[Kitkat1990]

Does anyone else have the problem of work getting in the way of losing weight?

I work in the charity sector and so am massively overworked all the time, hardly ever get time to take lunch, get home late and am exhausted when I get home!

I always have the best plans to eat healthily at the start of the week, but I'm literally so exhausted when I get home that if I haven't already prepared food, there's no hope of cooking.

And I want to join a gym again but, again, am exhausted and it would take me a while to get to an affordable one on public transport.

Any suggestions? Other than quitting my job, which I will do in a few months anyway!

Kitkat

[curvynotlumpy]

Preach it sister! I hear you, KitKat because I'm experiencing much of the same. I work on a college campus where my former position was similar to being an independent contractor. While my hours were set, I worked with a lot of students on a daily basis, had a supervisor that fully supports autonomy of her staff (but had no staff of my own), and often had Friday's off. I was running 3 times a week, lifting twice a week and walking regularly. I was a machine because the type of job I had allowed it. Flash forward three years and I'm now in a position with numerous moving parts, supervising a small staff of 2, and working at least one weekend day each week. I've gained 40 pounds.

Unless my lotto dream comes true (and I don't even play ), it is up to me to figure out how to find the right balance. I do think job stress has interfered with my weight loss but it's a slippery slope, right? I don't want to use my job as an excuse because I know others who have had far more going on in their lives and still manage to crack the code by putting the effort into it.

As for suggestions I would say do what you can, regularly, in reasonable doses. What might that look like? Maybe you find yourself not drinking enough water. Set a goal for drinking a large glass first thing in the morning. If you find yourself drinking juice or diet soda the rest of the day so be it, but you can at least look back and say, I had my one glass. After you wrap up the work week probably the last thing you want to do is shop, but maybe that's the compromise to not cook during the week. Head to the market on Friday night or early Saturday morning and do some batch cooking for the week. Maybe roasting some vegetables, cooking some chicken breasts, boiling eggs already divided into containers or ziplocks so it's all ready for you each day. The recipe boards on this site are wonderful and will give you some great ideas.

I sympathize with being exhausted because I know I walk around sleep deprived. This is my fault. By nature I'm a night owl but I need to be to work by 8 a.m. every morning. I know that if I shut the television off and get myself to bed with no distractions by 10 p.m. I could remedy this situation. Lack of sleep messes with your cortisol levels which contributes to fat storage and weight gain.

You can do this! I know you can!

[Palestrina]

Good points by curvy.

You have something to look forward to in the future when you plan to quit so already things are looking up!

When you're on the job and it's hectic, and we've all had some type of job like that right? It's easy to get into the shuffle of the job and overlook your own needs. Especially in the public sector when money is always tight, it's full of passionate people but everyone is usually pulling more than their own weight and nothing ever seems to really get completed. In a scenario like this you have to step back and say to yourself these words:

"I need to take care of my own needs because nobody else will."

By law you are allowed to have breaks but if you don't enforce them then nobody will force you to take them. Sure, you may stand out if you say that you will be taking full use of your lunch hour and are not to be disturbed during your 15 minute break but that's not your problem is it?

Overall in the US I think there is a constant problem with overworking. We skip our lunch breaks or we eat at our desk, or we stay an extra half hour at work because everyone else does it. It is a valued character trait to give more at your job because employers have the upper hand. This is unheard of in other countries. I have no idea why Americans want to be so over productive. I shudder that schools give out awards to the kids with best attendance, especially seniors who have never missed a day of school. All that means is that the poor kid schlepped into school sick on numerous occasions just to earn that prize.

Sorry for the tangent, all I'm trying to say is that you need to value your own needs, your body has basic needs (food, water, rest, sleep, intimacy, laughter, etc) and employers have no incentive to provide you with any of these things but they can never legally or humanely deny you the choice to pursue them.

[sunarie]

I agree with what's already been posted. I will add that in past diets where I had a job that resulted in few breaks and a lot of work I use to prepare all my meals on the weekends.

Basically I'd spend a day chopping veggies, portioning meat, and freezer bagging everything. That way when I got home I could pop stuff in the microwave, or before I went in I could throw a bag in the crockpot.. which I guess is probably unsafe to leave it running while you're out of the house.. but oh well :/

[maddierep]

don't knock healthy convenience foods. I normally have little energy or interest in cooking once i get home from work (my busy schedule during the day means if i munch on raw fruits and veggies i can control my calories during the day and not feel restricted)

Most of my adult life this has meant I made unhealthy choices for dinner and gained weight steadily (since i was too exhausted to choose a healthy meal over a cheap, tasty and fattening supper)

So options: buy fresh roasted/grilled chicken from the supermarket, already prepped fish or lean meat (nothing processed - just ready to pop on the grill). Don't get packaged food (like breaded fish sticks that sound healthy but aren't) but like salmon fillet. I buy mushrooms which are so quick and easy to prepare as a side. Or canned kidney beans (no sauce, just in water), or frozen cut vegetables (stir fry them for a delicious side). Try thinking about what you're going to eat in the morning when you still have energy and will power.

I still have to think ahead and make sure these choices are available. But it works for the lazy me since all it takes is a trip to the grocery store rather than a sunday prepping for it (sunarie - your approach may be better and cheaper but i just can't do it)