Tips for healthy weight-loss with a 50hr work week.

Nomoreplus_sizes

So despite my nearly 3 month absence from MFP I've lost a little weight, so it was 3lbs but considering the way I was eating I didn't understand it. Course I have been eating a lot healthier this year. Continuing with the no HFCS, trying to pack fruits and veggies. (I'm out of food stamps until Wednesday though so... no fruits and veggies for tomorrow )

Anyways, I recently started a second year of Americorps so I work full time, very rewarding work very little pay (hence the food stamps). I also am a lab assistant a few nights a week at a junior college. And I tutor. Anybody who's been in americorps or worked as a student worker at a college understands why I have to work about 3 jobs to keep a roof above my head and bills paid in the SF Bay.

I really want to get back track with the weightloss. Sunday is my only day off from everything. I am so tired and haven't had the energy to really exercise. My schedule looks a bit like this:

Monday Job 1 9am-5pm job 2 6:00pm - 9:45
Tuesday Job 1 9am-5:30
Wednesday job 1 9am-5pm job 2 6:00pm - 9:45
Thursday job 1 9am- 5:30pm tutoring 7-9pm
Friday- job 1 8am -4pm
Saturday- 11am - varies (no later than 3pm) tutoring
Sunday - usually a free day but occasionally I tutor 4-6.

I do walk to one of my jobs, it's only about 2 miles away but it makes for three 4 mile round trips and two 2 mile trips a week. I've been trying to do yoga and situps but I just haven't had the energy for any intense cardio. I've only been doing this crazy work week for a month so maybe I'll get used to it?
To anyone who may say "can't you work less?" I really can't. It's a recession. I am trying to get job 2 to let me work by assignment (write x amount of labs by december) and only come in once a week.

So I need some suggestions. Especially with exercising. I was thinking that maybe I should reduce my intake to 1200, right now I'm aiming for 1500 a day. Though somedays I do Solar installs with Job 1 and am on my feet all day. The other thing I was thinking that I'd really have to change my diet to lose weight. Nix out white bread( i eat about 2-4x a month) and just stop eating asian food (I'm a hapa and I rather have no rice than brown rice)

My mother says I'll get used to it in a few more weeks and not be so tired, is that so?

Pebble321

Wow, you do have a busy schedule, but you are fitting in the walking, that is great exercise and it may be all that is realistic right now.
Focus on your food first, don't reduce your calories any more but try to eat the healthiest range of foods that you can manage within your budget.
Remember that MFP has already created a calorie deficit when it calculates your daily calorie allowance so you can lose weight without exercise if you have to.
I would keep going with eating well and just the walking for a few weeks, then if you can manage it, try to get up 20 mins earlier a few times a week so you can fit in a short workout.
You don't have to exercise for hours every day to lose weight and be healthy and when you don't have a lot of time to spare you have to smart about what you do.

cathdrew2

Buy a pedometer ($5 WalMart). Log your steps daily for a week as a baseline. Then work to increase your activity (measured in steps) every week. 5,000 steps is considered sedentary, 10,000 for good health, 15,000 or more for weight loss. Everyone has more time than they realize to exercise during the day. On a trip to the restroom, take the stairs...twice. If you get a 15 minute break at work, you can walk nearly a mile if you keep the pace brisk. Take 1/2 of your lunch break to walk. You can get nearly 4 miles in during an 8 hour work day between two, 15-minute breaks and an hour lunch (half of it walking). If you can walk to mail a letter, buy groceries, or to pay a bill on the weekends, do it. Pace while you tutor, if you can, using a wall board to demonstrate. Just.keep.moving. I think you will get used to it but get your rest and take your vitamins - 50 hours a week will eat your lunch if you don't take care of yourself. Best wishes!

brattyworm

may consider ankle/wrist weights.. that way you can do strength training stuff on your walk. I dont know the cost of them, but maybe you can find a good pair on craigslist or ebay or something. Just a thought, but if you had wrist weights you can do arm curls or something on your walk to boost your walks a little

Nomoreplus_sizes

The reason I walk is 2-fold. I need the exercise and I think it's ridiculous to pay $2.00 to travel 1.5 miles (bus fare) and then walk a half mile to the office. Save it for the rainy season.

