Weight Gain in Nursing School?

S.T.A.C.E.Y, LPN · Dec 7, 2006

Every hear the phrase the "Freshman Fifteen"? Happens to most students who start school. Your marks likely drop 15% from highschool, and you gain 15 pounds. Theres always articles about it in the newspaper here in August/September, warning students about it. My aunt works for weight watchers so before I started school she clipped out all these articles talking about it, and 'healthy eating guides' to help me with meal ideas. I actually dropped about 15 pounds when I started, and have maintained it throughout. Looking around me in school though, I have definitely seen some students just balloon up from all the junk-food crap, and lack of exercise, 60-70 lbs+ for some.

My suggestion: Don't keep the junk food in the house. If its not there, you can't eat it.

savedbutterfly · Dec 7, 2006

I have gain almost 50 lbs through nursing school, :angryfire am on a diet and have lost 10 in the last two weeks :monkeydance: . I think stress is what did me in

missninaRN · Dec 7, 2006

I am on a diet and have lost 10 in the last two weeks

Now that's something to be proud of!

I think stress is what did me in

I can relate. I eat to deal with stress or just to stay awake!

shock-me-sane · Dec 8, 2006

I am one of those that has lost. Stress = no eating for me.

I actually need to put on about 15, so if anyone is up for a trade...

West_Coast_Ken, BSN, RN · Dec 8, 2006

I gained 15 during prereqs mainly because of one "teacher" who was subsequently fired from two jobs. :yeah:

Since getting into the program and seeing so many very sick pts with almost all having one common factor between them, they are HUGE, I decided I'm not going out like that. No way, not a chance.

I bought a used StairMaster, some weights and a heart rate monitor on Ebay so I don't have to deal with a gym and I just love it. I've lost 20 pounds with more to go, but each time I see a sick, obese pt, I think "I'm not going to miss my workout today." Sure I have my struggles and I have a long way to go until I am in the "normal" body fat range, but I'm headed in the right direction. I did 55 minutes of cardio just this afternoon.

One of the reasons I wanted to get into nursing is to have better health for myself and my loved ones. So far that is working out. (pun intended!) :pumpiron:

msleely · Dec 8, 2006

I usually lose weight when stressed because I don't eat as often. I started nursing school Aug 06' I was 102 lb during the first week when we had a wellness day for class and now I am about 135 lbs. The biggest I have ever been in my life. I don't know what happened, but I need to fix it fast. I haven't been eating that much but I think it's the snacking and my metabolism must have slowed down. I thought I would be able to wear the same scrubs through the program, but this semester I had to buy more scrub pants and unless I loss weight before January I won't be able to wear those either. I would hate to have to buy more, because I'll be graduating in May. It is nice to know I'm not the only one gaining weight.

RN BSN 2009 · Dec 8, 2006

My professors said nursing students gain an average of 5 pounds per semester, Beware!

WDWpixieRN, RN · Dec 8, 2006

I am stress non-eater also....I lost 8 lbs. the first 2 weeks of class and have mostly kept it off...of course, I could afford to lose another 40 lbs. and it wouldn't kill me....

The stress, however, is another physical issue....ugh....

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 8, 2006

My suggestion: Don't keep the junk food in the house. If its not there, you can't eat it.

:yeahthat: EXACTLY!!!

nurseangel47 · Dec 9, 2006

Hi there. Just wanted to add a response here though I'm not presently in school. I graduated wayyyy back in '86 and remember nibbling my way thru all those dreaded reading assignments, while studying, writing notes to tickle my mind into remembering and memorizing all those lab values, things in general you just have to commit to memory, etc. I even would have to eat an entire sandwich even though I'd prepared a complete dinner from scratch that evening in between studying and such. I would stay up that long every night practically that I'd be starving to eat eat eat to keep myself from bottoming out sugar-wise and it would have been that long since supper!

Good luck to you....you'll be running those extra pounds OFF when you go to clinical AND once you graduate...sorry, but you won't hardly have time to eat when you're working on the floor! Just stay hydrated during your shift and you'll hardly miss eating...! Honestly, running wide open, missing meals, etc. might help when you do graduate.

CHATSDALE · Dec 9, 2006

stress does affect different people different ways..once when children were little i was in a bad position and had to stay with in-laws for about a week

dd who was a bit chubby to start with couldn't stop eating, ds who was slim said he was too nervous to eat

jov · Dec 9, 2006

if you leave a box of Hostess cupcakes in your car in the wintertime, two things happen.

1. Your kids can't find 'em and eat 'em.

2. They get this wonderful half-frozen texture.

The only thing that tastes better than a half-frozen Hostess cupcake eaten in the car on the way home from nursing school is a half-frozen Hostess cupcake eaten in the car on the way home from nursing school followed by a SECOND half-frozen Hostess cupcake...

I finally made a new rule - no chocolate. Ever.- and walk 2 miles almost every day.