Why the weight gain in Nursing School?

[cosmicnurse]

I am on my 3rd year in college, since being accepted into the school nursing program however, I have gained 12 lbs in just one semester. My question is, did others face the same? I don't believe my eating habits have changed much, I am healthy and reasonably active, but I have definitely been very stressed and have not been sleeping as much. I just started med-surg 2, with other classes, plus work and am not sure how I will ever make the time to go to the gym. Have others faced the same? ( side note : I am 30 and have been of a healthy weight for the most part - until nursing school that is).

[cosmicnurse]

I am also 30 and in my junior year in nursing school. During the first 2 years of doing pre-reqs, it was rather easy for me and I ultimately gained about 15 lbs during that time. Fast forward to junior year of upper division courses and clinicals and I've LOST 10 lbs in a week and a half. 10 LBS IN A WEEK AND A HALF. It's a completely different beast. I do not sleep, barely eat and do nothing but study. There is just so much info in the first couple of days it's ridiculous. The sheer amount of reading that is required is just plain stupid. I need to find a way to manage this stress really soon because at this rate, I'm going to be disappearing by mid semester.

Wow lucky you!...for some reason the stress has the entirely opposite effect on me. After my first unit exam I am going to make time for gym, not just for health reasons but I hear it helps burn of stress.

[tjmnurse]

I'm almost 30, and I've actually lost a few pounds (probably from the shock and stress of my first NS semester). However, we were assigned senior mentors in our program, and one of the first things my mentor told me was to prepare to gain some serious weight. She said that some of the seniors had gained 20 to 30 pounds.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

Nursing school meant lots of class pot lucks, less time to be active, fast food (albeit dollar menu items), and those horrible elastic scrubs.

I think the elastic large baggy scrubs made it easy not to notice weight gain. I gained about 10-15lbs.

Then lost it when I started working. Then regained that and more after I'd been working awhile.

Now I'm trying to stay active while in nsg school again. Trying to eat healthier. Lots of meal prep. Signed up for a run. Scheduling exercise. It's rough. But if you don't put effort into it, I think the weight gain creeps up without you noticing.