To expect fat nurses to have some insight?.

[Vikingess]

Just had a routine health check today at my GP surgery. Two nurses - both considerably overweight - dispensing advice on diet. I
am not overweight -AIBU to expect health professionals to demonstrate the the standards they recommended or at least admit to falling short.

Almost all hairdressers have terrible hair.

Simon Cowell can't sing and judges singers.

Olympics coaches aren't as good as the people they train.

And every single one of us as human beings is capable of knowing what they should be doing and not doing it anyway.

You could have normal weight nurses who were bulimic or just lived off 1200 cals of chocolate a day and you'd happily take diet advice from them apparently.

How is the weight of the nurses relevant? The medical advice is independent of the person giving it. The nurses weren't asking for your advice so their weight is none of your business.

They might have eating disorders. If you have an eating disorder you're not allowed to diet or try to lose weight because it exacerbates the eating disorder. There is actually a fine line between anorexia and binge eating. People who restrict end up binge eating. So, if you have an eating disorder you have to practice body acceptance. I have an eating disorder and this is the hardest part of it for me. I am longing to go on a diet and get back to a size 8 (I'm a 12 and feel absolutely enormous - I am officially obese, though because I'm quite short) but I don't want to binge, so I stick to not dieting.

I think you would have a point if they were selling a weight loss product, but as they are NHS workers and giving advice that is specific to you and not to them, there is no point in judging their weight.

I know what you mean, but I think I'm an extreme example. I was absolutely mortified to be confronted by a psychiatry consultant from a secure ED clinic bombarding me with warnings/scrutiny about my low BMI when she was visibly obese.
But it saved my life so it's not who's giving the advice sometimes, more that you should take it anyway.

I know a nurse. She knows she’s overweight. She’s tried to lose weight. Between the shift work (extending beyond contracted hours as there’s handover) and raising a family, plus what can be a stressful tiring day… what happens is meal times get skipped, tired, over hungry - overeating. I’d trust her with my life.

Being overweight does not make a person incompetent nor does it tell you anything about that person except - you’ve guessed it - they’re overweight. The nurse I know hates that she’s overweight. She’s just not got the energy to deal with it yet

fatty boom boom 😂😭

I'm going to say YABU.
I'm overweight ( not a health professional though) and even though I know I could do with losing a few stone I know exactly what to do to lose weight healthily.
(Just lacking the willpower at the moment 😭😁)
You don't know anything of their personal circumstances, could be due to a health issue or anything.
Just because they might be "fat" doesn't mean they don't know what they're talking about. 🙄

I was given dietary advice by a doctor who was in less than stellar condition himself. He did actually look a bit embarrassed and admitted that he knew it was difficult when you get a bit older (or post menopause). I think it was my raised eyebrow that prompted the confession.

I don't think you're being unreasonable. I think the mantra of 'practise what you preach' and not 'do as I say, not what I do' is more convincing. If you had a dentist with bad teeth, you wouldn't be much inclined to take their advice.

You wouldn’t go to a hairdresser who had bad hair, would you?

Yes I would. I wouldn't go to THIER hairdresser! 🤪

Does one lose information/knowledge gained through training directly in line with putting on weight?
If the knowledge is still relevant and still correct the waistline of the person delivering it doesn't have an impact on that - unless you're incredibly shallow of course, but then you might well follow the advice because you don't want to end up a fatty like the nurse, so objective achieved 🤷🏼‍♀️

So you're upset that they didn't let their own bodies and personal imperfections prevent them doing their job for you as the patient?

They're dispensing the advice based on their training and your needs as a patient, not what works personally for them. They're healthcare professionals, not social media influencers.

YABU

Unfortunately, it’s so common to be overweight, that I wouldn’t think twice about an out-of-shape nurse or other health care professional giving weight loss or dietary advice that they themselves don’t follow; it’s just routine advice they have to give, and I’d recognise it as such. But, I’m not going to lie, I really wouldn’t use the services of a dentist with bad teeth, or an orthodontist with crooked teeth, or an overweight fitness trainer. I would just find it hard to trust their expertise, even if they were really good at what they did.

Because she could be eating complete and utter crap? A healthy weight does not necessarily equal a healthy diet and lifestyle!

a bit judgemental there @Vikingess you never know what someone's situation is

I'm an overweight medic. I gained 20 kgs virtually overnight due to medication and a very serious illness and have not been well enough since to lose it.

many people in the healthcare field gain weight due to long hours, irregular shift patterns and high stress

or the nurses could have been just overweight for no reason at all. their job description doesn't include being slim, but it does include helping patients (including you) stay healthy. they were not judging you, they were offering you standard advice

😂😭🤣

Yes because overweight people must be sat around gorging on lard pies, whilst the thin nurses all eat lettuce and run marathons, right?

I was a nurse and I was 8stone at 5ft 9 most of that time, you’d have taken advice off me right? Except I had a raging eating disorder to the point my periods had stopped and my hair was falling out in clumps. I used to give myself banana bags at work to keep me on my feet as I was so malnourished.

im now 15 stone and far healthier in my earring habits than I was then.

don’t be so ridiculous.

My son is a med student. He made a concerted effort to shed a few pounds. I don't think he did if for the patients but has probably seem a fair few heart attacks and knows his own family history of heart disease. It does seem strange that nurses who must have seen up close the effects of being overweight in terms of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes wouldn't be more motivated to maintain a healthy weight.

Incidentally the most famous / in demand hairdresser from my country is bald. For real!

Exactly. My hairdresser looks like she’s been dragged through a hedge most days. But my hair looks amazing 😂

Fat people are equally allowed to be nurses as anybody else.

All nurses follow guidelines about their role. This may include giving dietary advice. They cannot and should not skip it just because they are fat. I'm sure they feel awkward dispensing dietary advice, and receive loads of snide remarks and looks for doing their job.

Some nurses also smoke and take drugs, but they'll tell anybody else not to. Or do you think they should just say "I'm told to advise against smoking, not that I bother to follow that myself haha!".

I can't believe anyone is complaining about nurses. They literally hold up the health service and keep patients alive while doctors are out having their jollies and doing their yacht club dinners.

Shame on you op

They're fat because a) they're under paid b) they're overworked and c) they have no time for themselves after taking care of you and then their own families.

The things they tell you are based on their training, not their personal lives. I'm a therapist and frequently do things I tell my patients not to. I'm still a damn good therapist. The best psychiatrist I know is one of the unhealthiest people I have ever met. I think you fundmentally misunderstand the role of a healthcare provider tbh.

Top marks for making me laugh with Fatty boom boom. I call our elderly cat this on a daily basis (thyroid problem which is managed by medication ). It was just somewhat unexpected 😁