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HELP: I can't eat healthy and work at the same time
Replies
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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.
This post is confusing. Is the problem that you think you are eating too little? In an earlier post you mentioned " I don't want to be stuck on 3000kj a day" so I thought you were having trouble not overeating.
Why can't you eat a healthy amount of food in 5 hours? I could easily eat my entire day's worth of calories in one meal. In fact, I occasionally do just that. In 5 hours you could easily eat 2 meals. How many calories do you want to eat per day?0 -
beemerphile1 wrote: »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.
If you are interested you can click on the poster's profile and depend on their settings you can see their location. The OP is in Queensland Australia.
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Packerjohn wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »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.
If you are interested you can click on the poster's profile and depend on their settings you can see their location. The OP is in Queensland Australia.
I'm not the one that claimed it was a law without providing documentation supporting that claim. Many people assume there are laws that do not exist. If someone wants to claim a violation of law they need to supply documentation. I admited that I do not know the law in the OP's country.0 -
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 wrote: »If you're old enough to hold a job aren't you old enough to figure out how to feed yourself?
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WinoGelato wrote: »If you're old enough to hold a job aren't you old enough to figure out how to feed yourself?
Every single MFP member - hopefully all 18+ - has had to "figure out how to feed themselves" in new ways, and helping with that is why the community exists...0 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »
Also, maybe, don't let your blood sugar get too low0 -
I'm very confused. OP are you struggling to eat enough? Are you losing weight too fast?0
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Can you take salami sticks, flap jack, nuts etc with you? Then you can nibble them in between customers or even on loo breaks.
If not you can just eat a lot of calories in a short space of time.
I was snowed under at work today so I ended up not eating from 7pm last night until 6pm tonight and I still bust my calories by making higher calorie choices.0 -
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.
Maybe it would help if you learned to eat at 5 AM.
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COnfused by the title. You're having trouble "eating healthy at work" or just eating in general?
He said "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..." but why? I don't see a problem that isn't easily fixed here.
Hopefully the OP comes back to clarify a little more.0 -
beemerphile1 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »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.
If you are interested you can click on the poster's profile and depend on their settings you can see their location. The OP is in Queensland Australia.
I'm not the one that claimed it was a law without providing documentation supporting that claim. Many people assume there are laws that do not exist. If someone wants to claim a violation of law they need to supply documentation. I admited that I do not know the law in the OP's country.
Well I am an Australian who has worked in retail and I can tell you, nine and a half hours equals one half-hour lunch break and two 15-minute breaks. (I think it's two. I think it's a 15 at 5, a half and a 15 at 7, and a half and two 15s at 9).
So unless OP is trying to tell us that a major food chain here is illegally denying its workers breaks, he has time to eat.0 -
Hungry at 9pm? So eat at 9pm. I can very easily get plenty enough calories for the day in one or sittings and do so regularly. Doesn't matter when you eat or how many meal that's split into and it's incredibly easy to up calorie intake without upping volume of food much by adding dressings and condiments that are buttery/oily. Adversely you can remove those condiments and some/all starchy carbs to lower the calories whilst maintaining decent volume.0
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While checking to see if Subway had a rule about worker breaks, I found this article. Subway (and McDonald's, etc.) workers in the US might be interested to learn that the following are considered wage violations.
Subway leads fast food industry in underpaying workers
...Common incidents include employers forcing workers to deduct a 30-minute lunch break, even though the employee didn't take a break. Some workers are forced to pay for a company uniform, which can be a violation if, after deducting that expense, the worker's hourly rate falls below the minimum wage.
In a 2012 lawsuit, a Subway franchisee in Ohio, Hray Enterprises, was found in violation of labor laws after it failed to pay employees for the time they spent doing the nightly closing routine. For example, Hray Enterprises might say a worker's shift stopped at 10 p.m. when it actually took another half hour to shut the restaurant down and clean up.
The franchise also made illegal deductions from employees' wages when there were cash register shortages, causing their pay to fall below the federal minimum wage.
...Some employers also try to skirt overtime rules by asking workers to sign contracts waiving time-and-a-half pay.
Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2014/05/01/news/economy/subway-labor-violations/
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So you have from 2:30pm until you go to bed to eat in a way that meets your calorie requirements. If I assume you go to bed at 9:30PM, that's a 7 hour window. How is this a problem?0
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Okay. Subway has a LOT of very healthy food. You should not have any trouble feeding yourself properly either before, after or at work. Hard as this might sound the thing is,
You are choosing not to do what you know you need to do. And you are using your job as your excuse.
So stop it.
