Nursing School Bulge? Is it just me...........

clarkheart · Apr 29, 2005

Hi There,
Almost RN grad (June 05)
I am so frustrated with things in general, but I have really gained weight lately. I keep hearing that *Everyone* gains at least 20 lbs in nursing school. Now I am in the final stretch of nursing school, and I am so glad scrubs baggy.
Is it true?? I have (more like 30), and I can't seem to lose it. (I know I should be eating better and exercising more, but Ack!) . I am the heaviest I have ever been in my entire life. (Including having three children).
Any advice totally welcome. Thanks for your response

Had a good chuckle over this---when I was going to school I gained about 20 lbs. I lived with my folks at the time and mom always had a "care package" waiting for me in the fridge when I got home from my clinical rotations. It also didn't help any when I had this habit of always eating licorice and jelly beans when I studied!! Don't worry--once school is over and you can get on to a "normal" existence, you will be able to shed those unwanted pounds with no problem, just like I have. I started to excerise more and got back on a more nutritional diet and now everything is cool. :chuckle

QuickExams · Apr 29, 2005

When you start working as a nurse, you'll walk it all off :chuckle

Seriously, though - nursing school is stressful enough. If you are not exercising and eating well, then your body is even less prepared to handle all of that stress. Try to treat yourself better - with good meals and good exercise. Not only will it help you handle the stress better, but better nutrition is positively correlated with increased concentration and memory.

Try making a lot of something healthy that you can just reach into the fridge, grab, and eat (low fuss). I love shrimp and feta salad with spinach greens - and usually have a big bowl of it in the fridge. I load the salad up with little tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, bell peppers, green onions, just as many veggies as I possibly can. Because I make a huge salad like that once a week, it's usually available for a "quick grab" when I'm hungry but too tired to make something.

It's hard, I know. The scheduling makes it difficult. Hang in there.

Jen

camay1221_RN · Apr 30, 2005

I know where you are coming from!!!

I gained 20 my first year, and when I decided to buckle down and work hard to lose the weight by graduation, I found out I was pregnant with my son!

I think it's hard to lose weight as a nurse because many times you have to eat quickly, so you don't get to chew anything, you inhale it. Other times, you have to settle for whatever you get your hands on! And trust me, like another thread mentioned, "Nurses will eat anything!" I have also found nurses like to take care of each other and bake for each other. I swear, there isn't a shift that goes by that someone hasn't brought in some kind of dessert, or doughnuts or candy, or...,you get my drift.

Keep things in your pocket you are able to snack on through your shift. The snack size ziploc bags are small enough to keep in your scrub pockets, with things like, grapes, raisins, carrots, nuts.

Good luck to you!

SusanJean · Apr 30, 2005

It was probably the influence of my nutrition (required) class this semester, but I cut out all items with high fructose corn syrup and have lost 5 pounds. Also stopped drinking any soda (but I didn't drink much to begin with.)

SJ

HappyNurse2005, RN · Apr 30, 2005

I gained about 20 pounds my first year, too. THen I got pregnant and gained another 20 pounds r/t the pregnancy. Yikes ! I, too, have never been this big. I start my first RN job when I am 7 weeks postpartum, so I think I'll have to join the Y then, too, and get some exercise. Ugh.

crb613, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2005

I am in the same boat! I have gained about 15/20 lbs. I did not weigh this much when I was pregnant! I don't really get any exercise & ALL I do is keep my face in a book. I will be starting my 3rd semester in Aug. & if I keep this up I will have to wear a tent! :rotfl:

meownsmile, BSN, RN · May 1, 2005

Yep,, it happens. Kind of like what they used to call the Freshman 15. Used to be college freshman girls tended to gain about 15 pounds their first year of college.

But,, food tastes better when you dont have to cook it yourself and there are more choices to stuff in your face at work.

I think people have a tendancy to drink more caffinated drinks (pepsi, coke) if they work nights. That adds weight fast.

Also, you may not lose it when you start working. From my doctor's opinion, nurses dont walk far enough in one stretch at one time to keep their heart rate high enough to burn to many calories. Stop and go walking that we do does nothing toward excersising enough to help in our battle of the bulge. I tend to believe him,, i havent lost anything by just working. Keep up the 30-60 min walk in the evening or whenever you can get it in.

Tucwebb · May 1, 2005

The same thing happened to me. I graduate in a week, and last week I joined a gym and this week have been working out with a trainer. I hope to lose the 20 pounds I put on over the past two years, and have a lot more muscle tone. I can tell you though, that I worked out yesterday and today, and tonight I am a hurtin' pup! (It's a good kind of hurt though!)

infullbloom1 · May 1, 2005

The same thing happened to me. I graduate in a week, and last week I joined a gym and this week have been working out with a trainer. I hope to lose the 20 pounds I put on over the past two years, and have a lot more muscle tone. I can tell you though, that I worked out yesterday and today, and tonight I am a hurtin' pup! (It's a good kind of hurt though!)

I gained 5 pounds in the first 8 months of school, but I walk 30 minutes a day at least and stopped drinking pop. I'm hoping to work at a hospital that has a huge discount to a local gym so I can work off the rest of this...

Gator,SN · May 1, 2005

I also gained 20 lbs during nursing school and sadly, in the last 2 years as a nurse, I have gained 15 more. I thought for sure that I would lose it all when I started working and became more active again, but then I work 12 hour nightshifts, so sometimes I eat in the middle of the night and then turn around a few days later and eat normally with the family. Other days, I'm up 36 hours before finally going to bed, so my body is really screwed up. I am over and above my highest pregnancy weight by about 10 lbs.

Even loose fitting scrubs look terrible on an over weight short person.(me)

I couldn't believe it when I saw a copy of the new BMI.(5' 2" @150lbs is obese) I threw that thing away.

I often wander what my patients think about the staff cause 80% of us are carrying around extra weight.

I too make the mistake of going into the break room for just a "bite" of the goodies that people are always bringing and in and end up packing on unwanted calories. Maybe its because food is comforting and I'm stressed out all day, thats why I fall into it(??) I don't know.

Since the weather is so nice now, I know its time to get out and exercise. Hopefully I will lose some.

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · May 1, 2005

Had a good chuckle over this---when I was going to school I gained about 20 lbs. I lived with my folks at the time and mom always had a "care package" waiting for me in the fridge when I got home from my clinical rotations. It also didn't help any when I had this habit of always eating licorice and jelly beans when I studied!! Don't worry--once school is over and you can get on to a "normal" existence, you will be able to shed those unwanted pounds with no problem, just like I have. I started to excerise more and got back on a more nutritional diet and now everything is cool. :chuckle

Good to hear because I just graduated yesterday and I have gained anywhere from 15-20 lbs in school. I'm 5" 4' and have always been thin - as in size 2-4 thin. I'm now in a size 7 -8 and it just doesn't look right on me. I have a cruise to go on in 20 days and I have to lose some of this. Now that I'm not always studying and doing homework, hopefully instead of drinking alcohol and eating junk I will go back to the daily exercise that I always used to do. Good luck to anyone that put on weight during school!!