So my question is, has anyone been in a position where they have been afraid to start a diet because it might affect your work performance?
My Job requires quite alot of physical fitness, atm my crew and I are building a 5 mile fence out in the desert in fairly harsh terrain. Part of the reason for me wanting to lose more weight is so i can keep up better when hiking/climbing (my strength is not a problem).
However, i've tried several times to cut down what i'm eating out in the field (we camp out at work so the crew eats all together) but have found that i lose energy faster and i can't work as hard as normal. Being crew leader this does not look good to my crew so i upped my calorie intake again and the problem stopped.
So what do you think i should do?
Any suggestions welcome.
I don't know how you're eating now, but you might find that eating more often lets you eat less in total quantity while keeping your energy up. And of course, high quality foods. You might find that whole grains and beans sustain you better than refined carbs, lots of greens may give you more stamina, and healthy fats may or may not also help sustain you more than carbs of any kind.
Also, getting of caffeine can make a big difference - unfortunately, depending how much you're dependent on, it can take a while to get it out of your system. I go through a period being really sleepy, but after that passes I feel much better, even though I may have thought I was fine while on the caffeine.
I also sleep much better off caffeine, even though before going off I would have said it doesn't keep me up. Really good sleep can make a difference both in energy and weight loss.
Well, if you're counting calories, you could plan to have the bulk of your calories for breakfast and lunch and then, have a very light dinner. That way, you could have the energy you need. Try to eat foods that give you lots of bang for your calorie buck. Eat whole grains and proteins with lots of green leafy veggies and high fiber fruits. Also, be sure to drink lots of water, since sometimes, hunger is really thirst in disguise. The fact that you have a physical job is an asset because you are obviously burning lots of calories! On the weekends, when you're not working, you could cut your calories a bit more. You obviously know what you're doing, since you have lost so much weight already!
I clean houses, and have always had some type of active job.
I find I can get extremely hungry, almost to the point of feeling weak, so I find eating small amounts of high quality snacks or meals helps, large heavy meals will get you sleepy and less productive. For the last few months I have been carrying a large jug of water with me when I work, and I find that helps me a lot. Don't make the mistake of over estimating the calories you burn. I actually only allow for extra calories when I do formal exercise, I just eat differently when I work. One of the my weight loss reasons is also to make my work easier, carrying around 40 or so extra pounds feels like its killing me when I work.
Usually when I "diet" I count calories and cut down to around 1200. I realize with the job i have i should be looking more at 1600-2000 which is what i tried out.
The structure of my work day is usually 6.30am breakfast usually a bagel and cream cheese, 10am break- granola bar and orange, 12.30pm Lunch - Sandwich with lunchmeat and apple. 3pm break -granola bar. 5.30pm Dinner - whatever my crew decides to cook. Unfortunately as we are a 12 person crew i have little say in what we buy for our weeks worth of food. Being out in the desert for 7 nights with just a cooler means it's near impossible to keep fresh salad and vegetables very long. Meat is also a problem and we usually resort to canned meats. Beans we do get in abundance i'm glad to say.
As i'm working in very warm temperatures I will normally drink 5-6 litres during the 10hr work day and i don't drink anything caffienated. I normally get 10hrs sleep a night as it's too cold to stay up very long, i'm usually in my sleeping bag by 8.30pm.
It's been a while since i've been serious about losing weight, i'm very happy i have a job where i can maintain my weightloss through my active lifestyle and job but it has also presented me with some more problems to overcome.
1200 calories is definitely not enough. You sound like you know what you're doing and what you need in terms of calories. Can your bagel at least be whole wheat? Instead of granola bars, can you substitute almonds? If they are portion controlled, they can be a healthy source of protein. The granola bars could be good, but typically, they are full of sugar and when you consume something so sugary, it will lead to a drop in sugar and an increased appetite or weakness.
Best of luck to you and congrats on the weight loss so far. 56 lbs. is very impressive!
Hey! Yes, I think you're on the right track by raising your calories. I'd be fainting on 1200 with that active a job! I'm sure you've checked out some sites that let you estimate your daily intake--just make sure that you are eating enough to keep you going, but not overdoing it.
Water-packed canned or vacuum pack tuna is a great food! Also salmon! Green vegetables may have to wait until you are back home from your site, but you can get fiber from the beans, also you can pack in some oats for oatmeal, etc. Bagel and cream cheese--add some salmon! Granola bars are OK, but try to think of other snacks as well, like a previous poster suggested. For the dinners, just exercise portion control.
Diet for a very active job
I'm sure you've checked out some sites that let you estimate your daily intake--just make sure that you are eating enough to keep you going, but not overdoing it. 
Granola bars are OK, but try to think of other snacks as well, like a previous poster suggested. For the dinners, just exercise portion control. 
