Nursing and Weight Issues

Hiya everyone

I'm new on here, so hello everyone! I'm hoping to start my degree in Nursing this September, fingers crossed the A Levels go well!

I'm really excited for it, but a little bit nervous particularly over one thing. I'm a big girl, currently about a size 28, and I do struggle with my weight. I'm quite body positive, but a bit worried that my weight will make things more difficult for me on my course.

It's mostly about how tough it'll be physically on my placements, as I've heard that they can be really hard work.

Would appreciate any advice, or recent experiences anyone could offer. Just wondering really about whether I should try and lose a little bit of weight before I start my course and whether I'd benefit from it.

Thanks

Chloe xx

Hiya everyone

I'm new on here, so hello everyone! I'm hoping to start my degree in Nursing this September, fingers crossed the A Levels go well!

I'm really excited for it, but a little bit nervous particularly over one thing. I'm a big girl, currently about a size 28, and I do struggle with my weight. I'm quite body positive, but a bit worried that my weight will make things more difficult for me on my course.

It's mostly about how tough it'll be physically on my placements, as I've heard that they can be really hard work.

Would appreciate any advice, or recent experiences anyone could offer. Just wondering really about whether I should try and lose a little bit of weight before I start my course and whether I'd benefit from it.

Thanks

Chloe xx

Hi Chloe. I suggest you join Myfitnesspal and get some friends on there, then learn about how it works and you can go on a weight loss journey with plenty of support.
You can talk to people in the same situation or who have done the journey and will support you.


The reason I suggest you lose weight is because you are going to be on your feet a lot and your body is carrying all that dead weight, which if yu go and pick up something heavy, then you will realise it is tiring and causes stress on you. Its also healthier for you.

I appreciate you may have had this issue for a long time, but with the right advice, knowledge and support it is possible, just do it slow and steady and it will come off. Theres also a section with people reaching target and you can see people bigger than you that managed the journey.

Size 28 is rather big. If not to improve your fitness for work, just a general health improvement you'd see from dropping a couple of dress sizes.

Do you find you currently struggle with fitness in general? Stairs etc. problematic, being on your feet for 8 hours straight, is that something you'd normally experience day to day?

I hope that doesn't sound too harsh.

Hiya

No, I'm not regularly on my feet for that long all day, I'm usually in college so a lot of that time is spent sitting around. Stairs and things can be hard yeah. I mean I can do them, but they do get me huffing and puffing quite a bit if I'm honest.

And no, I didn't think you were being harsh. I did ask for advice after all I suppose I'm just trying to judge how demanding its going to be physically for me at the weight I am.

Chloe
xx

I'm glad it didn't come across too harsh. I'm not exactly slender myself.

I found a physical job helped with weight loss, but I'd highly recommend doing something about it before you start. Even dropping a little bit of weight will reduce the strain on your cardiovascular system, and you'll find it that little bit easier at work.

I know it's difficult to do, let's face it we don't get to be big overnight, it takes years of bad habits. Start with one meal at a time. If you can improve just one meal each day, that's a start. Then once you get into the habit of a good breakfast, look at a good lunch as well. Increase your water in take (sugar free/no added sugar squash rather than fizzy drinks/fruit juice) you'll feel fuller for longer, and after a few weeks of just improving breakfast/lunch you'll notice you're losing some weight.

I wish you all the best, my advice would be make life long changes, and aim for long term change, rather than dropping a bit of weight before you start. A gradual improvement in eating choices will certainly lead to a more sustainable weight loss.

As a first year student nurse I would advise trying to get fit before you start. 12.5 hours on your feet plus travel time to and from placement can be tiring. Just becoming more active can help. Good luck!

Shift work is not exactly helpful for eating healthily so it's great that you are thinking about this now and trying to get prepared.
Easy wins are cutting out all fizzy drinks, and taking a packed lunch full of healthier foods so you are not tempted by unhealthier things around you.
Also carrying around a water bottle and drinking it all the time to make sure you eat when you're hungry, not just when you're thirsty.
My final advice would be, if you're not already, learn how to be a good cook and get experimenting in the kitchen with healthy recipes online. Good luck and let us know how you get on!

Thanks for the advice everyone

I guess one thing I was wondering was whether it's something I could manage for the time being and be able to get through my placements, and then think about losing it when I'm qualified, or whether the placements are going to be just as tough as the real thing, so that I really need to do it now. I do wanna enjoy the uni experience and not be constantly thinking about what I'm eating and drinking, but from what you're all saying, I probably need to start thinking about it now?

Chloe xx