I need a bucket of motivation (and arguably a new job)

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Amy_nz
Amy_nz Posts: 145
in Motivation and Support
So I lost loads of weight earlier this year, and was all fit and healthy and ten-foot tall and bulletproof (had loads of weight yet to lose but was on track at the very least). And then my job turned to poo (not literally, but it may as well have) and my motivation has gone out the window. The weight has started to creep back on and I feel like rubbish.

My job really is horrible at the moment - we're in the news every single day and not for good things. It's relentless, stressful, disappointing and all things bad. I haven't had a lunchbreak in ages and end up buying myself cupcakes that look like Oscar the Grouch and things like that to cheer myself up.

I need to get myself back in the swing of it. I know I need to start logging food again (my cupcake intake is going to take a serious hit), and I know I need to start exercising again. And I need to not assume that chocolate will fix my job (because it hasn't so far). I know all of these things, but somehow they haven't sunk in. How have others dealt with similar situations? (And does anybody want my job? There are loads of spreadsheets and almost all of them are boring, and I get shouted at every day, and I get sent around the country to stand in front of loads of people and get shouted at in person as some sort of sacrificial lamb, but on the plus side...there's chocolate and a ready supply of cupcakes.)

Basically I need some hints on how to balance a poo job and a healthy lifestyle, keeping in mind that long hours and no weekends are a necessity at the moment. I'd appreciate any advice! Any motivation is welcome!

Replies

  • radioraven
    radioraven Posts: 89 Member
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    My weakness isn't cupcakes, its giant cookies or brownies in a mug.

    I almost quit my job because its the most depressing / stressful one I've ever worked, and the weight crept back on when I put my notice in the beginning of October, tried to leave, but changed my decision (after my boss wouldn't leave me alone for 3 days about it - she wanted me to stay) and because of a highly unexpected medical bill I now need to pay off in 6 months.

    Did I mention I work overnights? In a homeless shelter? Surrounded by donated food? Anything you can imagine is here. Pizza, cookies, pies, eggrolls, etc. It is so hard not to overeat and binge. My coworker never really works or just calls in sick, so most of the nightly tasks I'm responsible for. I have two little kids and am basically a single parent since my other half is gone 10-11 hours a day, so I'm responsible for taking them to preschool/school, picking them up, any errands that need to be run during the week, cleaning the house, etc. I was just a tired wreck all the time, and tired of people asking me how I did it all. I have no choice. I have a family, I have bills, etc. Its just what fits into life plan at the moment.

    I got mad at myself for letting my hard work and dedication on my body go to waste. When my new skinny clothes didn't fit anymore, I knew I had to get back on the wagon ASAP. So I tried yoga DVDs from Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper. It helped me with my focus and let some of the tension I was carrying around with me go. I sometimes just crave yoga because I feel so much better afterwards. I then started to kickbox, since swatting and hitting whatever I visualized I wanted to hit helped me too. I finally am working out on a regular basis again, and if I can't fit one workout in, I make up for it the next day.
    I also had to revise my thinking. I know I'm a stress eater, so I stay as mindful of the stress/food relationship as I can, and try to stay in tune as to why I need to make something that will only momentarily satisfy me, when I know that logging it is going to make me feel like crap.

    My best advice is: What I first noticed working out again, is I got my energy back. I can now function the 18-20 hour days my life requires. I get plenty of sleep on my days off (which isn't healthy I know, but again, its just how my life works out) I started to eat clean, drink my green smoothies and make good food choices again, and it has almost gotten rid of the stress you could see physically in my skin and in my body. I was to the point where I'd have sores that wouldn't heal and my hair was falling out at an alarming rate. I was a complete mess. I'm a few weeks back into what I was doing last spring, summer was a nightmare for me, and fall has been absolute hell. I just know that I am in control of my body, and if that's the only place I can put some leash on my life, so be it. I need to focus on me. My mantra before I go workout is screw the rest of the world for an hour a day, this is my time to focus on me and my health. Its paid off. I don't hate my job as much anymore.....but I'm still looking for other possibilities. HTH
  • Restybaby2012
    Restybaby2012 Posts: 568 Member
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    Not much sucks like a bad job even if momentarily. I usta hate my job.......soooo bad, Id cry all the way to work and all the way home, I read the want ads like a maniac and prayed daily for the misery to end. I could not imagine "doing this" for the rest of forever. I struggled. I FUBAR'd at work almost daily it seemed. I struggled for months.

