Advice needed- back to school for teachers

rgarli905

Hi I'm looking for some advice. I'm a teacher and whilst we have had the 6 weeks holiday I have got into a routine of going to the gym , started the c25k (week2day3) and am eating much healthier. However I return to work tomorrow and just know that it will all fall by the way side as I get "too tired" , "too busy", marking, planning etc I need advice on two things- one how to make myself go to the gym for "me" time and how to eat properly whilst at work - I rarely have time for breakfast or lunch and seem to survive on gorging rubbish when I get in then eating my evening meal before collapsing in front of the laptop trying to work. I really want to continue as I have started as I really like how I feel and how I am beginning to look even though I have a bit to lose. Please help!

Johlawrence

I am right there with you! When I start back to school, all my hard work over the summer goes right down the tube! I'm still eating healthy, but it's so hard to work out!

Eleanorjanethinner

Ex secondary teacher here...

You don't have time for breakfast? I'd guess a bowl of cereal would take about 7 minute to prepare and eat (including putting the bowl in the dishwasher). MAKE time for breakfast.

In terms of the rest of it, I saw my Mum give her life to teaching, working ridiculous hours and getting sick and swore I wouldn't do the same. It's a job that only stops when you say stop - you can choose (to some extent) how much work you do (for example, get the kids to peer mark their formative assessment or you can go around and briefly comment on their work during class instead of taking home a pile of books. Borrow good teaching ideas from the internet and other teachers. Cut down on extra curricular stuff (if you can).

Working every waking hour will not make you a better teacher or a better person - you need to be a healthy person to give your best to the kids. Take ten minutes to eat lunch. Bring healthy snacks and healthy lunches to work (you don't need to make them i.e. ASDA noodle pots for 260 cal with meat and veg, John West tuna salads).

Good luck with building some healthier habits into your routine!

kris10cass

I'm there with you!! I eat honey nut cheerios and almond milk in the morning, bring string cheese for a snack, usualy bring a lean cusine for lunch, and then I have enough cals to have a filling dinner...

As for the working out, I am struggling there too... I just met up with another teacher from a different district and we are going to attempt to be work out buddies on Tues and Thur after school. I think this will help keep me motivated... even if I am lacking the energy.

Can you work out in the morning before work?? I thought about trying that too on Mon, Wed, Fridays.. that way I could go home after work and STAY home...

claireplum

Hey...back to work for me tomorrow too! I take in cereal bars and fruit for the entire week on Monday and make sure I have a munch whilst doing my prep in the mornings before the children arrive. I ALWAYS make time for lunchtime and take my marking up to the staffroom so I can eat, socialise AND mark at the same time.

Then, I do what I need to do after school in terms of preparation/further marking/admin etc and then go to the gym. My gym stuff is always in the car ready for me. I use the time at the gym to de-stress after a busy day, before going home to make dinner, carry on with the school work!

Basically, forward planning is the way forward! And also recognising you need time to yourself as well...both during the school day and afterwards!

Have a fab first week back! x

berlynn_j

Just finished my first week back with the kids, holiday tomorrow, then the kids come back to me full force. I was worried too but you gotta make it happen.

First off, I don't eat breakfast at home. Having to be up so early anyway I would rather sleep the extra ten minutes. But I do eat breakfast. I pack something the night before, rather it be yogurt, a fiber one bar, or something to have at school. I get to school early to have a few minutes of me time before the kids come in so I eat then.

You've got to pack a breakfast and lunch the night before. If you don't want to do it in the morning or just rather skip, do it the night before. You aren't doing yourself any favors by skipping. It only takes about ten minutes to prepare/pack a little lunch. I made a routine that at 8 I pick out my clothes and pack my lunch so it's done. No excuses.

