Why are RN's so fat!

Nurses General Nursing

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I was told by a nanny last night that her employer just had a baby, and she commented on how fat the RN's are at the hospital (Her employer is thin).

Her employer stated that "being RN's shouldn't they know how to control their weight"? I told the nanny that yes, but RN's have a very stressful job. They are over worked, have odd hours, and tend to eat bad food to comfort themselves because the amount of stress they are under. Usually we are understaffed and don't get breaks, and when we do leave work normally we as RN's tend to reach for junk, because high sugary foods bring up the blood sugar the quickest. I was quite offended at her comments, not because I am fat (I am not exactly slim either), but because it is a generalization of the profession. I don't know what her point was to even repeat what her employer said. However, I'm determined not to fall in that category, because I once was fat (I lost approx 61 lbs & still want to lose about 30lbs). Does that comment offend you?

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Nice post Mike. Have a good night at work.

You highlight that the dynamics of obesity are a bit more than just lazyiness. I think you and other posts have made this point.

I bet if we took a poll of nurses that are overweight from 30-100lbs, it would probably be the same percentage as overwt ppl in the general population.

The reason why nurses are sometimes centered out for being overweight is because nurses are looked upon as nurturer's of good health. If we look like the poster child for a heart attack waiting to happen, stroke, diabetes, and the list goes on, then people are going to take note of this. I'm not pointing fingers, I've been there and the battle goes on. It only takes one step at a time toward making healthy changes that will benefit for a life time. We can do it.

Having a nanny doesn't equate necessarily to having lots of money and, therefore, free time. I used to have a sitter who came to my house when my kids were little, she'd cook, clean, garden, and babysit. She like to keep busy and was always looking for more work to do. Heck, she used to iron the pillow cases. Yes, she was thin, LOL. And she was mother to 11 children of her own, too! But having her didn't mean I had much free time. It meant I didn't have to do a whole 2nd shift of work when I got home from my full-time nurse job and could, instead, help my husband in our family business, pay the bills, shop, play with our kids, care for the pets and the cars, and do the other 1001 things the sitter didn't do. I should have gone for workouts instead, probably, at least some days. But I always wanted to be home with the kids as much as possible and still found many, many things that needed doing in the house. Making their costumes, helping with homework, etc., etc.

Come to think of it, that is another reason (not excuse, but an explanation, something we can help ourselves and others deal with, hopefully, and stop letting it get in our way) so many nurses and others are heavy. Our hearts are with our kids at home but economic reality dictates that our bodies and our attention be elsewhere. Thus, the never-ending pull and struggle we live with. :mad: :monkeydance: (Do you ever feel like a monkey on a tightrope?)

I wouldn't consider your person a nanny. I know a lot of people who have great sitters. I did, though I took the kids to her, so no cleaning there. I work w/ lots of young moms who quick swap w/ their husbands and run into work. They have NO TIME for themsleves. They are either caring for kids or patients. Often, they get little help at home. I get sick of the ever growing list everyone else has for us as nurses. We have tons of paperwork, many patients and more complex ones to care for, and now we have to look like personal trainers too? I know that is an exagerration, but I think it ridiculous. We all need a more balanced life as has been said prior on this thread. I am so tired of patients who constantly find fault w/ us over every little thing.

I agree... the fat population is definitely overrepresented in nursing! I think its sad that so many people in the health care field don't even care about their own health. There are no excuses folks, healthy living is not that hard and the rewards are worth much more than the trouble (look at some of your patients to confirm this)

And as a single guy I'd love to do this to a fellow student without breaking my back

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:smokin: holy moly I was born a few generations too late!

(kidding)

I by no means am trying to be insensitive or unhelpful. That is the reason I first posted was to answer the question, which I did and explained.

Since you asked for help this is what I recommend.

For exercise it doesn't have to be going to the gym on a stair climber. It can be anything. I prefer martial arts myself. Which will get u in great shape, u will learn self defense and meet some new friends. Mix it up alittle bit. If u don't have time to go to the gym or martial arts put dance music turn it up and dance by your self as u are cooking dinner. They have kickboxing on tapes and what not. The hardest part is getting motivated to do it. Most of us work only 3 or 4 days a week, so you don't have to do something 7 days a week, but 5 would be good. So on your off days get out there and do something. People say how this is a car driven society. Well do little things like park farther away. Take an afternoon walk with your boyfriend, husband, and or kids. Go to the park with the kids and we all no that it is alot of exercise chasing after them. As for diet take small steps.First, say no soda. Then carry bottled water where ever you go, get it at the grocery store in bulk and you will save alot of money. If you get thirsty just grab a water. I drink lots, I put some extra in the car and locker at work. If you go and eat fastfood get the chicken instead of the bigmac. Eat in the morning, not bacon but a bowl of cereal and a glass of Oj. For snacks eat those ready made health bars. Don't skip meals. Eat and void at work don't skip like so many people do. I say unless it is an emergency i am eating. Bring your lunch to work, buy carrotts the little ones already cut bring a piece of fresh fruit. and turkey or ham sandwich. At dinner eat in proportions. If u go eat a restruarant they give you huge portions. Have the self will to i am eating half and the other half is coming home for another meal. Plan ahead for what your meals will be at home that way when you go grocery shopping 1 day a week you are not discouraged on your way home to go and pick up mcdonalds. What my wife and I do is I cook 2 days a week, she cooks 2 days a week, 1 day we go to a nice date dinner, one day we eat at a fast food pizza or subway(usually tuesday because we can both eat for like $7 they have 2 for tuesday), and on sundays we eat at her parents house. So no matter how you look at it I only need to prepare 2 meals a week. So I plan ahead I have everthing ready and yes it might take 45 minutes or so to cook but hey i only have to do it one more time in the week. I hope i have given you and some others some good avidce. Good luck.

