Diet (IF) and Exercise (Is it needed?)

ftsolk

Lately, I've been noticing that I'm not typically hungry when I first wake up, so I don't eat. This certainly comes in handy on days where I get called into work and don't really have the luxury of taking time to eat much.

Unfortunately, I don't always eat lunch either. I don't always get a break (and it isn't required by law here), and I'm really not supposed to eat on the clock. I do on occasion, but it's a challenge, and I really don't want to get in trouble at work.

Over the past couple days, I haven't been eating much at all during the day. Monday, I had a small breakfast, but I didn't eat another bite until almost 7pm.

Tuesday, I had a GoGo Squeeze Applesauce on the way to work (was called in). I DID get a break, and I had a packet of Justin's Almond Butter and a banana at around 2pm. I had a few string cheeses at around 5 and diner was at 6:30. I didn't eat anything else after that.

Yesterday, I didn't eat anything until around 3pm (some Cheddar Bunnies). Dinner was closer to 9pm.

At this point, I'm considering just trying to focus on intermittent fasting on work days (5-7 days a week), but in order to do this, I'd basically just be eating one meal a day (dinner). At the very least, I'd be doing it Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Sundays are a bit more complex since I have church, and they serve food there (I probably should stay away from the bagels before service, but I usually just go for the fruit and cheese after the service).

Now, regarding exercise, I'm questioning how much I really need to "work out." At my job, I am on my feet for 4-10 hours. I wear a Fitbit to track my steps, and I take around 15,000-25,000 steps a day depending on how long I work, what I do before/after work, etc. On days I don't work, my step count is usually lower (around 4,000-10,000), though I did hit 45,000 steps on Saturday.

My job also involves bending, twisting, and lifting (I had an order this week that had 100 pounds of rock salt, 60 pounds of dog food, 35 pounds of cat litter, and multiple 24-count cases of water). I'm often extremely sore after work (especially my foot- which can be helped when I get new shoes), and I'm just physically worn out. I already exceed the recommended 10,000 steps a day on average. So, is trying to make the time to work out REALLY necessary, or is my lifestyle active enough?

In addition to my job, I also do a lot of walking on my social time. I also work part-time (once a week) babysitting 4-6 kids ages 8 months to 6 years (usually 4 kids ranging 8 months to 3 years), and I take on other babysitting jobs as needed. If I have a weekend off work, I like to head into New York City. I rarely take any public transportation there, and our favorite activity is visiting The High Line, so I think I'm somewhat active. I just don't do any actual workouts. I'll also admit that on my days off, I DO enjoy time to be lazy, but it's also a chance to rest my foot, so I don't feel guilty about it.

So, is it really necessary to exercise to be healthy and lose weight? And is there anything wrong with only eating one meal a day most days? I haven't made a decision about what kind of diet I'd follow- calorie counting, Paleo/Primal, Weight Watchers. Realistically, I imagine that I'd probably just focus on eating "real" foods (100 Days of Real Food) at home- at least to start (white flour and sugar would be allowed in moderation, but I'd avoid artificial colors, flavors, nitrates, etc.)

So, any insights? I've been struggling for months. I lost around 15-18 pounds (it fluctuates) in around 3 months and I've been maintaining that weight loss for 7-8 months. Unfortunately, I still have 40-60 pounds left to lose before I reach my goal weight.

cw106

eat less(junk) , move more.
calories cant tell the time.
you can set your weight loss for work levels as lightly or fully active.
steps are just steps, a daily part of all our lives.
with 40-60 to lose,pick a weekly loss amount you can cope with eg 1lb a week and add some exercise/ weight training to your week.
thats how i lost40+ lbs with more to go.
g luck.