What's your best weight loss tip?

Nurses Stress 101

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I seem to have gained 10 lbs since starting school in August and I'm not happy about it! I know part of it is that I haven't been able to fit in as much time as I like for exercise and I'm used to working on my feet at least half of the day and now I'm sitting in lecture or studying most of the time. ANY tips at all would be greatly appreciated!

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I started my diet/exercise plan on or around August 1st of this year. So far, I have lost 22 pounds in 2.5 months, and I intend to keep going because I've got a whole lot more weight to lose. I'm also battling hypothyroidism, so I am rather proud of my weight loss thus far. Anyone with hypothyroidism knows that weight loss can be an uphill battle.

I lift free weights at the health club 3 times per week, typically heavy dumbbells. Building muscle mass helps to speed up the female metabolism, because muscle tissue burns calories around the clock. I also get some cardiovascular exercise 4 to 5 times per week, and I try to limit my caloric intake to 1,500 kcals per day. I'm still able to enjoy fast food and sweets, but in moderation.

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

My best tip is to concentrate on healthy eating and moderate exercise and to NOT weigh yourself more than once a month. I have seen it a hundred times where people are doing some very healthy practices and the scale isn't budging or they may even gain weight at first and they quit the healthy regime and go on something restrictive and crazy. They may lose a couple of pounds, but in a year or two (or less) they have gained that weight back plus some because they never changed their habits. If you just concentrate on being healthy, everything else will follow! Also, I would take a multi-vitamin to be sure you don't get run down with the extra stress you will need great nutrition. Stay away from the processed crap. Hey, I just found a really cool grocery store called Trader Joe's that has healthy, whole grain and organic foods and snacks of all sorts. It had just opened so it was swarming with people, so I didn't get to shop as much as I wanted, but I was truly impressed. Keep your eyes open for one, I believe they are nation-wide.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Hey, I just found a really cool grocery store called Trader Joe's that has healthy, whole grain and organic foods and snacks of all sorts. It had just opened so it was swarming with people, so I didn't get to shop as much as I wanted, but I was truly impressed. Keep your eyes open for one, I believe they are nation-wide.
Trader Joe's has a bunch of cool things. They have been in my California hometown for the past 30 or so years.
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Specializes in school nursing, Dr. office.

add more H2O, no soda pop, eat 1 plate instead of 2, cut back on sugars and eat healthy snacks, and find time to move a little more has worked for me in the past and is currently working for me now, I have lost 5 lbs. in the pat 3 weeks! Good luck, i have friends who have been really successful on Weight Watchers, , but i could never find the time for the meetings, you could be exercising instead of sitting.

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.
Trader Joe's has a bunch of cool things. They have been in my California hometown for the past 30 or so years.

You are kidding!! It took THAT long to make it to Minnesota!! That is pretty funny (in a pathetic kind of way)! I lived in SF for a couple of years and thought it took about 10-15 years for things to reach the midwest, but 30 seems tooooo long to wait!! Hey, but I'm a native Minnesotan and I love it here nevertheless!!! hehehe

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.

SInce being in nursing school I have gained about 15#. I know that isn't half of what some people go through, but that has been my first "big" weight gain. I am eager to get into a diet and workout regimen, but it seems like there is no time right now. I think the tips you all have posted are excellent. Eliminating pop and vending machines does so much for you.

Thanks to all the posters and great tips! Keep up the great work!

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This isn't really a "tip" but I run 3 or 4 miles a night (4 nights a week) and do a long run (usually between 7 and 10 miles) on Sundays.

Although, there was a time a few years ago when I didn't have time for any type of exercise but I wanted to shed a few pounds. The way I did it was cutting almost all sugars, fats, etc. out of my diet. I ate fruit and vegetables between meals and cut my meals in half and I lost 7 pounds in a 6-week span.

