Plus Sized Nursing Students Come In..

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Jun 17, 2007

I am "plus sized" too, but no, I don't feel a pressure to lose weight because I feel like a hypocrite. I may want to lose weight to be healthier for me, but not just because some people may fail to listen to me.

People make their own decisions for whatever reason.

I would rather listen to a person who HAD a problem (overweight, smoker) or whatever than a person who had no idea what a struggle it was to do improve a certain health behavior.

Really, if everyone is so silly to only listen to the advice of a perfect person, then we'd NEVER learn anything.

Do all marriage counselors have perfect marriages or have they never been divorced?

Did all teachers make straight A's?

Professionals in certain fields only have the knowledge to teach others how to do something. The bottom line is that your patients will come to you for help because they need it and obvioulsly have no where to start to help themselves.

We are all works in progress, so just concentrate on getting knowledge to help those who realize that.

*Blessed2BaNRS* · Jun 17, 2007

Hi JdN,

Good for you for being concerned about your help and helping others. Also congrats on your program. I start classes for an ADN in August myself.

I am a plus sized woman who lost about 40 lbs a couple of years ago and gained it back when I started school, eating the typical freshman diet of cupcakes and cokes!!! Actually,my food intake wasn't bad, it was all the Dr. Peppers that I inhaled!!! As a result, I am back to my original weight.

I had cut back on my Dr. Peppers and had pretty much gotten totally off of them when I got the flu and couldn't smoke at the time due to the bad taste and sore throat. (I had started back about the same time that I started losing weight after being smoke free for 11 years.) Needless to say, I am 2 weeks today smoke free, and even though my Dr. P intake isn't as much as it previously was (up to 6 a day of 32 oz. fountain drinks) I have gone back to having 1 at least every other day. I've gotta have at least 1 vice, right?!?

Anyway, I looked at my smoking like you are for your weight. I didn't want to go into NS with a habit that I would be preaching to patients about being so bad. I guess I don't really feel that way about my weight, because for 1, I see a lot of plus sized nurses and doctors, and 2, I am not that much overweight (only about 20 lbs) so my main concern was for quitting smoking.

But I definitely applaud you for thinking about your health and how it can affect your career. I need to get healthier, and had every intention of doing that this summer before school started. When I lost weight before, I just got out and walked. No strenuous exercise, no killing myself at the gym. So I know that I can easily do it again. It is just getting out there and doing it!!

Good luck in your desire to get healthy and know that you have support and that you are not alone!!!

bekindtokittens · Jun 18, 2007

Hi there JdN! Your post sounds very familiar to me.

I am also a plus size woman, and am starting nursing school in the fall. About a year ago, while doing my pre-reqs, I thought the same thing to myself. I'm going to feel ashamed on the inside when I tell patients to take healthy steps in their life, but don't do the same for myself. I never exercised, used junk food to deal with stress, and failed every diet I tried. So I joined a gym and started eating healthier. Nothing drastic, just moderate exercise, eating more fruits and veggies and cutting my junk food intake back. I hate exercising and I am completely weak around chocolate, but I feel a lot better physically and mentally. My goal was not to just try another diet (which I ultimately fail) but to form better habits for life.

I will never be perfect, but I feel better now that I'm actually trying to improve my health. I have lowered my cholesterol 41 points, have lost 25 pounds, and am now a size 18 instead of a 24. I still have a long way to go if I want to be "thin and perfect", but that was never my goal. I still have my weak moments (like the bag of chocolate covered almonds I ate yesterday) but as long as I look at what I'm doing as a life plan, and not a diet, I don't feel like I've failed, and therefore can't give up.

I think it would be great for us to be supportive and lose weight together. (or quitting smoking, good for you, blessed!)

JdNNurse2B · Jun 18, 2007

Kittens,

25 lbs is great!

I lost 6 lbs in the past 2 weeks. Not really dieting. Just changing a few things. I want it to be a life change. Not a quick fix.

Maybe the word "pressure" in my original post wasn't the best word. Its so negative. Maybe "desire" to want to lose weight is better. Because I think my desire to want to lose weight has definitely increased.

I know I'm not going to be thin and perfect. I would just like to be smaller and healthier. RIght now I am anywhere between a 20 and a 24. Depending.

I think I would be happy in a 14 right now.

Its very hard for me to talk about my size and my weight. But I think it is something I am going ot have to get passed in order to move forward. I have to come to terms with where I am now and have a clear idea of where I want to be, how I'm going to get there, how i'm going to stay there, and why i want to be there.