Also, I finished the C25K right before school started, even though at week 8 I was going past the time because my body just really adjusted well. I make sure if that is an exercise I set a time to do it. If you go to the gym, set a time to do and do it, no matter what. I run at 7. No matter how tired I am or how much work I need to do, I drop it and run. Usually feel loads better when I come back. It's hard because you are going to be tired. But you gotta tell yourself no excuses. The sooner you get yourself in a routine, the better, and the easier it will be to stick to it.

Good luck! Friend me if you want, I know your pain!!

mizamypowers

I am also a teacher and started MFP in June at the beginning of summer school. We have been back at school since Aug. 21. You must make yourself a priority. I portion my food and log everything to keep me on track. I exercise 4 days a week and that means I only have to find 2 days during the week. Some mornings I walk before school, but most of the time I take a break in the evening from school work to exercise.
The biggest challenge for me will be treats in the lounge. I did have a donut on the first Friday from PTA and just adjusted the rest of the day. I do keep a variety of snacks on hand, sweet and salty.
You can do it! Feel free to friend me if you want to.

ka97

First, you have to be willing to commit to making time for yourself - no excuses. It's going to mean saying no at times. It's going to mean compromising things at work. But you have to decide that you are worth it.
Healthy eating can be just as quick as garbage eating. I can't tell you what to eat - everyone has there own likes and dislikes and preferences. For me, I do a lot of prep work on the weekend. Every sunday, I cut all my vegetables, put them in containers, so I can grab from the fridge and go. I hardboil enough eggs for the week. I keep a container of hummus in the fridge at work. I spend a little extra to buy single serving containers of things like greek yogurt and guacamole. I make up baggies with almonds and cranberries. I plan out my lunch and snacks for the day, and have everything ready so I can grab and eat quick. Breakfast is usually cereal at home and a banana when I get to work, because I'm not a morning person and I need something quick. The point is, with advance planning it can be done.
I make time for myself to exercise. I plan out my schedule for the week. My workouts are like any other appointment in my life, I schedule it, and stick to eat. Yes, every once in awhile something comes up and I have to skip a workout. By once in a while I mean once every 2-3 months. I bring my gym clothes to work, change at work, and go straight to the gym.
So maybe my house isn't as clean as I would like. And I rarely cook on weeknights - I make large batches of food on the weekend, often with crockpot, and then reheat these precooked meals from my freezer. I don't watch much TV, and I spend a lot of my weekend catching up on everything I didn't do during the week. It's all worth it. I'm happier and healthier. Making time for me gives me more energy and keeps me less stressed. More energy and less stress = a better teacher.

rgarli905

Hi everyone. Thanks for the advice I am just about to pack my lunch for tomorrow now so I don't have an excuse! I have also arranged to go to the gym tomorrow night with my hubby, daughter and a friend so there are no excuses not to go! It is really hard to be so organised particularly with food as I never know what to eat (not keen on salads and get fed up of sarnies!) so I never end up preparing anything! I am going to make a real effort to stick to a decent quality balance of life this year! I look forward to sharing future tales with you all!

clairewillsmum

Hi all, complete newbie on here tonight. Back to school today (even though it was a training day). Having 2 kids myself, I almost find it easier when I go back to school to get into an eating pattern as the temptation to graze just doesn't exist when you are teaching! Lol! I am interested in quick easy things to put up for my lunch - want to try and steer clear of sandwiches if I can. Need to drink more water too. Support gratefully welcomed, there is a long way to go!

bob99

Hey another teacher here and I totally get you, there's no way I get to the gym, so I settle for walking my dogs after work.
Breakfast is a big issue for me, I grab an alpen bar as I dash out the door and a tub of raspberries ( or similar) to munch in the car. Lunch is horrific as they feed me and I'm so distracted I often eat whats in front of me! I hate making pack lunches but have found a tub of soup works well and sustains me in a low cal way! Important thing is not to hit staff room biscuits and find the time and energy to cook ( even if it's a simple meal) when I get home and don't hit the junk. Good luck - and of you find better answers please share!!!

andrewlazenby

I am there with you... I teach high school biology, chem, and physics. Here is what I do to keep my routine.

