Working out and Nursing..

[Bnw684]

Hi all, just wanted some input and suggestions about how y'all work 12 hour shifts and still manage to get your work outs in? I've recently gained some weight that I lost back.. I should mention I'm a new grad and found it so much easier to find time to workout while I was in school then when I'm an actual nurse and have more free time. Any suggestions welcomed

[Ben_Dover]

I prefer doing it outdoor and it seriously only takes 20-30 minutes per day to work-out so if you do that 3-5 times a week with a well-balanced diet, you can shed off some weight easily in a matter of 3-4 weeks.

So if you're doing it this way, consider safety, i.e., lighting/weather/traffic conditions. If it's indoor, that's just a given.

Sleep also plays a big factor with these changes you're going through. Make sure that you get a decent 7-8 hours of it.

I do understand, if you have kids and husband to fend, finding some time to work-out and get a decent sleep can somehow be a challenge. But it still can be done.

Remember, all it takes is 20-30 minutes!

You can do it!

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I don't work 12s, but I started night shift over the summer. After five plus years of working out six days a week, a stint of unemployment followed by the transition to night shift really torpedoed my workout routine. I'm finally getting back into it. I tend to not sleep well during the day anyway, so I go to a 9am class at my gym after work is over. I'm home by around 10:15, I can rest for 3-4 hours on days that I'm working again that night, or I just stay up after my last shift- I switch back to sleeping at night on my nights off. I don't eat anything at night, other than 2 saltines about 3am with one ginger ale. But I still managed to gain about 15 pounds with the transition. I think lack of sleep is the main cause. I've lost probably half of that by being super strict on what I eat again, and my workouts are improving. Good luck, you'll find a routine that works for you if it's a priority.

[Crush]

I walk my dogs with some jogging intervals for a good 20-30 minutes before and after work. I work 8 hour shifts though and some 10's and 12's. I also rotate shifts but find time. Of course, depending on the floor I am on, just being at work can be a workout. But on my days off I do a little bit here and there. Biggest thing is in order to lose weight you must be in a caloric deficit either through working out or watching your portion sizes or a combo of both. And sleep is super important too.

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

I (usually) run a couple times a week on my days off; if not, I can at least convince myself to go for a god walk outside or through Target, depending on the weather. And then I do a few yoga workouts or exercise routines I find online in between. A lot of them only take 15-20 minutes, so I squeeze them in before work.

It is important to look at your diet as well. I know that when I eat poorly, everything goes downhill. If I cook healthily at least a free times a week, I find it much easier to have energy to exercise, and I feel much better in general.