Insane schedules rule my life... How do I lose weight?

incredible_shrinking_man

I keep reading over and over again that the key to any sort of weight-loss plan...or...simply a healthy life...is having a regular schedule.

Doctors tell us that this is to set the body's rhythm and helps with natural metabolism. However, this is a major problem for me and makes me feel as if I am climbing up-hill all the way. I am looking for other people who don't have "regular" schedules. Other people who don't know when the next mean may be...or...even if they have time to have one.

Let me explain a little...

I work in film. As you know from watching the credits, it takes a lot of people to shoot a movie and we all have different roles. I am what is known as a "Key Assistant Location Manager". Basically, it's my job to find the locations to shoot movies. This entails weeks (if not months) of driving around, talking to people, taking pictures and logging photographs. Most recently I did all this for a movie called "Safe Haven" based on a Nicholas Sparks novel.

During the scouting phase, I sit in a car most of the day and my hours are generally from about 8AM until it gets dark. This is so I don't scare people banging on doors at night.

But once we start shooting...that all changes.

My hours generally run something like this... (rough example as it varies day to day...week to week)

Monday - 5AM to 8PM
Tuesday - 6AM to 9PM
Wednesday - 9AM to 12AM
Thursdays - 4PM to 6AM
Friday - 6PM to 9AM (known in the business as our "Fraturday" for obvious reasons!
Saturday - Off after 9AM from Friday
Sunday - Off

(Repeat for 2 or 3 months)

So, as you can see my problem is a big one. On Monday I am eating breakfast at 5AM and by Friday I am eating breakfast at 6PM! Now, if this were not bad enough, the situation is compounded by the fact that FREE food is provided by the production (called "craft services") to the crew all day long. There are always tables full of free candy, gum, cookies, chips, sandwiches, etc...to be had at any time. So, I try my BEST to stay clear of this table unless I am grabbing a seltzer water or tea.

Over the past month working on a new project for 20th Century Fox (Witches of East End) I gained almost 20 pounds in an office setting!!! I didn't eat more than normal...I just didn't get out of my chair all day long! It's not that I wanted to be chained to a desk; I just didn't have time to get up. I made a comment at the office that I really want a tread-mill desk (they exist...look it up) and my coworkers laughed at me! I was serious!

As all film crew-members are independent contractors, when the show is over, we become completely unemployed until the next production picks us up. We are constantly looking for the next job.

So, we go from insane hours at work with an average of 6 to 8 (if lucky) hours of sleep a night...to being completely unemployed and having no schedule at all!

I don't know many people who have a job like this but I assume that police, nurses, doctors, etc...may have similar schedules, but I am not certain.

I am now in the "between jobs" phase of production. For a while I will be able to lock in a more regular sleep and exercise schedule. I just don't know what to do when it all starts up again!

Maybe I sound like I am just whining. It's the profession I chose and I should have known the deal. However, until I wanted to take weight-loss seriously it wasn't really an issue.

So, since I am stuck in this situation, I just want to see if anyone else out there has a schedule like mine and has any advice.

Thanks in advance,

Christopher

141by2016

I get you. I am in med school right now. I have at least four hours of work left and I am fairly certain I have not slept for more than four hours since last Thursday. It sucks.

anemoneprose

If you can steal 20 to 30 minutes and do these quickly & with great intensity, you can at least start somewhere. Same idea as 'Insanity' workouts, or tabata/hiit:

Convict Conditioning
http://www.allthingsgym.com/2011/12/convict-conditioning-summary-cheat-sheet/

Nerd Fitness
How to Stay in Shape While Travelling:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/25/how-to-stay-in-shape-while-traveling/

Other bw:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/17/advanced-body-weight-workout-warning-this-will-kick-your-*kitten*/
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/08/23/batman-bodyweight-workout/

You can't be working, full-on, all 12 of those hours. There must be a time people take for coffee somewhere, because you are humans and not machines. You could take baby wipes & spare clothes with you, do 20-30 minutes, and 'shower' in the bathroom. (I don't remember showering after gym class in elementary school, and I think we were all fine.)**

On scouting days, definitely take 30-40 mins for a brisk (intense!) walk.