Don't feel like eating breakfast? Eat it anyway if you know that is what is going to help you get through your day.
Want to eat the cookies but know you shouldn't? Don't eat the cookies.
The only way you are going to make this work for you is if you MAKE this work for you.0 -
You can eat or drink something small early in the morning. A glass of milk... serving of nuts... apple or banana.
You could bring something with you to eat quickly during the day.
You can just eat all of your calories for the day after 3 PM.
You can choose to eat higher calorie food items if eating a large quantity of food in 5 hours is an issue for you. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1
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First OP it's really hard to give you accurate advice when no one really knows what your issue is here? If you are meaning that you can't find enough time in a day to consume an adequate amount of calories, then it would lead me to believe you are trying to live off of just veggies and fruit, because in 24 hrs rather busy half that time, a quarter of that time, or 3 quarters of that time you should be able to work in an ample amount of calories.
I'm going to guess you are trying to make healthier calorie dense food choices, but feel because you're too busy to eat during your workday, and generally don't eat til after work that you're finding it difficult to eat at your deficit on these foods alone so you are eating a huge amount of calories in one sitting or from the time you get off til you go to bed (hence your mention of 3,000kj) You feel you can't eat enough of the calorie dense foods in a 5-7 hr spans of time to meet your daily caloric goals.
You stated you barely get breaks at work, but from what it sounds like is it's not that your employer is not allowing you breaks, more that you are not taking the time to utilize them. I work in human resources in Illinois and we are required to give our employee working 4 -6 hours a 15 minute break, 6-8 hours a 15 minute and 30 minute (unpaid) meal period, anything over 8 will receive two 15 minute breaks and 30 minute (unpaid) meal period. Not all employers follow this rule, some give paid breaks but I won't get into that. We have employees on occasion decide not to take their 30 minute meal period choosing to work it instead, it is a conscious decision on their part. It is up to you to make the most of your meal period, its owed to you so utilize it as such, especially if your eating is a concern for you. The task you were performing beforehand will still be there when your done with your break.
Secondly if time if of the upmost importance to you when it comes to your eating then maybe intermittent fasting will work best for you. IF is eating all your daily calorie goals in a small space of time. Do some research on it, but even with IF you have to stay within your allowed deficit and this can be achieved with healthier foods.
Best of luck to you. Hopefully you'll clarify what you are needing help with : )0 -
As many have said, it's hard to give advice when we aren't sure exactly what the problem is.
From personal experience, it can be tough to find the time and motivation to eat properly or healthily when you work in a fast paced environment and/or around food. I used to work 7-10 hour shifts in a busy pub restaurant, and the only food on offer from the pub itself was deep fried (or high cal and microwaved). If it's a particularly busy shift, I often didn't get a break until 5/6 hours in. As I worked the close, I usually didn't start until 5PM and could sometimes be there until 1 or 2AM on busy days, meaning I'd sleep in a little later to catch up on sleep. Sleeping in meant I often missed breakfast, and starting at 5 meant I missed dinner, so often I'd just eat one large meal with most of my calories right before I left for work, and then take a snack (Cereal bar, packet of crisps etc) to keep me going through my shift.
If you're over eating, then pre logging may be the way forward (which could also be a good approach if you have the opposite problem). Make sure you eat before you go to work or before you get hungry- once you get hungry, it's harder to control urges to binge or to eat things you shouldn't
The important thing to remember is that you need to fuel your body properly for the work you're doing. If you're doing a lot of walking/running around during busy shifts and on your feet all day, you need to make sure you're taking good enough care of your body before you burn out.0 -
Can't then don't. The easy choice.0
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starwhisperer6 wrote: »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.
That is also dependent on the nature of your job. I work in EMS, in a 911 system, I do not get breaks and legally they do not have to give them to me. Even if at work and not actively on a job, I am still required by law to help someone if I am in uniform. They consider the "down time" as a break, even if we get no down time during a particular shift. However, by city law, we can not work more than 16 hours, and are placed out of service if at 16 hours and one minute, regardless of if we have relief.0 -
beemerphile1 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »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.
If you are interested you can click on the poster's profile and depend on their settings you can see their location. The OP is in Queensland Australia.
I'm not the one that claimed it was a law without providing documentation supporting that claim. Many people assume there are laws that do not exist. If someone wants to claim a violation of law they need to supply documentation. I admited that I do not know the law in the OP's country.
Well I am an Australian who has worked in retail and I can tell you, nine and a half hours equals one half-hour lunch break and two 15-minute breaks. (I think it's two. I think it's a 15 at 5, a half and a 15 at 7, and a half and two 15s at 9).
