Frustrated...dieting while waitressing?
 

I fell off the band wagon a while ago, but I figured I would start again and just do 30 days of the South Beach diet. I did really well for the first few days, and then I hit a snag...

I work at a pizza place thursday, friday, saturday and sunday. My shift is most often a 5-10 shift, which follows my normal 9-5 shift at my full time job. (Yes, somehow I finish one job at 5, travel to the next and start that at 5). This is over the supper time, and I am on my feet the whole time. I don't get a chance to eat beforehand and because it's a restaurant they are sticky about me bringing in outside food. So i'm kind of left ordering myself food off the menu and grabbing a few mouthfuls between the crazy supper rush. My other alternative is waiting but when you are on your feet and not eating until 10, that's almost impossible. And most everything (except the dressing laden salad) is not south beach, or any diet friendly for that matter. What do I do? Order the $10 ceaser or go hungry? It's hard to dish out that money, as what we normally get is mistake food for free; wings, pizzas and breadsticks. It seems like no matter how hard I try, i'm doomed to stay the same weight as any diet will fail by thursday!

I would go for the salad. Ten dollars, seriously? I think it's strange they aren't keen on you bringing your own food, especially if they're going to charge you so much to eat there. Is there a hard rule about outside food? Maybe if they (management) understand you're on a diet and a budget (hence, 2 jobs) they'd be a little bit more agreeable?

Maybe try to get something healthy in your stomach before you leave job #1. Maybe even something you can eat in the car on the way (though it sounds like a short distance!). Sliced veggies and some string cheese, sliced apples, peeled hard boiled eggs, chicken cut in to strips.... these are all things you can eat in the car.

Are the wings breaded?? If they are unbreaded that might be an option. I know it isn't totally on plan BUT I did SBD before and ate hot wings (without breading) when I was in a pinch and the scale kept moving. Maybe they will let you eat their wings and bring in your own vegetable since that isn't the competitors' food.

You are so... not doomed! You have came a long way. One or two or even maybe three nights or days a week will not hold you back from your goals!

While pizza is so good and I miss it sooooo much! I can't say it enough! I still eat it. However, I am only able to get one slice because my husband eats the rest! :( He calls it " Looking out for me" While I do want more slices of pizza, I must keep in mind I can only eat certain amount of calories a day.

The point is this; you can have that pizza you want; but you must burn those calories off. I have learned that I can eat whatever I want; but the key is working it off!

Good luck and work-off those calories!

Because you're on your feet all day, I honestly feel like you're burning calories! If you're exercising on top of that, maybe there might be a way of working out a meal plan that you intake less calories during the day to account for a slice or two of pizza and/or wings in the evening? That could maybe be on top of twinieten's suggestion of cutting up veggies to eat on the go?

If it helps any, if you get to eat mistake food for free, always opt for thin crust! For the last 3 days, we've had leftover pizza, and I managed to have two pieces of a thin crust pizza with salad and some chicken (they were actually breaded!) and still saw the scale move the right way!

I waitressed for years and no one noticed if I brought in food or not. Every one was too busy to notice or care.
I would try to pack healthy snacks..string cheese, carrots etc. eat those in between your shifts and then have something prepared for after. If you are eating pizza three nights a week, it will be hard but not impossible to keep at a deficit.

That's just cruddy. One, I worked at a pizza joint and always got to eat half off during my shift! Two, we had people, kids mostly, who would bring in mcdonalds chicken nuggets while their parents ate in the restaurant. This just seems wrong. Just because you work there does not mean you should have to pay for their food. What if you couldn't eat gluten? Do you have a family physician? Maybe he could give you a doctors excuse to allow you to bring in healthy options?

I have not worked in a restaurant for many , many years but when I did staff got one free meal, during your shift. I would do as suggested brimg some finger food such as cheese sticks or protein bars. I don't do South Beach so don't know what is permitted, I would check it out see what snack foods are permissable, I am sure there is a way around this.

Another option is to consider some intermittent fasting on those days. You would be surprised at how much energy you can have while fasting for extended periods of time. Everyone is different, so it might not work for you, but on days where eating is inconvenient, I no longer stress about making sure I eat regularly. I actually realized that dealing with short-term hunger was less stress and more enjoyable than feeling desperate to find acceptable food simply be I felt like I 'should' eat.

Great advice, LaurieDawn! I agree, check into IF and see if you could give it a shot.

can you eat something while you are traveling between the 2 jobs? Cold chicken breasts, cheese, hard boiled eggs? Just some protein and fat to keep you going while you are on your feet?