Ben

Yes, you gave some good suggestions. I appreciate your kinder attitude.

I just have to say - I work 5 days each week, not 3 or 4. As for dancing while cooking, well, maybe if I concentrate I can cut cucumbers while twirling, LOL. As for chasing after the kids at the park being exercise - forget it. That's just pure stress. I get your point, though - we need to make use of every opportunity. As for martial arts yes, that sounds good. Expensive maybe and not so easy for someone with back issues (spinal stenosis, nerve root compression and resultant neuropathy and sciatica) but it would be good to know and is great exercise. I get your point - there is an exercise for everyone, I guess you are saying.

Alright - mostly, thank you for your kinder attitude.

I have commented on threads such as this in the past. I am overweight for sure. There is no hiding it nor denying it. I am taking steps to take it off such as swimming every other day and doing the bike and eliptical on the remaining days. I do find it extremely challenging to find the time since I am in my last semester of nursing school(whoohoo!), I work part time, and I work a prn job. I usually do ok and average 4-5 times per week of exercise. My downfall is healthy eating. On the salary I make, I find it difficult to buy the healthier items, but still try. Also the time to prepare food is probably my biggest issue. Any suggestions for quick and inexpensive healthy foods? I think I got the exercise thing down pretty good so I appreciate the removal of the word lazy because it's pretty clear that not all big people are lazy. Thanks everyone.

Specializes in CCRN, TNCC SRNA.
Some of the best nurses I know, myself included, are 100+ pounds overweight. Slightly overweight would = skinny to me.

The whole point of my statement was that if an RN can function by providing safe effective patient care, then weight should not matter. It was not meant to be read into like that

The comments about this being a car culture and a fast food culture repulse me. I have a car in this car culture and I drive twice a month, I walk or bike everywhere else.

My husband used to bike 32 miles a day between going to and coming home from work. His commute took him an hour. Probably what it would have taken him if he'd driven. Now he walks.

I haven't been to a fast food restaurant in years. They are disgusting and should be avoided at all costs. Any parent who feeds thier children at one of those places is potentially putting thier kids at grave risk. One hamburger patty has meat from 1000's of cows from all over the world in it (no joke, read Fast Food Nation). Kids don't have the immune system to deal with what those things have in them.

Yes, life is busy. Kids are time sucks. But WE KNOW the effects of those extra pounds and it is a miserable death to force your children to watch in 20 years. Think of the kids......please.

Keep a food journal, and an exercise journal. I find both to be very motivating. Who wants to put down that they ate a whole box of little debbie's in one sitting? It's an effective form of self policing.

And if I can walk or bike everywhere living in Oakland, CA people elsewhere can find ways to fit exercise into thier lives as well. Even at my busiest I still have down time. Rare is the day where I have no spare time whatsoever. There is always time to work out. And I'm in school, and work, and volunteer, plus I have the hubby to love (although that can count as a workout on occasion).

Get a treadmill used. All you have to do is know how to walk. It's simple, safe and effective......maybe one day you'll know how awesome it is to run 10 miles down a wooded trail. Being a part of nature, not just an observer.

It repulses you?

Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.

Possibly some of the self-righteous replies in this thread are tainted with a little projection of self-dislike?

Its just that it is absurd to think that "if I can do it, anyone can and if they don't then they shall be blamed..." Blaming and shaming are so toxic.

Heck, I do not really exercise nor eat right...somehow I am lucky enough to be sensitive to my physiological cues to keep things in balance and was very, very lucky to have genetics that predisposed me to being thin. Those genetics were not my doing AT ALL.

However I have been shouted at by a passerby once to "go eat a hamburger!!"

Genetics do indeed have a big part to play.

I think if someone has a larger BMI then the bodyfat should be considered and gosh, just what exactly IS wrong with a size 12 if the body fat is healthy?

Where I live now I tend to see so many very slim ladies, I mean, slim enough to the point where I would worry more about their bones breaking than a heart attack for them.

Where is the balance of healthy versus rigid self-denial and the rebound over-indulgance?

Gen

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I think this thread has run it's course.

Closed.

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