Health Implications of Working in Retail

angmarie28

I work 2 jobs, 62+ hours a week. one is monday-friday 730am-4pm. Im suppose to get a 30 minute break, but Im usualy constanatly busy, so I eat when I can, usually about noon. then my other job I work friday and saturday graveyard shift and sunday 3pm to 9pm, and I do not get breaks at that job, but the graveyards are quiet so I can eat when ever I feel like it usually, and the evening, I just skip dinner, or eat a small snack. I also have 4 kids at home, I just make it work. eat when I can and drink water in between.

stanmann571

Thanks for the reminder of why I got out 20 years ago(Food service, but the same sort of nonsense)

I know what worked for me then, was
1. Take the *KITTEN* shifts. You know the ones that the manager can't keep filled and people always call off on. Volunteer for them, if the manager guarantees you the 35-36 hours you need.
2. Be consistent and reliable
3. As far as life permits, be available.... If you're short on hours, make sure that the manager knows which shifts you are able to be called in on.


Anecdote: I had a minor injury that resulted in me getting sent home and cost me 6 hours or so. 2 days later I opened. I was eating lunch just after my shift and overheard the manager get a call off from the close shift(I was close qualified-and over 18) I waited about 15 minutes for him to come back up front(and he looked frustrated and aggravated-he had opened as well-and as a salaried employee, he wasn't going to get paid if he had to cover the shift) I asked him if he's been able to get a cover-He sighed and said that he hadn't and would just have to cover it himself... I reminded him that I'd lost 6 hours the day before and wasn't opening the next day. I made my hours that week. 39.3

seltzermint555

jefamer2017 wrote: »

seltzermint555 wrote: »

sarahrosheen wrote: »

get out of retail! my stable office job is so good for healthy eating!

I feel this way too - completely.

But then I see 100 posts about "I gained 50 lb because I have an office job".
I think it is really all about managing stress and calories consumed.

First time I lost weight I had an office job. I ate at my desk before my actual lunch break and walk around the block for my entire lunch break.

Same, I've lost 130 lb with totally sedentary office jobs that entire time.

singingflutelady

Breaks? What are those.

ftsolk

stanmann571 wrote: »

Thanks for the reminder of why I got out 20 years ago(Food service, but the same sort of nonsense)

I know what worked for me then, was
1. Take the *KITTEN* shifts. You know the ones that the manager can't keep filled and people always call off on. Volunteer for them, if the manager guarantees you the 35-36 hours you need.
2. Be consistent and reliable
3. As far as life permits, be available.... If you're short on hours, make sure that the manager knows which shifts you are able to be called in on.


Anecdote: I had a minor injury that resulted in me getting sent home and cost me 6 hours or so. 2 days later I opened. I was eating lunch just after my shift and overheard the manager get a call off from the close shift(I was close qualified-and over 18) I waited about 15 minutes for him to come back up front(and he looked frustrated and aggravated-he had opened as well-and as a salaried employee, he wasn't going to get paid if he had to cover the shift) I asked him if he's been able to get a cover-He sighed and said that he hadn't and would just have to cover it himself... I reminded him that I'd lost 6 hours the day before and wasn't opening the next day. I made my hours that week. 39.3

The store I work at is a new store that hired close to 200 people to get the store up and running, but now that it's open, there are too many people. They actually eliminated the 4am and 5am shift times entirely, so everyone is struggling for hours. Some people are called in to pick up shifts, but the only time I was ever called, I had to turn it down as I had a job interview scheduled for that day. The only other way to pick up shifts is through an app that does not work on my phone.

I do feel that I'd probably be a little more adaptable regarding my eating habits and weight loss goals had I been
"on track" when I was hired. Unfortunately, I started working the SAME day I received my EBT/Snap card in the mail (I have since been disqualified for making too much money, but I am going to reapply now that my hours have been cut so drastically). I was, immediately prior to this job, on a cheap and free food diet. This meant eating the free bagels at church or picking up the free item of the week at the grocery store. It also meant there were days when I skipped meals. When I did eat, fruits and vegetables were not exactly a priority because they don't always get the best "bang for their buck" and when shopping with loose change, the amount of food you can get when buying chips and cereal is a lot more appealing than the amount of food you can get buying apples.

(That being said, before I started to run out of money, I would have picked up a couple cans of sardines, a bag of apples (better deal than buying one apple) and a jar of half-sour pickles at Aldi for a last-minute lunch in between job interviews).

My recent timeline:

December 2017: Rejoined Weight Watchers
January 2018: Laid off from job due to ownership change. Applied for food stamps
Mid-to-Late January: Still unemployed; no word on food stamps. $30/week babysitting job to cover car payment of $150 per month, gas in car, food, and other expenses. Food takes back burner to car and gas.
Mid-February: Hired at new job. Begins working 5am shifts. Also gets EBT card so can buy food. Spends first two weeks of new job eating almost nothing but crackers because of the new sleep schedule.
March 2018: Misplaces EBTcard. Still no money, so resorts to eating free food again until payday.
March-April 2018: Starts to settle into a routine with sleep and work. Adds in more fruits and vegetables. Starts eating on a routine, but is not ready to commit to anything.
April 2018: Hours drastically cut in half and schedule becomes sporadic after spending months working a schedule that was relatively consistent with only minor fluctuations within 2 hours or so start/finish (ie: starting between 4am and 6am and getting out of work between 12pm and 2pm).

ftsolk

angmarie28 wrote: »

I work 2 jobs, 62+ hours a week. one is monday-friday 730am-4pm. Im suppose to get a 30 minute break, but Im usualy constanatly busy, so I eat when I can, usually about noon. then my other job I work friday and saturday graveyard shift and sunday 3pm to 9pm, and I do not get breaks at that job, but the graveyards are quiet so I can eat when ever I feel like it usually, and the evening, I just skip dinner, or eat a small snack. I also have 4 kids at home, I just make it work. eat when I can and drink water in between.

I would love the luxury of a job where I can 'eat when I can.' Unfortunately, that's not the case for me. If I'm not on my break, I'm not even allowed to have a bottle of water on me. Eating? Not allowed.

seltzermint555

Psychgrrl wrote: »

The hours are tough and unpredictable and that sucks, but there’s always going to be a reason weight loss is hard. If it’s not the work stress from the schedule and hours, it could be work stress from boss or Co-workers or clients or never unplugging when you’re “off.”

In the end you still get to choose what you prioritize in your down time. And it’s OK if weight loss isn’t high on the list right now. It takes time to meal plan and prep and figure out when to get workouts in. Weight loss is its own kind of stress. Kind of like online dating—it’s enough of a time commitment to be a second job (to me).

Do what you can to ease your stress, just please be mindful things always get in the way of losing weight. Up to you if you let them stay in your way.

So much truth.

Stress management is the key here.