HELP: I can't eat healthy and work at the same time

Vodka97

Hi!

So, I work at Subway. Usually my shift is an open, where in which I work from 5-2:30PM. My problem is, is that during that time it's rare I have a chance to eat. So, for example, yesterday my food for the entire day was a chicken salad...

I'm so busy at work too that I don't even notice I'm hungry. Whilst the workout is great (I walk about 7800 steps a day there), I really don't know how to balance it out with my healthy eating

Please give me your advice, I don't want to be stuck on 3000kj a day!

SLLeask

I don't really understand. You finish work at 2.30pm? What do you do for the rest of the day? Why can't you have breakfast before you go to work (prepare the night before if necessary) and then have a meal at normal dinner time? I often don't eat until afternoon if I'm up and straight out or sometimes don't feel like lunch...

Vodka97

SLLeask wrote: »

I don't really understand. You finish work at 2.30pm? What do you do for the rest of the day? Why can't you have breakfast before you go to work (prepare the night before if necessary) and then have a meal at normal dinner time? I often don't eat until afternoon if I'm up and straight out or sometimes don't feel like lunch...

I'm not hungry at 5AM, and then by the time I'm starting to get hungry until 9PM, but by that point I'm pretty busy so I don't really get a chance to stop and eat, I rarely get a break for lunch either, so by 2:30 I haven't eaten anything, and by the time I get home it's three and like, I can't eat a healthy amount of food in the 5 hours I'll be awake after that.

natboosh69

Just eat a high calorie dinner when you get home then, also by law they have to give you at least a 20 min break for every 6 hours of work so you could have a snack or lunch then. You also get free lunch as an employee so you could have a 6 inch turkey or chicken sub with lots of salad.

tomteboda

(1) Folks commenting might want to check the OP's location. He is not from the USA.

(2) @Vodka97 , you may need to ignore your hunger and set an eating schedule for yourself if you're not getting enough calories/nutrients.

One trick I've discovered that works well for me is to be awake several hours before I have to be at work, even if it means keeping some unusual hours. It's not a solution for everyone, but I discovered that if I rise 4 hours before I have to be at work, I accomplish a tremendous amount in those hours at a relaxed pace without leaving myself exhausted by the end of the work day. My guess is you aren't hungry *right away* when you wake up, but if you gave yourself an extra hour even in the morning, you would likely start experiencing hunger.

skinnyinnotime

I eat breakfast/lunch and lunch/dinner in a.5hr time frame, i can't see what difficutly you have with that. We're all busy, more often than not i eat lunch in my car as that's my only option.

snowflake954

How about keeping some healthy snacks--like almonds or other nuts in your pocket. Snack on them during the day.

misskarne

tomteboda wrote: »

(1) Folks commenting might want to check the OP's location. He is not from the USA.

Exactly, which makes no break even MORE illegal. If I read his profile right he is in Brisbane, Australia, and for a nine and a half hour shift he should be getting a proper half-hour lunch break AND two 15 minute rest breaks (I believe). So I call bunk on not having a chance to eat.

OP, pre-make your lunch if you don't get freebies or don't want to buy, and take some pre-made snacks if you like.

ultrahoon

Just eat a packed lunch that you've made the night before on one of your breaks. Working at Subway is just an excuse.

natboosh69

misskarne wrote: »

tomteboda wrote: »

(1) Folks commenting might want to check the OP's location. He is not from the USA.

Exactly, which makes no break even MORE illegal. If I read his profile right he is in Brisbane, Australia, and for a nine and a half hour shift he should be getting a proper half-hour lunch break AND two 15 minute rest breaks (I believe). So I call bunk on not having a chance to eat.

OP, pre-make your lunch if you don't get freebies or don't want to buy, and take some pre-made snacks if you like.

Yup, I used to work in Subway and I'm not from the US.

Alatariel75

First of all, you're entitled to a break. If you're not getting one, your employer is breaching workplace laws.
Second, nothing you have said stops you eating whatever way you wish to, to meet your goals. If you don't want breakfast, don't have it. Plan a meal for after work and eat it. Get a calorie goal, plan foods to meet it and stick to that.

AnvilHead

There are many people in the world who work 12+ hour shifts, take care of kids, have hobbies, etc. and still manage to eat. When you want to do it badly enough you'll figure a way rather than making excuses.

starwhisperer6

I love the days at work that I am too busy to eat! Leaves me a lot of wiggle room for supper, that is generally when I decide it is a good time for a huge burger or a pizza

callsitlikeiseeit

AnvilHead wrote: »

There are many people in the world who work 12+ hour shifts, take care of kids, have hobbies, etc. and still manage to eat. When you want to do it badly enough you'll figure a way rather than making excuses.

all of that and above.... in my case, add in i own a business, have a boyfriend, 2 kids, 13 animals, and provide a large amount of care and help for my disabled ex husband. Add in going out with friends, errands, and all the fun stuff i do ... and i could have 1001 excuses not to make my health a priority. But i don't.

and yet, ive managed to lose 70+ pounds in the past year. my day starts at 5 am and doesnt end until 10pm IF im lucky.

beemerphile1

First off you should describe your definition of eating healthy. Subway has lots of healthy options.

I'm always puzzled how people become overweight if they don't have time to eat or are not hungry.

callsitlikeiseeit

beemerphile1 wrote: »

I'm always puzzled how people become overweight if they don't have time to eat or are not hungry.

you and me both lol

beemerphile1

natboosh69 wrote: »

...by law they have to give you at least a 20 min break for every 6 hours of work....