1. I do not and will not bring work home to do in the evenings. I have a wife and a four year old. After I get out of the classroom it is time for them. The only exception is I spend about an hour on sat or Sunday outlining what I am going to cover the following week.

2. In order to accomplish the above, I get to work 1 hour before my official start time. I eat breakfast and get any last minute set-ups completed.

3. I do not waste my planning periods. If a student needs extra help my door is always open. Iff another teacher wants to shoot the breeze or discuss the football game they can leave. I have planning and grading to do.

4. I know this will not work for everybody but I bike commute. It's a thirty mile round trip and it allows me to get a work out.

5 (and this is the hardest). I turn down all the goodies other teachers bring in and leave in the break room.

6. Bring my own lunch.



It's doable,it just takes planning and good time management

sharleengc

I am a teacher as well. I live too far out of town to go to a gym but I do my workout right away. I come home, change clothes and head to my basement for my video workout or to the treadmill. I don't even let myself sit down first cuz once I sit, it's all over!

If you are going to a gym, then don't go home first. Make the gym your first stop on the way home, that way you don't get sidetracked or get home and have a hard time leaving again.

I have a microwave in my classroom and have a few lunches that I make/bring, all under 300 calories. It's enough for me to eat quick in between kids! If you want ideas, send me a message and I'll send you my various lunches!

hungergames324

Hey I'm going back tomorrow too! I'm also worried about being to tired and not wanting to work out!

My plan is to go home and put my workout clothes on and just do it. I know if I sit for even a second I'll convince myself into not doing it.

Good luck! Hope everyone has a good school year!

LeslieFulp

Thanks for all the great tips as I start back tomorrow as well. Tomorrow is the very first day with my students as well as my own children's first day. I only started WFP 3 weeks ago however I was doing a different plan for almost 3 years prior to that. You need to make you time and plan you meals the night before. I am also going to plan some healthy meals for the crock pot and then workout the nights that dinner is cooking itself. I hope all the teachers have a great first day and a wonderful school year.

joybedford

I too am back to work tomorrow (midwife with a termtime contract). We often don,t even get a break depends how busy we are. I make sure my bag is full of healthy snacks/ fruit that i can grab and eat quickly. A handful of almonds, protein bar, fruit, protein shake. I need to eat little and often or I am so ravenous when I get home I make bad food choices. My colleagues laugh at how much i eat. You need to make time for you. Exercise maybe take a healthy snack to work and go to the gym on the way home that way you don,t have to go back out again. You don,t need to work out for hours choose your workout wisely and it can be over and done with in 30-40 minutes. Try HIIT combined with some weights or a workout DVD like 30 day shred. 20 minutes and works everything. Good luck

JessicaJoy74

My new school year started back on August 1st, and I had some trouble adjusting, too. I gained back 4 pounds in 3 weeks, but then when I got into a school routine again, I was able to loose that 4 and 2 more last week. I think that once you get going you will find a way to do what you need to do. I certainly think it is important to grab a quick breakfast. Yogurt is easy and fast.
Good luck this year!

waterwing

I'm a teacher too and I find that if I don't spend a bit of time preparing for my week, it can spiral out of control. I try to spend some of Sunday cooking and prepping enough food to bring for the week. Also always have lots of healthy snacks on hand.. like many of these people have said.
Can you bring your gym bag with you to school and then stop by your gym on the way home? Or is it possible to get a workout in before school? I tend to get up early and do my workout and get my day sorted so that at the end of it when I'm too drained, I'm able to just relax.
Just make a plan and work it!
Good luck and happy first day of school!

Polly758

You don,t need to work out for hours choose your workout wisely and it can be over and done with in 30-40 minutes. Try HIIT combined with some weights or a workout DVD like 30 day shred. 20 minutes and works everything. Good luck

Totally this.

And don't forget some weight training, it hardly takes any time at all to do deadlifts, benchpress, shoulder press, squat, and that's your whole body.

