Lengthy Work Days, Hectic Lifestyle and Constant Weight-Gain

Anyone have a job that has a ridiculously crazy schedule, long, irregular hours or constantly has them running around throughout the day?

Has anyone suffered significant weight gain due to this?

I recently got a new job that requires me to work in 12-hour shifts three days a week. Since the job is an hour away, I find myself waking up at 5am, too groggy to make breakfast, leaving my house at 6am, getting to work for 7am and working until 7pm, but that's not all.

Often times, I don't get out on time. Usually I end up getting out around 8 or 9pm, and sometimes I don't even get out until 12 or 1am depending on if there's a shift that needs to be covered (which there usually is).

My job doesn't have time set aside for people to go on lunch. You go when you get the opportunity and if you don't eat when you can, you might not get the chance, and so you're forced to order quick food and gulp it down as fast as possible because you never know when you'll be hit out for your next assignment.

Because we work in 12-hour shifts, we have to rely on eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at work. I do not have time to go grocery shopping; everything is closed before and after work because I have such irregular hours, so bringing lunch hasn't been an option.

Just wondering if there's anyone out there who can relate to this, and what advice they can offer. Maybe I need a new thought process.

I work 10 hour days five days a week, often have to stay later than that as well. I also work shift work, rotating shifts, but so far I have been lucky enough to stay on just one shift midnite till 10am. Your post sounded a lot like one of mine! For me when I am thinking about it I pack a lunch in a cooler. Usually big enough to throw some drinks and ice in as well. I used to pack sandwiches, but another option when you want something hot, is to put a Frozen entree, like Michelina's or lean cuisine type entrees in the cooler packed with ice, then just pop it in the microwave if you get the chance. Thats what I do when I am on the ball and go grocery shopping for the whole week and just plan your meals out and snacks as well. Eating out is easier, but it gets expensive when you do it everyday, and its harder to eat healthier, for me anyway, looking at the menu, a big juicy cheese burger, or a salad, the burger usually wins, when I pack a lunch its harder to justify going to the fast food joints. I know the cooler looks dorky! But having some good food and cold drinks on demand is worth it. As for the not being able to eat a good breakfast take some snacks to hold you over till you get a chance, if you get one, to eat your lunch, then another snack later till you get home for dinner.

Hope this was idea that might help. Good luck! Jim

That sounds like a tough schedule, but do I understand that you work 3 days on, 4 days off?  If that is the case, maybe you can stock up with healthy foods on your days off, get a cooler, and take lots of heathy foods each morning that will get you through the day.  Things like yogurt, fruit, vegetable salads, whole grains, nuts -- but they should be things you like so that you reach for them rather than grabbing fast food.  Since even fast food takes longer to get, you could maybe relax a little and eat your food slowly, which will be better for your soul as well as your body.

If you have access to a fridge and a microwave, you can add in some hot meals.  Cook a big pot of soup on your day off, take in some containers to heat in the microwave.  Always make extra food for dinner, take in leftovers.  If you don't have time to cook (or don't like to), buy a rotisserie chicken, you can eat off of that for a week in salads and sandwiches.  Lots of "upscale" groceries have relatively healthy prepared food in the deli section, buy a few portions of those and take them to work.  They are pricier than fast food, but often more nutritious and satisfying.

If you are in the US, by law, you have to have at least a half hour meal period (uninterrupted by work duties) within 5 hours of your start time, and every 5 hours after that.  I know that you are in a new job, but is there anyway you can have an actual break to relax and eat healthy foods?  Good luck!

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