I recently found out that there's a farmer's market that has a box of fruits and veggies for $18.00 and food stamps covers it. Trying to incorporate more whole grains. yoghurt all that good stuff.

calderst

I also work 2+ jobs (more depending on the week/season) and understand how exhausting it can be.
Instead of taking your calories to such a low number, especially if you're walking and on your feet for so much of the day, perhaps just being more aware of where those calories are coming from would be more beneficial. Make sure you are getting plenty of protein and not turning to sugar (or starches!) to find your energy.

This may be hard to believe, especially as you're just starting this hectic schedule, but I have more energy through the week when I get my gym time in. When I was in grad school and working several part time jobs, I didn't make time for working out. Not only did my body suffer (I gained 15 lbs that year!!) but I was exhausted. Now that I'm used to working out, I can totally tell when I've been slacking off or too busy to squeeze it in bc my energy lags.

So, how to fit it in? Some people will look at your schedule and suggest morning time. If this works for you, great. It never has for me. I do everything I can at night so I can catch that extra 5 minutes in the morning. I'm just not a morning person.
Do you have any time during your day job that you can incorporate more walking? Maybe a short walk on your lunch break? In 20 minutes you could burn an extra 100 calories (give or take a few). Plus it would give you a little extra stress relief and fresh air to perk you back up for the rest of the long day.
I've been blessed enough to have free gym membership (thanks to one of my part-time jobs!) at the local Y and it's open til 10... I close it down many nights. I'm sure to pack a change of clothes and a snack when I head to my second job and go straight there when I'm finished. Usually in winter, I keep a bag with a change of clothes in my car in case I somehow find myself with an extra 30 minutes and head to the gym without needing to run home. For a little while I had membership at a 24hr place-- this was great! I'm sure most big cities have them.

NOTE- if you're too tired for intense cardio and you're doing all your walking, try weight lifting!

If the gym isn't an option, try adding in some body strength moves at home-- these don't have to be done at any specific time (morning or night) but if this is the route you decide to follow, make sure you plan when you're going to do them and then stick with it! Great moves for this include push-ups, lunges, squats, etc. If you stick with doing those, maybe invest in some hand weights to add other moves that you can do anytime.

It is possible. You just have to be creative! Decide you are going to do it. Once you get used to it, it will help you power through your long hours!

Nomoreplus_sizes

Buy a pedometer ($5 WalMart). Log your steps daily for a week as a baseline. Then work to increase your activity (measured in steps) every week. 5,000 steps is considered sedentary, 10,000 for good health, 15,000 or more for weight loss. Everyone has more time than they realize to exercise during the day. On a trip to the restroom, take the stairs...twice. If you get a 15 minute break at work, you can walk nearly a mile if you keep the pace brisk. Take 1/2 of your lunch break to walk. You can get nearly 4 miles in during an 8 hour work day between two, 15-minute breaks and an hour lunch (half of it walking). If you can walk to mail a letter, buy groceries, or to pay a bill on the weekends, do it. Pace while you tutor, if you can, using a wall board to demonstrate. Just.keep.moving. I think you will get used to it but get your rest and take your vitamins - 50 hours a week will eat your lunch if you don't take care of yourself. Best wishes!

You are the 5th person to mention get a pedometer...so I'm going to use one. I already have one so really no excuse. Luckily I do work in office full of construction, americorps, and involved people so getting up and walking around is something I can do. Will need to do it a bit more.

I'm a pedestrian in Oakland but I have been relying on the bus more than I should. Maybe I'll try walking to the grocery store and then taking the bus back (that's an extra mile or so) rather than a round trip bus route.

I go to bed around midnite and wake up at 8am during the week. Some nights it's even earlier. I try to get a good sleep Friday night 1am to 10am if I can. I do need to start taking vitamins.

Thanks so much!

Nomoreplus_sizes

You guys have really got me re-inspired.

So I can't afford a gym membership (on the waiting list for the lottery for the lowincome YMcA rate)

at home I have::

2 10lb dumb bells.
1 big body ball
a dyna band
a stretch band with the black handles
zumba the wii game (don't judge me :P)

calderst

at home I have::

2 10lb dumb bells.
1 big body ball
a dyna band
a stretch band with the black handles
zumba the wii game (don't judge me :P)

You've got lots of tools then! Add in some strength training. You won't regret it!
If you need ideas, check out youtube or bodybuilding.com for workouts. Even just 20-30 minutes twice a week would help you AND it's free!