Whose law is that? I don't know about where the OP is located, but in the USA there is no federal law requiring lunch or coffee breaks.
dol.gov/dol/topic/workhours/breaks.htm

If it is a Subway rule it is not a law.

truelight_photo_craig

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

AnvilHead wrote: »

There are many people in the world who work 12+ hour shifts, take care of kids, have hobbies, etc. and still manage to eat. When you want to do it badly enough you'll figure a way rather than making excuses.

all of that and above.... in my case, add in i own a business, have a boyfriend, 2 kids, 13 animals, and provide a large amount of care and help for my disabled ex husband. Add in going out with friends, errands, and all the fun stuff i do ... and i could have 1001 excuses not to make my health a priority. But i don't.

and yet, ive managed to lose 70+ pounds in the past year. my day starts at 5 am and doesnt end until 10pm IF im lucky.

EXACTLY!!!

If health is a priority, you'll find a way to get it done.

rsclause

eat a snack at regular intervals. Some tree nuts, an apple, a protein bar. Its quick and has some food value. You don't need to always eat a big meal but it is a good idea to get some energy calories in there.

starwhisperer6

State Laws

Federal law does not require breaks and meal periods, but virtually all of the states have labor laws that contain provisions for mandatory rest periods for breaks and meals, making it unlawful to require that employees work a straight shift of eight hours. The state laws vary. For example, California employers are required to give employees a 30-minute meal break after five hours of work, unless the employee's shift is only six hours. In New York, the state law requires a one-hour break during the middle of the day, or around noon, for factory workers. Rhode Island law mandates a 30-minute meal break for an eight-hour shift.

Might not be federal, but I have never lived in a state that it wasn't a law to allow some sort of a break during an 8 hour shift.

wdunnett1

In the posters defense I work 12 hr shifts with no actual lunch break and it is federal law that allows this in my case

quiksylver296

wdunnett1 wrote: »

In the posters defense I work 12 hr shifts with no actual lunch break and it is federal law that allows this in my case

First responder, I assume?

wdunnett1

My advice is to get a good size protein shake in for breakfast in the morning (with whole wheat toast if need be) and then follow a semi-warrior style diet a la intermitent fasting til you can eat again

juggernaut1974

In any event...the entire discussion of state law, federal law, etc of US is immaterial as OP is in Australia.

AnvilHead wrote: »

There are many people in the world who work 12+ hour shifts, take care of kids, have hobbies, etc. and still manage to eat. When you want to do it badly enough you'll figure a way rather than making excuses.

This is the honest, albeit blunt, truth.

nordlead2005

walk down the line and put together a 600 calorie sandwich. Stuff it in your face, replace your gloves, and get back to work.

pondee629

Do we really have to educate an 18 year old gentleman from Queensland when to eat? I don't know what the impediment was prohibiting him from having more than just a chicken salad post 2:30 P.M. Methinks the gentleman just likes to whine.

WinoGelato

If you're old enough to hold a job aren't you old enough to figure out how to feed yourself?

jasmineruth

I don't usually eat lunch and somehow I've been losing weight or maintaining for two and a half years. Even if your not hungry in the morning have something quick and nutrient dense. Bring a 'lunch' with you to eat on your way home. Eat dinner at 6:30. Done. Boom. Three meals. Not to mention you could just eat one well rounded meal if that is your thing. Working at a job shouldn't stop you from eating healthy. Most of us work. At jobs. Lots of people pull 10/12 hour shifts with or without breaks.

tomatoey

Alatariel75 wrote: »

First of all, you're entitled to a break. If you're not getting one, your employer is breaching workplace laws.

+1. Just because some people don't have breaks because they're not protected by laws doesn't mean it's a good idea or something to put up with, if you can avoid it (first responders obviously not in that category). It's reasonable for your employer to ask that you be available during busy times, but if you are not getting breaks at all, that's not right - or legal, in Australia, sounds like (I trust @Alatariel75 and other Ozzies know what they're talking about).

If you are getting breaks and just not feeling hungry at those times, try to readjust that, if you find yourself feeling wonky. People do intermittent fasting, good if that works for you, but generally speaking people need energy to work, so it makes sense to eat for energy (for work). I'd make myself eat at 5am or at a downtime, even if I wasn't hungry, in order to have enough in the tank for the shift. Eventually your hunger cues will shift. Also - wait until you've eaten breakfast to have your coffee or tea, because caffeine's an appetite suppressant.

kshama2001

Vodka97 wrote: »

SLLeask wrote: »

I don't really understand. You finish work at 2.30pm? What do you do for the rest of the day? Why can't you have breakfast before you go to work (prepare the night before if necessary) and then have a meal at normal dinner time? I often don't eat until afternoon if I'm up and straight out or sometimes don't feel like lunch...

I'm not hungry at 5AM, and then by the time I'm starting to get hungry until 9PM, but by that point I'm pretty busy so I don't really get a chance to stop and eat, I rarely get a break for lunch either, so by 2:30 I haven't eaten anything, and by the time I get home it's three and like, I can't eat a healthy amount of food in the 5 hours I'll be awake after that.

I get not being hungry at 5 AM. I assume you mean you start getting hungry at 9 AM rather than 9 PM? Like other posters said, you could have some nuts or protein bars on hand for this. Also, I had a housemate in food service and she brought smoothies to work to sip on when she got the chance. You can make higher calorie smoothies by adding foods like peanut butter.

wdunnett1

quiksylver296 wrote: »

wdunnett1 wrote: »

In the posters defense I work 12 hr shifts with no actual lunch break and it is federal law that allows this in my case

First responder, I assume?

Nuclear security officer, regulated by federal govt