So unless OP is trying to tell us that a major food chain here is illegally denying its workers breaks, he has time to eat.
And I'm an Australian lawyer with a background in hospitality and retail management and i can tell you its a law0 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »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.
If you are interested you can click on the poster's profile and depend on their settings you can see their location. The OP is in Queensland Australia.
I'm not the one that claimed it was a law without providing documentation supporting that claim. Many people assume there are laws that do not exist. If someone wants to claim a violation of law they need to supply documentation. I admited that I do not know the law in the OP's country.
Well I am an Australian who has worked in retail and I can tell you, nine and a half hours equals one half-hour lunch break and two 15-minute breaks. (I think it's two. I think it's a 15 at 5, a half and a 15 at 7, and a half and two 15s at 9).
So unless OP is trying to tell us that a major food chain here is illegally denying its workers breaks, he has time to eat.
And I'm an Australian lawyer with a background in hospitality and retail management and i can tell you its a law
BOOM
but I think that poster isn't arguing that the law exists or doesn't; they just don't believe a chain like Subway would break it0 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »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.
If you are interested you can click on the poster's profile and depend on their settings you can see their location. The OP is in Queensland Australia.
I'm not the one that claimed it was a law without providing documentation supporting that claim. Many people assume there are laws that do not exist. If someone wants to claim a violation of law they need to supply documentation. I admited that I do not know the law in the OP's country.
Well I am an Australian who has worked in retail and I can tell you, nine and a half hours equals one half-hour lunch break and two 15-minute breaks. (I think it's two. I think it's a 15 at 5, a half and a 15 at 7, and a half and two 15s at 9).
So unless OP is trying to tell us that a major food chain here is illegally denying its workers breaks, he has time to eat.
And I'm an Australian lawyer with a background in hospitality and retail management and i can tell you its a law
BOOM
but I think that poster isn't arguing that the law exists or doesn't; they just don't believe a chain like Subway would break it
He'd be very surprised. Some of the chains are the worst offenders. There's a huge workplace scandal going on here at the moment with 7-eleven, and a lot of the international chains show up in the media regularly. Then take the fact that Subway is a franchise, and it doesn't surprise me at all.0 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »beemerphile1 wrote: »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.
If you are interested you can click on the poster's profile and depend on their settings you can see their location. The OP is in Queensland Australia.
I'm not the one that claimed it was a law without providing documentation supporting that claim. Many people assume there are laws that do not exist. If someone wants to claim a violation of law they need to supply documentation. I admited that I do not know the law in the OP's country.
Well I am an Australian who has worked in retail and I can tell you, nine and a half hours equals one half-hour lunch break and two 15-minute breaks. (I think it's two. I think it's a 15 at 5, a half and a 15 at 7, and a half and two 15s at 9).
So unless OP is trying to tell us that a major food chain here is illegally denying its workers breaks, he has time to eat.
And I'm an Australian lawyer with a background in hospitality and retail management and i can tell you its a law
BOOM
but I think that poster isn't arguing that the law exists or doesn't; they just don't believe a chain like Subway would break it
He'd be very surprised. Some of the chains are the worst offenders. There's a huge workplace scandal going on here at the moment with 7-eleven, and a lot of the international chains show up in the media regularly. Then take the fact that Subway is a franchise, and it doesn't surprise me at all.
Exactly. I was a manager in the QLD hospitality industry. At 5 hours you get a half hour break. Period.
Every 4 hours I had to give a 10 minute break.
OP, You should know that Subway can make any of their sandwiches into a salad bowl.0 -
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 can't eat a healthy amount of food in the 5 hours I'll be awake after that.
?
It doesn't take that long to eat say a PB&J sandwhich, some vegatables, a cup of rice, and maybe some chicken/beef/ham/protein, and a glass of milk. That's 2000-3000 calories right there depending on portion sizes. That takes no more than 30-40 minutes to eat.
I don't want to even think about the food you would be able to eat in 5 hours of eating....
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Queensland, Australia is not the same as the US. The OP lives in Australia and the law, based on the fast food award, is that if one works four to five hours, they are entitled to one rest break. Five to nine hours, one rest break and one lunch break. Over nine hours, one to two rest breaks and one to two meal breaks. So OP, you need to contact whatever the equivalent is of the Department of Labor and complain.
Also, I know you don't like to eat early in the morning but you might want to try to start doing that, even if it is eating small. I used to be a breakfast skipper too but if I don't eat something then I get very hungry by lunch time and will eat more over the course of the day. For whatever reason, I prefer to get liquid calories in the morning so I have drinkable yogurt when I wake up.0
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