet and give them a try every two weeks or so.
If you're still not making progress, keep a fitness/nutrition journal. Treat it sort of like a I&O for yourself. Sit down for 5 minutes every night and record what you eat and what you burn. Most of the time the mere act of having to be accountable for what goes in your body makes you think twice before you get a Snickers out of that lounge vending machine. (1 2oz bar = 271 calories, 122 of which are from fat, half of those saturated) An apple is 80 calories, 0 fat, high fiber.
All this said, don't be afraid to have some fun and let loose in moderation. You need to allow yourself small or occasional pleasures. Self control is like a muscle... you need to let loose and relax every now and then or you'll weaken your self control down to nothing.
Sorry for the long read. I'm no expert but I am a bit of a fitness geek. :)
Good luck!

Would you mind sharing your ham and beans recipe? Excellent post by the way:yeah:

caffeineRx · Sep 17, 2009

JRB--it seems that when my day is almost over..that's when I get what I call the "hungrymunchies" lol. I just have this insane desire to consume an entire pizza. I haven't yet..but I'm thinking...where is this monster inside of my stomach coming from? lol

WayneState--I am 5'4 and already 185. I start to look pretty decent around 165, and at 145-150, I can look GOOD in a bikini. I just happen to have a very curvy figure, so that is why I am able to carry more weight. I have tried Nutrisystem but I am not crazy about some of their foods. Plus, we do not have microwaves at my college...I don't think we do anyhow. Also..you have to add the salad, etc. So I figure..meh.I might as well make a sandwich. I am amazed you lost so much weight! How long did that take you before?

Thanks for all the replies so far ladies. :)

WayneStateKatie · Sep 17, 2009

Plus, we do not have microwaves at my college...I don't think we do anyhow.

I can usually find a microwave in the (dreaded) vending machine area. The vending machine in the library sells popcorn so they have a microwave right there. There is also one in the vending machine lounge in the nursing building. Many times the "office" type areas tend to have one-- usually if you ask nicely and it's not too busy staff at school will be willing to toss something in the microwave to heat it up for you. I personally find that soups, stews, anything hot really makes me feel so much more full than a cold meal like a sandwich. If you feel more satisfied, you're less likely to overeat.

I am amazed you lost so much weight! How long did that take you before?

I lost the 30 lbs in about 3.5 months last time, but that was mainly through drinking water and sticking to my meal plan that was about 1200-1400 cals a day. I didn't really have too much time to exercise with my course load (that semester I was taking 21 credits of history, nutrition-ha!-, organic/biochem, english, anthropology, and microbiology) and working. I am on my feet and walk the whole time at work, so I do burn calories that way. I would take the stairs in the parking garage, etc but didn't have set "exercise" time. I would also play tennis once a week with the husband until it started to snow. It's all about working in that little bit of extra movement into your routine-- park in the far parking structure and walk across campus to your class, never take the elevator, walk the dog around the block a few extra times etc.

I also (as vain as it is) find it's easier if I have some sort of motivation. Before I put that cookie in my mouth, I would think - "do I really want that cookie or would I like to look good in my wedding pictures?" If you have some sort of looming goal it makes it a little easier to stay on track. The important thing is to be happy with yourself and never beat yourself up if you slip-- just make an effort to do a little better the next day.

If losing weight were easy, we'd all be thin.... You've gotten some great tips and advice from other members and I wish you the best with your schooling and efforts to become healthier:loveya: