Back-to-School Dilemma

curiositycat

I'm a middle-school teacher who has two young daughters at home and a small business on the side. My work adds up to about fifty-five hours a week, and then I have my girls' activities on top of that. During the summer break, I'm great at eating well and working out. I generally have coffee first thing in the morning, get my workout in, and then have my first meal mid-morning. Coming in at or below my recommended calories is no problem. My dilemma comes with the start of school. I have to get up at 4:30 or 5:00 A.M., which means I'm hungrier much earlier in the day. All the school-year stress and work equals more hunger in general. I'm worried I'll be going over my recommended calories and won't have enough time to fit my workouts in. Anyone have any tips for dealing with hunger issues and lack of time to work out during LONG, tiring days? Thanks so much!

ak_in_ak

as you get closer to your goal you will need more calories anyways.

NeuroticVirgo

If you can keep a small ice chest in your car. (If its small enough usually you can go into a Circle K and they will let you fill it up with their ice machine...). And keep things like carrots & celery snacks in it.

I find if I want to eat because of stress or any other reason besides hungry...then I usually don't want to eat a carrot or celery. And that's kind of how I tell the difference, and if you are really hungry, you can eat like a 1lb of carrots and it not be devastating to your calories.

As for working out...either get up even earlier (which if your a morning person this might be doable)...or work out after the kiddos go to bed.

Good luck!

patriot201

I am a middle-school teacher, too. One thing I did this past school year is walk the halls during half of one planning period each day. It was only 20 minutes, but it was SOMETHING. Then, I went for another walk each evening.

I generally work 70-hour weeks, so I too find it hard to find time for food and exercise. But I know it is important, so I find the time.

bmmadden

Interested as well in peoples answers and suggestions: I work at a school too and go to school after work several days a week and have 3 children, so here in about a week and a half Ill be headed back to work and starting Fall semester and Im getting nervous about fittinfg exercise especially

MyouTakara

Bring healthy snacks with you. Who knows, maybe you'll model good snacking habits to your students by eating carrots and hummus instead of splurging at the vending machine!

armacd

I would suggest preparing healthy snacks (maybe on the weekends) and having them pre-packaged ready to just grab and go. Also as far as tips for working out on long days, the best thing I can suggest is trying to incorporate exercise into your everyday actvivities. Things such as doing lunges or push-ups during commercial breaks or while waiting for dinner to cook. Doing a squat on your way up and down instead of just bending over to pick something up. There are a lot of ways to get in a little exercise into everyday tasks. When I'm at home, I do lunges across my house if I'm headed somewhere. Give that a try and you'll be surprised at the difference it makes

Saksgirl1

I know the feeling... I'm a high school teacher and have gone through the same thing! I'm NOT looking forward to this school year because of it! But I love teaching so I have to suck it up and figure it out too! This morning I decided that I'm going to need to have eating "times" with foods that are pre-planned!

For instance:
6am - egg whites
7am (when the kids get to school) - protein shake
9:36am (LUNCH TIME???) - maybe some greek yogurt?
11:30am (4th/7th period) - an apple with some peanut butter?
3pm - who knows but something before the gym
4pm - the gym
6pm - dinner

curiositycat

All GREAT suggestions! Thanks so much. It helps just know that there are other teacher-moms out there who are struggling with the same issues!