Five Reasons You're Struggling to Stop Workplace Weight Gain as a Busy Nurse

By Kara Wilson, RD, LDN, CPT

Dietitian for Nurses

Nurse Life is busy, demanding, and when caring for other people is your main priority, your own self care usually comes last. But it doesn’t have to…

While you likely have extra challenges as a busy Nurse when it comes to putting yourself first and losing weight, these are the five most common struggles I see when I work with busy Nurses (and how you can overcome those struggles too of course!):

1️. You're skipping breakfast before shifts. Skipping breakfast before shifts is setting yourself up for a low-energy shift. By skipping breakfast (or any meal), you're setting yourself up for cravings (and possibly a binge) later on. You know I'm not about counting calories but having a 500-600 calorie balanced breakfast before your shift is going to save you from a 900-1,200 calorie binge later on in the day.

2️. You're not prioritizing 7 hours of sleep/day as a non-negotiable. Whether you're a Day Shift or Night Shift Nurse, 7 hours of sleep/day is a MUST if you want the most optimized metabolism, appetite, and energy possible!

3️. You're only eating to fuel your body, not your brain/emotions. Food is so much more than nourishment for your organs. Food makes us feel good, gives us energy, helps us experience people and things. Eat for comfort and taste and fun, not just for the sake of calories and "health." This is going to give you a sustainable and enjoyable approach to food!

4️. You feel uncomfortable advocating for your food choices & nutrition goals in front of others. While you owe ZERO explanation to anyone, you have to be comfortable and confident making the best food choices for YOU. At the end of the day, your food choices only affect your goals - no one else's.

5️. You're trying to stop workplace weight gain alone & without a sustainable strategy. Accountability is E V E R Y T H I N G when it comes to reaching your nutrition goals. Also, approaching your weight loss goals without a sustainable and proven strategy is like throwing a needle at a vein from 15 feet away with your eyes closed. You'll just end up missing and frustrating, with no forward movement.

There’s no reason to keep struggling alone to stop workplace weight gain. CLICK HERE to join the Nourished Nurses Association so you can stop workplace weight gain with the support & sustainable strategy you deserve!

Instagram: @karawilsonnutrition

https://www.karawilsonnutrition.com/

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