    Then it happened. One day something changed. I realize that I simply could not continue to do this....to work at a job I hated this bad. It was destroying every aspect of my life, it controlled my every moment...waking or not. Somehow I decided that day to make a change. I KNEW in my heart and soul I HAD TO MAKE CHANGES. I had to find something about my job that I could learn to love, that I could be good at it, that I COULD excel (no pun intended) at and be better than ANY other.

    ...........now 14 years later I have advanced to a job in a position I LOVE. I look forward to work almost every day. I KNOW Im good at what I do. My record is unblemished. Ive become the "go to person"....including having the supervisor AND manager coming to me and asking ME for the answer.!!!!

    You need to find some aspect of your job that you can excel at. New policy or procedure...new spreadsheets...SOMETHING. I never took the job I have because I was good at math or excel...YET..............Excel is a wonderful program and has so many perks to it. Find some short cuts...perfect what you do with them, teach others....show em whatcha got !!

    Whipping your job into shape will help the other areas you deal with and should help you feel more powerful and more in control of the other areas in your life. Dont give up....you CAN do this......you CAN gain control of your weight loss, your job and your stress. Dont let em see ya sweat huni !!! You are better and stronger than ALL of this.

    I wish you much success

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  • lozadee
    lozadee Posts: 89 Member
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    I have all of these issues/worries/stresses (except kids) and more besides. Its a good call to find one thing you like about your job and run with it - thats what I did - however I had that took off em for a TEAM of people to do what I did singularly and now I'm back behind square one again.

    I'm having a down phase at the moment all round - but usually I find the control of food/work outs helps me remain slightly sain when the rest of my life is spiraling out of control...not to mention how much impact food puts on it...

    Basically things have to click - which I dont think theres a solution for... if you find it - please add me to the mailing list of how to find it!

    The only tip I have is try and keep "better" treats than cupcakes to hand - i keep light hot chocolates in my desk when I'm feeling nibbly and that tends to help me/cure any cravings! Good luck! x
  • robynrae_1
    robynrae_1 Posts: 712 Member
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    I have been having the same issue myself. I work night shift 10 hour nights, I also work as a Fill in at a clinic in town. Normaly the clinic job is very very occasinal until...one of my coworkers broke her leg. So now I do my night shift job than go over to the clining job and work another 3-4 hours. I was going to Zumba class in the evening but now sleeping is much more important. So I gained some weight. I decided since I can't workout my food needs to be logged everyday, at least it is something I can control.

    I never see my husband he is going to school full time and doing an internship. He is gone by the time I get home and I am gone by the time he gets home.

    Just hang in there it will get better.
  • Amy_nz
    Amy_nz Posts: 145
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    Thank you all! It's weirdly comforting to know that there are others in the same crappy boat.

    I'm in the team that oversees the payroll to all school staff in NZ. We moved to a new payroll provider in August and it's fair to say that the transition hasn't gone well. I'm pretty good at what I do I think - I've been working here for six years and I understand the sector. But the things that I'm good at make me a target - I'm being sent to talk to the schools because my boss (who's fantastic) knows that I won't burst into tears when I'm being yelled at and that sort of thing. Plus I'm not great at number-crunching (my team focusses more on the policy and legislation behind the payroll) but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make the sucker work.

    I think I need to give myself an hour a day where I take my (many) frustrations out on exercise. I actually hate exercise so I won't want to waste those exercisey calories on a cupcake...hopefully it'll both release frustrations AND motivate the food side. Thanks again!
  • lozadee
    lozadee Posts: 89 Member
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    You could always spend the hour your thinking about dedicating to yourself on a 30 min walk to go get your cake, then walk back with it...earning it?

    There always seems to be simple solutions to other peoples issues - logistics arnt always apparent to others looking in.

    I have tried endless paths to resolve my issues/worries and the amount of people who say - well quit, just get another job, do what ever it takes...all easy peasy option...but somehow the "simplicity" of their casual advice seems to leave me feeling 10 x times worse and even silly in some respects - if its that easy to solve why am i struggling so much!

