Can a job be too strenuous and inhibit weight loss goals/cause weight retention?

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  • jefamer2017
    jefamer2017 Posts: 416 Member
    justinejacksonm wrote: »
    Ok so this is the THIRD time I am attempting to create this post...they keep disappearing.

    I started working at an Amazon fullfillment centre in October, psyched that the physical work will actually BOOST my weight loss efforts and have since gained about 15-20 lbs. That is not to say there hasn't been any slacking off or badness on account of holidays, travel, or lack of exercise. But it's definitely a thing and that is why I am here, hopefully for some feedback.

    I work 10 hours 4 days a week and it-is-tough. Some days are easier than others but at Christmas mandatory overtime had me working from 7:30am-7pm 4 days a week. It isn't unusual to have stretches or time in my day when my Fitbit says I am in a heart rate zone of 95-115 while I am schlepping (or trying to) ridiculously big boxes in and out of my PIT (powered industrial truck) and into or out of really small bin spaces. Oftentimes the stress and pace kick into high gear if I have to pick and unbox say 30 items, break down the boxes, and do it fast cause there is someone behind me waiting to get by or work in that same spot.

    We are monitored like germs under a microscope every minute of our day. There is always someone standing around watching us, waiting to catch people slip up and make a mistake so they can scan our badges and yell at us. If you make more than 2 mistakes per 1500 units, each one is flagged in the system and the manager gets a report and they will retrain you. There is little organization or communication so while we are being timed and tracked for time off task between scans, it is not unlikely that you are trying to stow items and have nowhere to go with them. Either you can't find available space or where you THINK it would go won't accept it, so you have to drive back to have someone look it up. Again, it's all pressure, all day, cause the system does not tell us where to stow items but it WILL tell us it won't go somewhere and then tell the manager every time we tried scanning to the wrong location or bins that have reached their maximum ASIN limit.

    Diversion there, sorry, but it may not be clear what the nature of the work is or what kind of stress.

    In short, I stand all day and do very physical work. I have bruises all over my legs on a weekly basis trying to handle boxes bigger than me, up to 50lbs. and move them in and out of really small, awkward spaces. On New Year's Eve I realized I was in trouble when I looked in the mirror at a party and saw *just* how much weight I had put on. I started fresh with a dedicated workout plan and eating right. Very right, Tracking EVERYTHING until about Valentine's Day when we went away on a trip. I kinda maintained some discipline but have fallen off track and gained back the 2 or so pounds it took almost 2 months to take off, plus some, I'm sure.

    Here's the thing and what I am really here to ask. When I get done work, I am EXHAUSTED. My feet are killing me, my back is tight and sore, my legs ache from my ankles to my hips and now even when I try to force myself into working out when I get home at 7pm, I can barely muscle through. My muscles are so tight and weak from working all day I lack the flexibility and strength I used to have. I am absolutely fatigued and my body feels beat the hell up.

    It seems, in theory, I would be getting in better shape doing this kind of work and I am wondering if it is possible that (like over training) it is just TOO MUCH hard work and it is putting a strain on my body. Could it so and if so, could that be causing my body to retain weight/water? Could the stress be a culprit maybe a combination of the above?

    Is it too much on my body to push myself to force myself even when I am dead tired at night to work out, too, on top of my long day? My Fitbit and MFP are linked and it rarely shows an increased calorie need during my day although my body says the complete obvious. I try to listen to what they are telling my I need, calorie wise, but I am starving. By 9:30am I've burned off my breakfast and can't wait to eat. Headachey, etc. By lunch I am ravenous, I eat a small snack at 3:45 and by the time I leave I am starving for dinner and often jump right into working out THEN eating and showering and bed finally, by 10:30-11pm.

    I do not just eat anything despite my hunger. I pack nutritious and portioned foods. I COULD eat more but I don't.

    Could my job be killing my health and overworking my body??

    You mentioned that your feet hurt. I work long hours in a distribution center lifting heavy boxes all day too. I feel your pain. My advice for your feet is to never wear the same pair of shoes 2 days in a row. I have been alternating my shoes for the last 2 months and they no longer hurt. As for losing weight just make sure you're logging accurately.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    justinejacksonm wrote: »
    Stuff like cup of tea, are recipes I created that I prepare in consistently the same way, and yes I do measure specifically with tsp, tbsp, etc. Stuff like chicken and meat I put on my food scale, the same for when I portion out my snack baggies of nuts. With those I scan the bar codes on the package and measure out to the serving sizes on them.

    As for the imported recipes, should it make a difference if they were prepared and portioned out exactly as the recipe describes? If a recipe called for a certain list of ingredients and they were measured out per directions how would that change an entry if I plugged in the exact portion/serving size that I ate of that meal?

    I just don't understand. If I am already with a goal of 1500 cals per day and that's probably not enough with my level of activity and then often a few calories below that how much SHOULD I eat? 800 calories a day? Not to mention it is helpful in the beginning for beginners who have no idea about portion sizes to measure every thing but it is not a sustainable lifestyle. Not to compare though I will... if you watch the Fitness Blender videos, Kelli emphasizes how much she eats a day (granted I am sure she is more active making workout videos all day) she also states how the goal is to eat healthily.