One nice trick is to get a bunch of small tupperwares at the 99 cent store and make a huge pot of soup every weekend, with beans, veggies, and chicken. Pour it into the tupperwares, put it all in the sink and cover it with ice (so you don't heat your freezer to soup temperature) and then freeze them. Boom, lunch for at least a week.

bhbarros

I'm not a teacher, but I am a senior in high school, and between AP classes, college applications, and my extracurricular activities, I definitely understand feeling "too tired" or "too busy" to maintain my healthy lifestyle. School started last week for me, and here's how I've been keeping up my eating habits and my exercise:

1. I pack my lunch for the next day every night before bed.
It's never anything incredibly complex: I usually have a sandwich (peanut butter and apricot preserves on whole wheat is delicious!) and strawberries, with a small salad on the side. It takes 10 minutes to make, and I can easily throw it in the fridge overnight.

2. I work out directly after school.
If I try to work out after dinner, or after a quick nap, it doesn't happen. Instead, I pack my gym clothes in my backpack and go straight to the gym after school. Not only do I get a good work out in, but it's also a great stress reliever and allows me to concentrate on my homework when I get home.

3. I schedule my day carefully.
This may or may not work for you as well as it has for me, but I write down what I plan to do when I get home, and when I plan to do it. That way, I make sure I have enough time to clean my room, cook my dinner, do my homework, and relax in front of the TV. Then again, my only real responsibility is to myself, so scheduling my time is pretty easy. I don't know how that would work with kids or a husband...

4. I ALWAYS eat breakfast.
Last year, I was that horrible student who always fell asleep in class because she had absolutely no energy. It might be too early to say this (it's only been a week, after all), but now that I eat breakfast I am always on alert. Even with a fever last week, I was able to stay focused on my classes. I usually have a smoothie (I sometimes make these the night before, and they still taste great) with toast, or I'll have cereal and fruit.

Good luck

gkershner

I have been back to school for 2 weeks and have only made it to the gym 3 times, but tomorrow I will have my workout clothes already in the car. As for lunches, I also make sure I pack the night before. I use a lunch container with separate compartments, and make extra meat ahead of time, then I can microwave the meat and veggies together. I also prepare fruit ahead of time and put in individual containers. As for water, I can't stand the taste of diet drinks, but have found that I do like kool aid made with stevia and always keep that made up.

lundii

I am a teacher as well and when I started to lose weight in January, my plan was, to exercise in the morning before school.
But it never happened. I hate too much to get up early.
When I come home from school I have to prepare lunch for my own children, and it is like you said, do it at once or you don't do it.
I do it in the evening
I bought an elliptical trainer and it is in my living room in front of the TV. This is my cardio training... every single day. After half a year I am used to it and don't need to discuss it with myself anymore... oh, it is too hot, too cold, I don't feel like exercising, the kids want something, maybe reading is more fun... STOP! No discussion anymore. I just do it!
And I go to a kind of gym twice a week. There are classes for bodystyling. It is also in the evening, perfect for me.
I would like better to do it right after school, but it is impossible for me.
Of course I have a healthy breakfast... nearly 500 calories!... and then nothing until I have lunch at home. My school isn't a dayschool, so I am at home at about 2pm. And I don't need to have lunch at school.
I lost about 50 lbs since January and I worked at school as teacher all the time. So... it is possible!
Good luck!

ARoseinDecember

I'm in the same boat...about to begin my student teaching. I've exercised every day all summer, and have lost 30lbs. (on top of what I'd lost before that). I'm TERRIFIED about what is going to happen, but all I can do is try to cook in advance to make sure healthy options are ready for me...Going to try to get up at 5 to get in cardio, but not sure how realistic that is.

lundii

That was my plan as well... and it never happened. Good luck for you, perhaps your self discipline is better than mine.
It would be great to have the cardio finished at 6 am and have a free evening.