    I will close pandoras box now! :-/
  • Julie7741
    Julie7741 Posts: 93 Member
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    Ugh- My job stinks right now too. Teaching used to be a well respected profession. Not so anymore. I have a Master's degree, and am good at my job. However, at least in my state, we are now treated like hourly employees at the local WalMart. Now there is nothing wrong with making a living as an hourly employee. However, after investing thousands of dollars into an education, one would hope to have earned a little respect as a professional.

    End of my rant.

    To deal with stress, I DO NOT let myself fall into the comfort food trap. If I really must have a treat, I try to make it a small treat and not let it snowball into an all out binge. I also log it, even if I'm not proud of my choice.

    I have found that some good, heart pounding exercise makes me feel so much better. It really does. I'm not sure what your level of fitness is, but a good hard run is my favorite. Runner's high, I guess. I bet kickboxing, or some other "aggressive" type of exercise would do the same thing. It's all about endorphins. I read a study once that indicated that exercise is more effective than most anti-depressant drugs for patients with clinical depression. Give it a try and burn off that stress at work! :)
  • mammacoty
    mammacoty Posts: 45 Member
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    I too am an emotional eater, and have fallen off the wagon of being healthy a few times in this journey. (my downfalls are candy bars) What I have come to realize is that once you decide that exercise is a MUST, it helps all the other areas get better. I like to exercise first thing in the morning, so that I have that I'm feeling good for the rest of the day, instead of dreading my work out session to come. Not only is it helpful to relieve stress, but I really feel like it helps me make better choices in what I eat. I worked really hard to burn those calories, so I don't want to undo it with really junky food. A great workout can give you a little wiggle room, and you may be able to fit in a not so healthy snack. (which is why logging everything is so important) Big cupcake and candy bars have to go, but a snack bag of muffin bites might help a craving. I like to eat Fiber One chocolate brownies-90 calories. I just discovered putting a dollop of cool whip on top, and eating it with a fork makes me feel like I'm having a big desert. Keep in mind that sugar and chocolate are addictive, so if you are able to cut it out for a week, you won't physically crave them any longer. Good luck!
  • robynrae_1
    robynrae_1 Posts: 712 Member
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    You could always spend the hour your thinking about dedicating to yourself on a 30 min walk to go get your cake, then walk back with it...earning it?

    There always seems to be simple solutions to other peoples issues - logistics arnt always apparent to others looking in.

    I have tried endless paths to resolve my issues/worries and the amount of people who say - well quit, just get another job, do what ever it takes...all easy peasy option...but somehow the "simplicity" of their casual advice seems to leave me feeling 10 x times worse and even silly in some respects - if its that easy to solve why am i struggling so much!

    I will close pandoras box now! :-/

    It is so easy to tell some else they should quit. To do so is a HUGE leap into the unknown, and is one of the scariest things to do. Just ask my husband, he quit his job almost 3 years ago after being misrable for years. He is almost done with school now but it has been a rough road. We both know that it was the right desicion, because even though it has been tough, he is happier now.
  • kiedney
    kiedney Posts: 4 Member
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    As I see it, we start these journeys of lifestyle change, healthy eating, losing weight and taking better care of our bodies in a quest for happiness.
    I feel that many people underestimate the affect their job has on their happiness.
    The moment I realized I shouldn't have to work just for the money and I could find my "dream job" by finding what I'm good at and what I would really love to do every day for a long time, things started to change. Now that I'm satisfied with my everyday life, I find it easier to commit to other life changes such as nutrition and weight loss, and I don't even feel like I need motivation because I'm already motivated by seeing how my life improve when I'm happy and doing things for my self and my well being.
    I think people have to love their job as part of loving themselves and feeling valuable and appreciated.

    Take your time, think of all your options and find the thing you really want to do. Then start going in this direction. It may seem like a huge, crazy and scary thing to do, but it might be the time.
    Don't neglect this part of your life - your job is a big part of your life and you spend about half of your day there - be happy there too! No one should be yelled at on a daily basis (unless that's their kick :).

    Also, I find it very disturbing to know that there is someone unhappy living in the most amazing country in the world :wink:

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