I'm glad I'm not alone. And this is by NO means to insult anyone. I commend anyone who is happy, content with themselves, because I definitely am not.

Ms Kylee · Jun 18, 2007

*Sighs* Yes, I feel the pressure, but half of my class is plus sized (myself included), and half of the nurses on my unit are plus sized. I've only succeded on one diet, Weight Watchers (lost 50, took me a year, then when I got back to work, it all went to hell in a handbasket). The problem now is that I'm working full time and going to nursing school part time, and I really don't have time to eat, which is also not good. I do qualify for gastric bypass, but I really am afraid to take this step. 3 of my cousins had it, and 1 died shortly after the operation.

hikernurse · Jun 18, 2007

hi.
This is not meant to flame anyone or get touchy. Because I am a plus sized girl myself. I am currently doing the last of my pre-requisities and am beginning an accelerated program at Drexel in September.
I was just wondering if any of you feel an added pressure to lose weight? I do. I feel like if I am going to be health care professional, I personally feel like I would be a hyporcrite telling my patients how to be healthy when I am not being healthy myself. I just feel a need to personally live healthier and be more active. And hopefully in turn that will help me to lose some weight.
If there is anyone out there who is also wanting to lose weight and would like to be supportive of each other, that would be great. Thanks guyes.

Come on over to the healthy living forum. There are several of us there who are working on weight and getting healthy. There's a lot of great support :).

JdNNurse2B · Jun 18, 2007

where do i find that?

hikernurse · Jun 18, 2007

where do i find that?

Go to forums---then to General Nursing Topics---then you should be able to find the healthy living forum there. It's under health and stress management. Healthier living is stickied at the top. If you can't find it, post again and I'll give you better directions. . . or find someone who can

I'm sure I could post a link, but I don't know how; I've just learned multi-quoting and feeling pretty good about that, LOL.

Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 22, 2007

I'm a plus-sized girl and I have never felt any pressure to lose weight. Maybe I'm dense and didn't get the hint, but truly haven't heard anyone say anything. Even if they did I'd ignore it. I know why I'm large - I eat too much!! Getting lap band surgery or going to weight watchers won't help me because I need to address why I overeat, and I'm not in the mood to work on that at the moment.

Before I started nursing school I did have a rude person suggest that no one would hire me unless I lost weight. I knew she was full of it and told her so. Her telling me that had more to do with her own insecurity about her own size - and she's not even overweight - than it does with my own weight. I say all the time that my weight bothers other people more than it bothers me. Again, I think it has more to do with how other people feel about themselves. I ignore it.

I'm not even all that big - size 18 to 20 depending on the day - and I am comfortable with my size. My knees used to hurt when I first started clinicals, but I have noticed that over time my body has gotten used to it.

Sadly, like someone else here said, I started smoking again once I started nursing school. And after 20 years of drinking decaf I've switched to regular coffee. But I feel great!! Once I graduate and get a job with insurance, I plan to take Zyban, which helped me stop smoking in the past. But I'm not beating up on myself. I know it's a crutch, but so what. Nursing school is freakin' hard!

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Jun 22, 2007

I'm a plus-sized girl and I have never felt any pressure to lose weight. Maybe I'm dense and didn't get the hint, but truly haven't heard anyone say anything. Even if they did I'd ignore it. I know why I'm large - I eat too much!! Getting lap band surgery or going to weight watchers won't help me because I need to address why I overeat, and I'm not in the mood to work on that at the moment.
QUOTE]
LOL. That's exactly how I feel. When my weight gets tired of me, it will leave.
Seriously, I have too much stress to focus on an undertaking like weight loss right now. If it were so easy, then everyone would be thinner.

nurse-to-be1000 · Jun 22, 2007

Natkat wrote "Sadly, like someone else here said, I started smoking again once I started nursing school. And after 20 years of drinking decaf I've switched to regular coffee. But I feel great!! Once I graduate and get a job with insurance, I plan to take Zyban, which helped me stop smoking in the past. But I'm not beating up on myself. I know it's a crutch, but so what. Nursing school is freakin' hard!"

Natkat if you are interested in quitting smoking and want to use Zyban, please see if there is a free clinic near by that offers Zyban. I volunteer at a local clinic that will provide Zyban for free to people. Also, I don't know what state you are in but I know my state has a Quitline program that offers smoking cessation meds either for free or low cost. Finally, I don't know if Zyban is on the list, it might be as Wellbutrin, but it might be cheap through Wal-mart's program of $4 prescriptions for a month-check out their website.