    SO yes, some things are estimated like if I go out to eat and I do not know the exact weight of the piece of chicken, etc. But many things I use, I make one time entries for that I can go back to and make them the same way, when I do. If I add something or leave something out, I make a new one differentiating. I need to go back and look cause I don't see myself as eating a potato 3 days in a row. I may eat a breakfast bowl that used a potato as one of the ingredients... which date specifically did you see that?

    the items you scan the entry can be off too,which is why its best to weigh and cross reference with the package to make sure the entry is correct. as for tbsp and tsp ,for solids or semi solids use grams on a scale. if it says for example 28g or 10 almonds. put the almonds on the scale and weigh til you get 28g. 10 almonds can be more that 28g. meats should be weighed raw unless you can find a correct entry for it cooked how you cooked it.

    I also noticed that when making recipes its best to make sure that the entries for the ingredients you use are correct as again many of those are not. as for eating healthy its doesnt matter for weight loss,if you are not eating in a deficit. maybe kelli isnt trying to lose weight though? (Im a fitness blender fan as well). eating healthy is for healthy,even eating healthy foods if you eat too much you can gain weight. I know I did.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Just by the the items you listed originally, you could be over 1500 for sure. I eat 1400 sometimes and there's no way I could randomly fit in unmeasured nuts or TWO of anything for breakfast.
  • thatdesertgirl777
    thatdesertgirl777 Posts: 269 Member
    nowine4me wrote: »
    It sounds like you get plenty of exercise at work. I would use extra time for meal planning and prep, and prioritize sleep.

    I think this is a great place to start for you.

  • dmcnur
    dmcnur Posts: 157 Member
    I work full-time 12 hour shifts as a neonatal intensive care nurse, which is pretty stressful and can be physically demanding. On days I work I rarely do any extra physical activity or training as I feel I get enough at work. If however I do have a quiet day I will do some walking during one of my breaks. I keep my exercise/workouts for the days I don't work. For aching legs and feet make sure that you have footwear that gives you good support and consider using support tights. I weigh and log all my food to make sure that I am not underestimating my calorie intake and don't eat back all my exercise calories. By doing this I have had good consistent weight loss since November. So no, I don't think it is stress that is causing your weight gain. Maybe revisit your settings to make sure they are correct for you and pay strict attention to weighing and logging everything.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Yes lots of sound advice. You haven't been logging consistently, start logging/weighing your food. While stress will cause some water weight to be retained to keep gaining you have to be eating above what you are burning. I know its not easy to hear, none of us like being told we're probably eating too much if we aren't losing but its fact.

    Do update us in a few weeks when you have been logging everything, I am pretty sure you will report a loss by then when you have a calorie deficit.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Running_and_Coffee wrote: »
    You are busy and stressed, and honestly, I am not sure weighing and measuring and logging is right for your lifestyle. I would choose a plan that is already portion controlled to make it mindless to not eat too many calories. There are literally thousands of options, and all likely will involve you eating around 1300ish calories. It could be buying diet meals or using those colorful containers or skipping a meal and doing a shake instead. Thousands. My mother did not have the head space given her stressful job to handle calorie counting or WW and lost weight on Jenny Craig (or whichever one the celebrity is endorsing on TV at night. I don’t think you scan blame stress for the weight gain, but it’s hard to focus on how much a potato weighs when your days are so difficult.

    yet diet meals that are prepackaged can be off by up to 20% ,some of them are even 2 portions. as for 1300 calories that may not be enough for her if she is on her feet all day and lugging stuff around like she states. and many of those meal plans dont have set amount of calories. they are all going to vary by person especially the colorful container.s those things are not a one size fits all type of thing.those portion controlled containers for some ends up being very low calories. on days off she can always pre package her own food by weighing everything and portioning it out for the week.

    she doesnt have to weigh but its a tool like everything else and for many of us its what got us started losing again or for the first time even. sure you can lose weight other ways but many think they are eating less than they are and weighing is the only way to be accurate on how much you are truly eating.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    Running_and_Coffee wrote: »
    You are busy and stressed, and honestly, I am not sure weighing and measuring and logging is right for your lifestyle. I would choose a plan that is already portion controlled to make it mindless to not eat too many calories. There are literally thousands of options, and all likely will involve you eating around 1300ish calories. It could be buying diet meals or using those colorful containers or skipping a meal and doing a shake instead. Thousands. My mother did not have the head space given her stressful job to handle calorie counting or WW and lost weight on Jenny Craig (or whichever one the celebrity is endorsing on TV at night. I don’t think you scan blame stress for the weight gain, but it’s hard to focus on how much a potato weighs when your days are so difficult.

    The potato only needs to be weighed once. I did not know what a medium of anything was until I weighed it.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    Running_and_Coffee wrote: »
    L1zardQueen wrote: »
    [
    The potato only needs to be weighed once. I did not know what a medium of anything was until I weighed it.

    I think you need to weigh your potatoes every time IF calorie counting is your weight loss method (or part of it.) I weigh my tomatoes, and meat etc. and have been doing so for half a decade.

    But weighing potatoes doesn’t make you lose weight. Eating fewer calories does—and there are so many lower stress way to do that. Not every approach works fits everyone. I personally am not a shakes or packaged meal person, but I get why they work for so many people.

    No one will pry my measuring spoons from my cold, dead hands, but not everyone wants to live like that.

    I don't use my food scale much anymore. When I make oatmeal I use a scant 1/3 cup or 40 grams+or- but before I used a food scale I was using a heaping 1/3 cup probably more like 70 grams. A heaping 1/3 cup of oatmeal has a lot of calories. Same with bananas, I always just used the medium-sized entry but much to my surprise they were extra large. Now I only buy medium-sized bananas when I see them. A food scale is a tool and I like accuracy.
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