And I know of a friend who was a little bit heavier, and to lose weight she only ate half of what she usually ate. So when she went to a restaraunt or cooked for herself, she would only eat half and save the rest for another meal. She also cut out all sodas and snacks out of her diet. She lost 20 pounds in a few month span!

But exercise coupled with a healthier diet is by far the quickest way to losing weight. I have lost a substantial amount of weight over the last 1.5 years (almost 50 pounds to be exact).

That is such an ingenious way of losing weight. You're not starving yourself... (eat only half rule). I would just have to be careful that I wouldn't eat more halves of everything else lol. Half of this... half of this... half of this... etc. But I think I'm going to try that.

At a heft 240, I think it's time. (note: I'm male and about 5'8" so I'm chubby, not anything too big).

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I started my diet/exercise plan on or around August 1st of this year. So far, I have lost 22 pounds in 2.5 months, and I intend to keep going because I've got a whole lot more weight to lose. I'm also battling hypothyroidism, so I am rather proud of my weight loss thus far. Anyone with hypothyroidism knows that weight loss can be an uphill battle.

I lift free weights at the health club 3 times per week, typically heavy dumbbells. Building muscle mass helps to speed up the female metabolism, because muscle tissue burns calories around the clock. I also get some cardiovascular exercise 4 to 5 times per week, and I try to limit my caloric intake to 1,500 kcals per day. I'm still able to enjoy fast food and sweets, but in moderation.

Congrats on the weight loss! I also recommend lifting weights as an excellent way of losing weight. I agree that it is important for women to lift heavy, and when I lift, I don't go over 10 to 12 repetitions per set. Women need to move beyond the 3 to 5 pound weights that I see them lift with at the gym. I also use walking, or more specifically fast walking, as my aerobic activity. I have become addicted to fast walking (around 4.5 to 5.2 mph), plus walking puts less strain on my joints than running. I believe that walking is one of the best aerobic activities and fat burners around, if you do is fast enough (over 4 mph, or 15-minute miles).

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Congrats on the weight loss! I also recommend lifting weights as an excellent way of losing weight. I agree that it is important for women to lift heavy, and when I lift, I don't go over 10 to 12 repetitions per set. Women need to move beyond the 3 to 5 pound weights that I see them lift with at the gym. I also use walking, or more specifically fast walking, as my aerobic activity. I have become addicted to fast walking (around 4.5 to 5.2 mph), plus walking puts less strain on my joints than running. I believe that walking is one of the best aerobic activities and fat burners around, if you do is fast enough (over 4 mph, or 15-minute miles).
Actually, some time has elapsed since I last posted on this thread, so I want to update. I've now lost 30 pounds over 2.5 months. And I agree with you that women need to move beyond the light weights of 3 and 5 pound dumbbells. If they feel too light, you've got to move up to the heavier weight.

I do squats, shrugs, and calf raises with two 35-pound dumbbells. I do my bent-over rows with a 25 pound dumbbell, and my bicep curls and tricep extensions with two 20-pound dumbbells. These weights are light compared to the men I work alongside, but they're far heavier than what most women ever pick up.

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My gym has hydraulic weight machines, along with free weights.

I like the hydraulics. I do 40 pounds on the arm machines. 80 pounds for the leg machines. 60 pounds for the abd machines.

I also like the elliptical machine - 45 to 60 minutes.

steph

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Go to overeaters anonymous and or food addicts anonymous. I lost 125 pounds.;)

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Specializes in trauma, ortho, burns, plastic surgery.

The extreme emotions....extreme unhapiness... I can't eat...lost 10 ponds in one week!, extreme hapiness.... I can't eat also...looooool... I just fly...lost another 10 pounds, work hard run one the halls facility, not eating in the morning and some time skip the lunch (I can't eat alone...so prefer to skip when I am alone), night time only vegetable or fruits (if I am not going to dinner out, looool). I lost 40 pounds from july, thanks to this type of life style, looooool, is not a correct one but that was!

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