Food: I'm sure you're not the only one who'd like decent stuff, maybe have a chat with coworkers if you think you can get employers to pony up. Otherwise, spend Sunday afternoon cooking things like lean meats (if you're not a veg) & use Tupperware/freeze things. Bean salads are easy to carry/store (given Tupperware), & have lots of protein. (Invest in a thermal lunchbox, if no fridge, and get ice packs). Alternatively, if you can swing it, I know some healthy restaurants/meal services exist, that deliver.

**If you could carve out a space around roughly the same time every day, e.g., 3-5pm, that could function as a 'morning' or 'evening' workout, depending. Don't know the hormonal etc implications, but I assume consistency in some regard might be useful (given you're probably completely beat at the end and start of most days).

Also, your job sounds awesome < not sarcastic

incredible_shrinking_man

Anemoneprose,

Thank you for your very detailed response to my post. I am watching the "nerd fitness" demo video right now.
As for scouting days...yes...I think that I will usually be able to find the time to walk. Before we shoot in a location we must do something we call "lettering" houses. This is basically a notice we must deliver door-to-door stating what we will be doing in the neighborhood and when. Most towns require this. For me, this is the only time when I feel like I am truly getting some exercise and I really enjoy this part of the job although most others seem to hate this aspect.

As for office days...it's a slightly different story. It can truly be a constant, stressful 12 hour or more day of non-stop telephone calls, emails, etc... Finding time to leave to walk is next to impossible and, because we get no lunch hour, menus are distributed at the office and we all select and someone runs out to get food for everyone. Most meals are spent typing and eating. So, I think any exercise to be done on the office days during a shoot will have to be before or after a day.

I will look in to your suggestions for a quick workout. Thank you! I am also trying to ride my bike much more often during my days off.

Thanks for the compliment about my job. It can be awesome...and it can be hell. Just depends on the day really! I think most people have an image in their mind about working in film that is glamorous. However, the reality is that it is really difficult, seemingly thankless, grinding work. The only people who get the "star" treatment are...well...the "stars". People tend to forget it takes an average of 130 other crew-members on a location shoot with regular jobs to make the stars look good!

Thanks for the advice!

Christopher

anemoneprose

Ah good, glad if any of it's useful

(Glamour or lack thereof notwithstanding, the sheer variety & intensity of your job, especially with the scouting & exploring & talking to people bit is what sounds great; your office scenario, well, I can see the challenges there:)

Something else you could do, if you do have access to a gym for a given # of months, is

1) Aim to lift *very* heavy (after 2 months' acclimation to lifting, via a beginner's program) on one of your days off + 1 short/early day, if you get one in the middle of the week. (Eg, Wed & Sun. Or just Sun if Wed impossible.) Heavy in this instance is a weight that exhausts you within 4-6 repetitions.

This is for body composition (ie to maintain muscle mass as you lose, and ensure that more of the loss is fat than lean tissue. Eating 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight will help with this.)

Since you're not working now, it's a good time to do the beginner's program You could start your day with it, so you have some kind of structure. Once you're working again, you can at least retain muscle with that one heavy day.

2) Focus on calorie restriction through diet, vs activity, to generate the deficit on other days. If your macronutrients are 30/40/40% (protein/carb/good fats < roughly same as 1 g protein/lb), this not only helps with body composition but controls hunger better than if you just limit calories without worrying about what they're made of.

However, if your days are that intense, easy bike riding or walking on earlier nights (when you finish at 9-10pm) might offer important stress release and just *activity* (which all living creatures want, or should). This will also knock down some additional calories, & improve recovery from the heavy lifting days, while minimizing additional strain that might further interrupt sleep.

If you want to dig into it, references for above are in this & some other posts in my blog (and many other places on this forum
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/anemoneprose/view/resources-for-oldish-or-fragile-newbies-returners-413576

Good luck!