Nomoreplus_sizes

So I started trying to think of a plan. Woke up a little earlier today and after my knee stretches (from an old softball injury) I did some weights with my 10# dumbells


- 3 sets of 15 bicep curls

- 3 sets of 15 tricep extension per arm

- 3 sets of 12 of... I forget what is called.
- 1 set of press


I Walked to work as usual. It's been a busy day so I had to work through lunch (1 plum and a lean pocket. It's started raining so I'll probably take the bus home. I'm off tonite, so happy! I've made the decision that I'm not going to spend my night off catering to others which what I normally do. I spend my evenings off talking on the phone/skype to friends/family back East and it takes up most of night. I'm going to exercise and pack lunch for tomorrow.

calderst

Sometimes just thinking ahead and makng a plan-- and sticking to it-- are all it takes to get on track! Best of luck,

Persipan

My advice, to be honest, would be to focus on diet ahead of exercise. It's perfectly possible to lose weight through diet alone, and damn hard to lose it through exercise alone, and if you have a hectic schedule you'll have real trouble fitting in loads of exercise on top of everything else. Instead, I'd say, maximise your opportunities in terms of your walks (e.g. up the pace) - this way you're saving the bus fare and getting in your exercise at the same time - and, although your shopping choices are limited, try to focus on your food choices as far as you're able.

cathdrew2

Go you!! Congrats on diving in with the weights! Keep logging on MFP and doing the best you can with increasing your movement during the day. You can do this!

Kaety03

I travel 2-3 days a week for work, and 50-60 hours a week, and weight loss is TOUGH! I always keep healthy snacks with me, so that when I get hungry, I don't run to the vending machine. I also have a Pedometer watch from Walmart for $34, and make the 10K steps a day mandatory, even if that means I have to run around in my hotel room at night. Good luck, we can do this :-)

Nomoreplus_sizes

Well this week has gone okay so far. I've started trying to exercise a bit in the morning and some at night.
Don't laugh, but I've been playing my wii I know a lot of people hate on the Wii, but We Cheer and Zumba is good. If you pay attention to mimic-ing the moves (much like a dance/aerobic video) instead of getting a certain score, it's the equivalent of dancing around your home, which people have suggested to me.

As far as strength goes, Kept up the weights and I've done 50 situps (on the ball) and 15 push-ups (no ball, unmodified) everyday since Tuesday. It's only 3 days but it's a start.

I finally got my foodstamps! I swear, you dedicate a year to volunteering to serve America as an Americorps and they act like you don't deserve to eat decently. And this is my second time doing Americorps. Anywho, bought some greek yoghurt, pak salads, eggs, oranges, tofu(79 cents a lb!), 2 avocado, and broccoli. So great to have fruits in veggies in the house again.

Logging in to MFP makes a difference, definitely better when I was underemployed and had a similar problem. It seems my diet goes it "auto-pilot" when I work 30-40 hours a week. Anything less I get bored, anything more I'm tired. But in this recession you just have to cope.

Thanks for your support!

DK

cathdrew2

Let us know how you are doing on steps. 12,120 for me today. I talk to my mom on the phone as I walk (58 min, today) so I can do two things at once which helps me justify an hour of not doing work, housework, homework, etc. But remember, you don't have to do 60 minutes in a row - 10 min here and 20 min there adds up over the course of the day. My mom just put her pedometer on today for the first day-proud of her!

Your situps and pushups are impressive. I could only do 2 pushups when I started.

Keep logging!

Cait_Sidhe

I work ~58 hr/wk. I work fulltime overnights (3 12 hour shifts) and part time days (1 10 hr shift, 1 8 hr shift). My part time job, I walk 1 mile to get there and back from the bus stop. Not sure if it'll help, but here's what I do:

Monday, my only real day off. I do C25K.
Tuesday, my first overnight. I do C25K before going into work.
Wednesday, second overnight. I don't do anything. I barely have time to sleep between my shifts.
Thursday, last overnight. I don't do anything. Same. Just sleep.
Friday, sort of day off. I do c25K when I get off work in the morning.
Saturday, my first day shift. I walk 3 miles downtown to the bus stop. Take the bus to my work and walk the 1 mile to work and back. Then take the bus back to the city and if the next bus doesn't come I walk 3 miles home. Total of 8 miles walked.
Sunday, my last day shift of the week. Too early to walk downtown and be conscious. I take the bus downtown and then take another bus to work and walk the 1 mile there and back. When I get to the city I walk 3 miles home. Total of 5 miles walked. Then I do an exercise video once I get home.

I usually burn ~ 3500 calories a week doing this. Hope it helps.