i am 19 and starting nursing school soon (already did my pre reqs) and i realized its going to be hard to find time to work out or stay fit during nursing school and even after when i am a RN and actually working long hours at the hospital. Now its all about school and i am trying to keep my grades as high as possiable so thats rough but after school is probably gana be even harder because after working a 8-12 hour shift at a hospital where i just want to go home relax and shower, i doubt im gana want to come home or head to a gym for over an hour.
How do you guys find time to work out?
What quick things do you do to get that work out in during the day?
How do you stay away from eating that crap out of vending machines daily when your at work or even when you were in nursing school?
I use Jillian Michael (from Biggest Loser) workout dvd 30 day shred. its pretty cheap on amazon and there were so many positive reviews that i just bought it on a whim. I havent done it for an entire month yet, but so far, so good. It's a super short workout so its nice if you have a busy schedule. sometimes I do two workouts in one day if i'm feeling super motivated (or rather super out-of-shape!).
I use that DVD also. I personally don't know how anyone could do it everyday for an entire month but I think it is a good workout when I don't have time to go to the gym/ the weather isn't nice enough to go outside.
I try to walk on my treadmill 35 minutes each morning. When the weather is good, walk outside, around the block, or in the parking lot. Take your food for the day with you. This requires planning and taking the right things...fruit, yogurt, Lean Cuisine, salad, etc. Requires dedication...no excuses. :)
I just finished nursing school (yippee!) and 20 lbs heavier! I also work a full time office job which doesn't help. I am actually looking forward to working as an RN for many reasons, but one important one is that I know I will not be planted in front of a computer screen all day as I have been for the past #?! years!!
Snacking has also been way too easy and hopefully won't be so easy when you are running around all day.
I feel you! I'm also back in school, haven't sat this much in years, and as a result am gaining weight. I'm such a mover and a shaker that all this sitting is killing me!
I do exercise at least 5 days a week. No excuses. I switch things around so I'm not bored, but I most certainly put the books down for my hour and a half workout. It's worth it to keep my sanity and a nice break from studying/sitting. I can't wait until we start clnicals and I get to be up, around, and doing things during the day again!
I second packing your lunch. When I'm hungry I make poor food choices. The times I've hit up the vending machine were times I didn't have any snacks on me. I get gummy bears, but don't waste your money. Pack some healthy snacks in the morning.
Another thing to try is keeping a food journal. When you see exactly what you're eating and when you'll really get a good picture of your caloric intake and can adjust accordingly.
thanks everyone! you all have great points and ideas how to stay in shape im probably gana try out some of thoes work out dvds for a change. i like to run/walk on the treadmill for an hour because it seems to burn around 600 calories (according to the treadmill company anyway haha) but it just gets so boring after a while so i am trying to come up with new ways to keep it up. Any one have any ideas how to not get bored with it? i feel like it helps a lot since i am trying to lose weight since i put on a few pounds with being in school. I will without a doubt bring my lunch and snacks to work with me when im actually an RN and like someone said above chances are i wont have a ton of time to sit around and eat all day while at work haha so hopefully when i do get the chance to eat ill be able to choose healthy options
It really just depends on your willpower and determination. I consider working out to be a priority in my life (like eating, sleeping, etc.). I make sure I work out at least 5 days a week, but mostly 6. Best advice I could give you is to stay away from all the food your coworkers/classmates will bring! I am so surprised at how unhealthy many nurses eat. I always take my own food to work and very rarely will I eat the junk food that my coworkers share with everyone.
So stay motivated, resist the temptation to indulge in all those empty calories, and stay strong! :)
What quick things do you do to get that work out in during the day?
How do you stay away from eating that crap out of vending machines daily when your at work or even when you were in nursing school?
I've worked at a hospital as a CNA/PCT for 2 years now. I work 3-12's and just started nursing school. I don't know how things will fair as nursing school goes forth, but I do know while working at the hospital, I seriously probably walk anywhere from 5-10 miles a day. That for one will keep you in shape. Lifting/assisting patients will help out. But outside of work, I usually only work on cardio; running, rollerbladding, biking at a park. If you go out to the park to do either of those, I promise it will clear your head of all the stress that might come upon you, and it wouldn't last more than 2 hours out of your day.
Don't ask me about food... I work on a cardiac floor, and I still have a strict meat-only diet! :)
Don't worry though, finding an hour or two out of a couple days of the week won't be as hard as it seems.
It is really hard some days. I gained 20 pounds in school, because mine was/is accelerated and there were literally no days off; I always figured spending my weekends slinging hay on the family horse farm was workout enough...I was wrong!
It's a little easier now. I still don't have the motivation to go running after a 12 hour shift...I can't be that cruel to my sore feet! But I always go on my days off and I eat moderately well most days of the week. Staying away from junk food while in school and while studying will help you immensely.
Also, these days, there are quite a few nursing and medical podcasts out there...slip one on while you run, and you can learn and burn at the same time :)
I go to Weight Watcher's meetings when I can. I am 5'6" and my highest weight thru nursing school was 172. I'm now around 138. My personal goal weight is 135. I have been a lifetime member on WW since April 2010. The program is SO user-friendly! I pack, plan my meals and snacks for the day. I wear a pedometer at work and walk extra when I'm caught up to earn Activity Points so I can eat more if I need to later that day or week. I never exercise when I work 12-hour days!!! :0[ You can't!!! Well-- some do but I never have! ;0) I ride a recumbent bike that I bought last October and watch/catch up on my favorite TV shows when I exercise on my days off. I like to walk on my treadmill too while I watch TV. I don't like going to the gym because I see enough people at work. I want Marie Time when I'm off. ;0) My Diamondback recumbent bike was the best investment I ever made!!! I have been a nurse for 15 years and my feet hurt after long days sometimes. My knees hurt sometimes. So that bike with a super-padded cushy seat us phenomenal!!! You can even read or play on your smartphone while on it. :0) You can stay in shape girl!!! :0)
I used to bring a Lean Cuisine with me for lunch for every day of nursing school and clinicals because they were relatively healthy and easy to store and heat up. Now I can't stand them and the site or smell of them makes me want to gag. I don't know what happened.
My advice is drink water and cut out the processed foods, try to make 30 minutes to 1 hour a day doing an enjoyable exercise, get really good sleep, make sure to manage your stress well, and keep strong relationships with your close loved-ones! Good luck!
Its hard somedays to fit everything when you're in nursing school. I found the Jillian michaels video to be a great 20 min workout. I also take breaks in between studying and use my Wii fit. Its fun and gets my mind off of stuff. I think the eating part is the hardest. But like others have stated if you pack a lunch and try to prepare you can still stay healthy.
Rach553
7 Posts
I use that DVD also. I personally don't know how anyone could do it everyday for an entire month but I think it is a good workout when I don't have time to go to the gym/ the weather isn't nice enough to go outside.