Staying Lean as a hotel Night Manager - Nutritional changes

AdamAthletic

Hey all,
So, recently I took my career to the next level and moved to London, working in one of the most prestigious hotels I've ever worked in.. which is, a positive move to say the least!

But...

I work as a Night Manager, which involves working 12 hour shifts from 8pm to 8am! On the surface it seems like a perfectly easy to adapt to case of changing habits to altering eating times, especially seeing as I've always been heavily involved in nutrition and fitness, working nights I've done for a long time too so, that should also have helped.

The problem is, I've found that now I'm working 12 hours and struggling to fit as much exercise in - I'm finding myself diving into the realms of over-eating!
I've told my girlfriend and had a chat about it with her and as much as she cares - she can't really understand why I'm worrying, I mean.. I'm already fairly lean (maybe 13-14% bodyfat) and have a good all-around physique. The problem being that I'm not new to 'falling off' and in the passed I've been able to stop myself falling off more by adding in small changes and fitting exercise in where I could.

I'm just finding that other than a small home workout when I get up and the same when I go to sleep - I just don't have the time or energy!

Add in the element that I get free meals whilst on duty at work, which is all-be-it lovely food.. It's very caloric (lets face it, it's geared mainly towards the tourist whom the very last thing on 95% of their minds is calorie content.. why should it be, they're there to enjoy and get the best experience they can).

So, my plan is thus.. I'm open to any suggestions because I'm finding making a change that I can stick with has become hellish!

I'm having a wrap before I go into work (usually just some peanut butter spread over a wholegrain wrap) then, later usually just have boiled eggs..
Then through the night, maybe 3am having a banana in a couple of fresh bagels.

I get protein in bucket loads when I want/need it(no shortage of eggs, meat.. just trying to keep a check on the calories).. just, feeling a little 'blah' at the moment!

Anyway, thanks for reading if you got this far and any suggestions or.. even stories of how anybody in similar situations dealt with things would be great to read!

rheddmobile

Can you use the hotel gym on your break, or before you go home? As far as free meals, how about seafood, fancy seafood dishes can be low calorie. I find it hard to believe a prestigious hotel wouldn't have fancy salads and seafood! Bagels and bananas are all carbs, which would make me hungry in short order, and not particularly low calorie either. Most bagels are huge.

PAV8888

Are you able to order what you want in terms of free food and specify how it is to be prepared, or are you expected to eat from a set selection? You could order protein+veggies, salad with no controlled/no dressing, and other weight control classics

Can you be known as the roving troubleshooting inspecting everything never in one spot night manager?

Swap the pre-shift meal for a run or longer walk to the underground or hotel. Eat at work. Even if that involves taking in your pre-prepared wrap or apple/yogurt/other snack. Walk or run home

In general it sounds like you are now being forced to move less. This may mean you have less calories to play with and you may need to look at increasing the satiation for calories ratio of what you're eating.

AdamAthletic

rheddmobile wrote: »

Can you use the hotel gym on your break, or before you go home? As far as free meals, how about seafood, fancy seafood dishes can be low calorie. I find it hard to believe a prestigious hotel wouldn't have fancy salads and seafood! Bagels and bananas are all carbs, which would make me hungry in short order, and not particularly low calorie either. Most bagels are huge.

I can use the gym, I do however have a gym membership and live in North London.. which has plenty of nice places to run..
Not so much on my break though as, I wear a dinner jacket and then a long suit jacket..
So, exercise whilst at work isn't really an option.

I can choose practically anything I want and yes, sometimes I do have meats and usually salmon as my fish choice! Which you are right in saying has more protein and offers much more nutritionally. I think it's just the whole, having too heavy meals at night doesn't always leave you feeling great!

PAV8888 wrote: »

Are you able to order what you want in terms of free food and specify how it is to be prepared, or are you expected to eat from a set selection? You could order protein+veggies, salad with no controlled/no dressing, and other weight control classics

Can you be known as the roving troubleshooting inspecting everything never in one spot night manager?

Swap the pre-shift meal for a run or longer walk to the underground or hotel. Eat at work. Even if that involves taking in your pre-prepared wrap or apple/yogurt/other snack. Walk or run home

In general it sounds like you are now being forced to move less. This may mean you have less calories to play with and you may need to look at increasing the satiation for calories ratio of what you're eating.

I'm certainly very hands on with my role and the hotel is very large, I wear my fitbit and manage to rack up an average of 19k steps+ every day when I'm working.. far from sedentary haha.

The run home is something I've actually considered - a good idea really. I mean, more-so in summer. It's 10 miles but I used to do far more than that. I'd just have to work out the route lol!

Thanks for the suggestions