Job and how it affects your eating habits:

Hey everyone, I was just curious what your job is and how it affects your eating habits? I'm a pharmacist and it definitely impacts how I snack / meals I eat. (unlike today) I am usually pretty busy while I'm at work, so it definitely cuts down on my snacking. What about you all? Anybody else have any barriers with your job that may help / hinder your ability to lose weight? Just curious!

-Scott

Replies

  • hayleycreates
    hayleycreates Posts: 27 Member
    My job is pretty stressful. I'm in an office, insurance stuff (Commercial, not health). I've noticed over the past few years that I've really "needed" that 3pm chocolate fix. Sometimes I found myself needing it at 9:30am!! So I've made some major changes in my work space. Firstly, I don't keep anything that is a trigger food near me. Then, after lunch, I put together a veggie tub (It's a gladware bowl) with a few cups of different veggies. I keep it on my desk through the afternoon in case I have the urge to munch something. I've noticed that even that has decreased a bit now.
    The other thing I would do is drink coffee all day, loaded with cream and sugar. Now, the only beverage I drink in the office is water. The exception is if I really need another coffee or something, at lunch I'll go to Starbucks for a Skinny Vanilla Latte.
    I find keeping the stuff out of my site, desk etc helps me stay on track.
  • MichaelVakili
    MichaelVakili Posts: 27 Member
    Well my job / jobs was an obstacle and it is still an obstacle, but I find my way to lose weight.
  • tisha_rae
    tisha_rae Posts: 216 Member
    I work in an office where we have a kitchen, which is nice – I can bring food in & keep in the fridge….that’s a HUGE plus for me.

    There are plenty of negatives though – when you work in an office you are sitting on your butt most of the time – ( I try to move around a lot)
    Sometimes you work right thru your lunch
    People/Clients are always bringing in “treats” cookies, cake etc, and we usually have a candy dish.
    I’m right downtown – so we’re surrounded by restaurants.

    I’ve found that preparation is THE KEY for me.
    I now have healthy snacks around at all times ( I have almonds on my desk all the time)
    I cut up fruit & veggies at the start of the week and bring them in – so that they are always on hand – if you don’t have a refrigerator you could keep them in a small lunch cooler or eat things that do not have to be cold.
    And WATER – I’ve usually downed about 6 glasses by noon – it keeps me feeling much more full than I use to be – drinking – coffee and soda. I always have a glass/bottle on my desk

    In order to ward off the 2-3:00 slump – I eat constantly!!!!

    Around 9:00 I will eat an English Muffin, a boiled egg, fruit, whatever for breakfast.

    Around 11:00 I will eat more fruit, veggies, or a handful of nuts, or a boiled egg

    I take my lunch at noon

    I eat another snack around 2: 30

    And I usually end up eating dinner around 7:00 I really would like to fit another snack in but I usually don’t.
    I do not eat after 9pm.

    Sometimes life does get in the way – but you just have to stay on track!!!!
    And when you mess up – just start right back over.
  • I found my busy / stressful job to be an excuse for poor eating habits. Once I made my diet a priority, it wasn't really that much harder to eat well
  • LittleMissNerdy
    LittleMissNerdy Posts: 792 Member
    It seems like in the office where I work, there is ALWAYS food. People will bring in leftover cake or cookies, there's always food leftover from meetins and what not. Some of it isn't horrible but still.

    I've been doing good lately though with saying no unless it's leftover salad.
  • glubben
    glubben Posts: 45 Member
    I work in Information technology for a hospital. THe IT industry as a whole seems to be full of Fat people :P and there is always food around. It's tough. I just try to do the best i can.
  • I'm a teacher so job isn't a prob as I get my break and lunch even if they are a little rushed. I find its the treats on the table that's the problem :( sometimes I can't say no
  • tomomatic
    tomomatic Posts: 1,794 Member
    The threat of layoffs depress me.

    And the one hour commute (each way) cuts into valuable exercise time. Sadly, I also use that time to eat in the car.
  • MyM0wM0w
    MyM0wM0w Posts: 2,008 Member
    I work for a huge corporation but our dept is separated within the campus. The 'pantry' is still right outside with all the goodies the company provides every day but I can't see it from my desk.

    The guys I work with are the most amazing men in the universe. They used to bring the food back to their desk through the front entrance of our area, right past my desk. That was great back then, it gave me a heads up there were yummies I could go grab.

    Since I've started my journey they set up a 'coffee' break area by the back entrance and now they bring their treats in that way and I don't even see them.

    If there's tons of stuff, they'll even offer to refill my water bottle so I don't even have to see all the treats. Very supportive bunch here.
  • courtneysmummy
    courtneysmummy Posts: 40 Member
    I work in an office where I sit on my bum most of the day (9-5). Lunch is 1hr 15 mins so I try to go out and walk most days just to save me snacking on anything.

