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?
I think the title and existence of this thread is tacky, and rude.
Going back to the original post. This comment came from a public consumer that had an opionion about what she saw as a problem and deemed it unacceptable from professionals that are suppose to be promoting good health. Whether that seems tacky to you would have to be taken up with the consumer and her right to her own opinion even if it was a bit bias. It sounds like you are offended, I was offended at the comment, and I personally am more determined to work harder on how I present myself as a professional.
No I am not offended I have tried exercise and dieting but nothing can help an underactive thyroid. Isn't this professional profiling? They must be RN's becasue they are fat.
1st hypothesis as to why we are fat: We spend so much time worrying and taking care of others that we neglect ourselves (which I think is a trait that makes all of us nurses and ties us all together..our common bond) that leads some not all of us to be over weight.
2nd hypothesis: we snack and sit at out computors on allnurses.com instead of exercising and taking care of ourselves.
There are five nurses within my site right now and none are overweight.
There are 20 people viewing this thread, and it's four pages after just a few hours. These threads don't usually go very well.
Nurses are human and reflect the society we live in. We shouldn't generalize that nurses are fat. But we shouldn't make excuses for ourselves either, saying things like "it's shiftwork, it's stress". I know I'm going to get flamed. I can take it.
I am not "Obese" but I am no where near skinny either. I just finished RN school and while in school 5 days a week and working full time with 3 boys to take care of I gained around 30lbs in 2 1/2 years. I dont blame it on anything except time constraint. I wasnt laying around, who had time, but I also didnt have time to exercise regularly or cook the way I know I should be. I agree that we are trying to take care of everyone else and we seem to let ourselves come last. In a way it makes us a better nurse but it doesnt do alot for our figure. Oh well I am active, loved and have a good career ahead of me. I dont think I am going to let my figure determine what I or anyone else should think of me.
There are five nurses within my site right now and none are overweight.
There are 20 people viewing this thread, and it's four pages after just a few hours. These threads don't usually go very well.
Nurses are human and reflect the society we live in. We shouldn't generalize that nurses are fat. But we shouldn't make excuses for ourselves either, saying things like "it's shiftwork, it's stress". I know I'm going to get flamed. I can take it.
No flames -
The truth is exactly that - if someone had a gun to my head and said if you have seconds of that pasta with pesto I'm gonna pull the trigger, of course I wouldn't eat the pasta. But, last night there was no one here with a gun.
I myself am responsible for how much I eat - no matter what stress I am having or if I am bored - it is me, me, and me. I'm the one who decided not to go to the gym today.
Nurses are part of the human race and human beings are imperfect.
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).
...?
Ha,
I've read this question a couple of time on these forums...
Is this like asking, "why do some RNs smoke?" or "why do some RNs drive above the speed limit?" or "why do some RNs run marathons, do yoga, ride bikes or -insert anything here- that the rest of the culture does too?"
What? Are other professionals held up to be different than the average population too?
Gen
edit to add:
I do not know how people can lose 50 pounds, (more power to you with the bowflex guy!) Once about 5 years ago a running coach wanted me to loose 3 or 4 pounds and I absolutely could not do it. I am in proper weight and with an athlete bodyfat %. Just recently I came across something to calculate your BMI and bodyfat % and I calculated that if I had lost those 3-4 pounds that the coach wanted me to it would have dropped me below the "athletic" fg % and I would have been loosing all muscle d/t my bf being at the lowest end of healthy.
Even still, I just do not know HOW anyone can just "lose" 50 pounds...its got to be a several year committment, right?
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?
No it doesnt offend me because she is speaking through truth, its not just RN's that are overweight, it is most of American society as a whole. Its the garbage diet we all eat, do you see obesity like this in other countries? Answer --> No, unless of course you have fast food flourishing their.
If you want to lose weight its simple --> Get your butt to the gym and work out with weights 3-4 times a week, stop eating all the crappy food(soda, candy, chips) and making excuses like "I dont have enough time to exercise" when it takes 40-45 minutes 3 times a week and you feel better and are more productive after doing it. Moreover its a lame excuse to say "Oh well, i dont have enough time to eat right". Most Americans OVEREAT, that is the bottom line - you dont need all the food to function you just think that you do. Over eating is correlated with disease, bottom line. Buy some whey protein, have a couple of scoops of that and a good low glycemic carb like rice, some veges and that is a meal right there...have that a couple times a day, its portable you know and you are guarenteed to lose weight and feel much better.
So in short, stop drinking 10 cups of starbucks coffee everyday, eating candy and drinking soda, work out with WEIGHTS 3-4 times a week and you will lose weight...
By the way - Alot of RN's I know work 36 hours a week on med surg floors - what do you mean by "we just dont have enough time." i dont understand that...I mean do you really not eat during the day? If you are hungry then have a healthy meal for god sakes and if you manager has a problem with you taking 15 minutes to eat tell her/him to screw off and call the department of labor.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
This lady must lead a sheltered life; look around, Madam. The COUNTRY is fat! And last I checked, RNs were no better nor worse. I am not offended but I am surprised in having a new baby, this person did not have better things to concern her mind with.
There are five nurses within my site right now and none are overweight.
There are 20 people viewing this thread, and it's four pages after just a few hours. These threads don't usually go very well.
Nurses are human and reflect the society we live in. We shouldn't generalize that nurses are fat. But we shouldn't make excuses for ourselves either, saying things like "it's shiftwork, it's stress". I know I'm going to get flamed. I can take it.
I know what you mean.... I think most of us have seen all this before... I'm suffering from a serious case of deja vu right now....
No it doesnt offend me because she is speaking through truth, its not just RN's that are overweight, it is most of American society as a whole. Its the garbage diet we all eat, do you see obesity like this in other countries? Answer --> No, unless of course you have fast food flourishing their.
If you want to lose weight its simple --> Get your butt to the gym and work out with weights 3-4 times a week, stop eating all the crappy food(soda, candy, chips) and making excuses like "I dont have enough time to exercise" when it takes 40-45 minutes 3 times a week and you feel better and are more productive after doing it. Moreover its a lame excuse to say "Oh well, i dont have enough time to eat right". Most Americans OVEREAT, that is the bottom line - you dont need all the food to function you just think that you do. Over eating is correlated with disease, bottom line. Buy some whey protein, have a couple of scoops of that and a good low glycemic carb like rice, some veges and that is a meal right there...have that a couple times a day, its portable you know and you are guarenteed to lose weight and feel much better.
So in short, stop drinking 10 cups of starbucks coffee everyday, eating candy and drinking soda, work out with WEIGHTS 3-4 times a week and you will lose weight...
By the way - Alot of RN's I know work 36 hours a week on med surg floors - what do you mean by "we just dont have enough time." i dont understand that...I mean do you really not eat during the day? If you are hungry then have a healthy meal for god sakes and if you manager has a problem with you taking 15 minutes to eat tell her/him to screw off and call the department of labor.
Do you follow BFL? If you do it is a great program, although I admit it is a hard food program for me to follow 100% of the time.
MoriahRoseRN
181 Posts
Going back to the original post. This comment came from a public consumer that had an opionion about what she saw as a problem and deemed it unacceptable from professionals that are suppose to be promoting good health. Whether that seems tacky to you would have to be taken up with the consumer and her right to her own opinion even if it was a bit bias. It sounds like you are offended, I was offended at the comment, and I personally am more determined to work harder on how I present myself as a professional.