    I used to sit and have chocolate or crisps all the time where I now have my set time to have a piece of fruit and my tea and then time lunch comes I'm okay.
  • I'm a self-employed hair stylist and it is HARD. I usually only have a minute or two to eat (unless I schedule myself a lunch, which almost never happens) and so popping a bunch of chips or something is so much easier. I like the Lean Cuisine pizzas, but they stink up my shop. I've done salads and stuff but I always forget to take the tupperware and whatnot back home...I need to figure out something else.
  • serenapitala
    serenapitala Posts: 441 Member
    I'm a nanny. Unless the little one is sleeping, food doesn't make it to my mouth. She must have it :-) So no snacking, but I'm ravenous at the end of the day. Then I eat way too much. It used to be fast food on my way home. Now I make sure to find time for lunch when she's napping and have a snack with me to eat right after work.
  • I work as a retail manager...in a CHOCOLATE SHOP! When i have a stressful day...chocolate just wants me to eat it! takes some seriousssssss will power to just do something else or eat an apple! aha x
  • kutiesmiley
    kutiesmiley Posts: 4 Member
    I work in Retail and I am a salaried employee. No 2 fifteens and a lunch for my 10 hour days! Though I am more active than my previous position (bank teller), and I did lose weight when I started, I find myself more often than not eating a twix for lunch and a bagel and coffee for breakfast. This is even if I eat. During the holiday rush there were many days that I went all 10 hours with no food. I'm off today and decided to make a "mock" breakfast and lunch schedule to curb my calories and give me a plan for the day. I can't keep doing this to myself because I'm constantly tired when I get home and spend my off days trying to "catch up" This is mostly from my bad eating habits and lack of exercise.
  • ChrisC_77
    ChrisC_77 Posts: 271 Member
    I work in a retail distribution facility for a major retail company. We have an onsite fitness center. A very nice one. Here is my typical day.

    Wake up about 430am. Try and eat a 600+ calorie breakfast (which includes a protein shake) I am a healthy weight and actually looking to gain about 10 lbs muscle. I hit the fitness center and either do cario or weight lifting about 5:15am and wrap it up about 5:45am. I work at 6:00am

    I am very active at work most of the time. I have a lot of variety in my work week which is very nice. I enjoy my work.
  • thisgirlhere
    thisgirlhere Posts: 27 Member
    I work as a retail manager...in a CHOCOLATE SHOP! When i have a stressful day...chocolate just wants me to eat it! takes some seriousssssss will power to just do something else or eat an apple! aha x

    So it's a myth that people who work with Chocolate end up being sick of the stuff? You must have a lot of willpower then. I could not do your job as I'd eat my way to a heart attack.

    I work in an open plan office. I sit down all down which doesn't help but it's always someone's birthday and we have this thing in the UK where we buy everyone cakes on our birthday so there's always a cake on offer. I try and just stay out of the staff room on those days. I work with quite healthy people on my team so we don't tend to have snacks and buscuits at our desks but other teams have whole cupboards full of food so I always know where to go if I'm craving food.

    My worst habbit has always been going to a local bakery or supermarket for lunch. There's always a meal deal which makes buying snacks with your lunch cheaper than just buyting a sandwhich. So I've solved that so far this year by taking a salad box into work with some sort of protein in it and I take some fruit to graze on in the day.
  • I am a clinical therapist... so I sit in an office for most of day, stand for some, and run around for some. However, my coworker in office next to be always has a big jar of yummy chocolates in her office and there is always yummy vanilla coffee creamer and coffee in the kitchen....

    So... my job makes it challenging for sure sometimes. HOWEVER! U work 2 mins from my home and gym is 2 mins from work and work is 2 mins from gym... SO I get to the gym easily and come home for homemade lunch etc... so that helps.
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,159 Member
    I"m a nurse working 7P-7A so on those nights, my "dinner" is usually after 1 AM. I try to eat a meal before I leave for work, because we're usually so busy, we're not even guaranteed time to eat. I've virtually stopped eating the cafeteria food and bring in my own. I try to bring in things I can microwave and/or grab and eat at the nurses' station. It's definitely not healthy, but I've tried to improve what I can. If I'm in a munchy mood, I'll try to stick to cheese sticks and skim milk and stay away from my beloved chocolate.
  • I have a fast paced office job that leaves barely enough time to breathe let alone make healthy choices. Lol But I am blessed in the fact that my office building has a free gym. So instead of running to get grab and go food, I dedicate my lunch hour to working out. This is not always easy, but I have never been the type to get up early in the morning to work out and working out after I get home is nearly impossible. I have really been able to be consistent by utilizing the gym at lunch, really doing my best to stay motivated to keep going with that. I also just started tracking my calories, which is something I have never done. An eye opening experience to say the least! It really helps me think twice before eating mindlessly.
  • theoesque
    theoesque Posts: 36 Member
    I work in a restaurant, which is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, I'm constantly on my feet and walking and usually don't have the time or ability to eat while on shift - but this means if I don't manage to eat before I get to work, by the time I get off, it's usually around 11 PM and I'm starving because I've been at work for 6-8 hours with no food, so I eat something quick and then go to bed within the next hour or so, which is awful. I really need to start packing something like veggie snacks and bringing them to work with me.
  • Days like today make it f difficult.

    Got woke up at 630a to be told an employee had not turned up for work

    So now I'm working 7am to 11pm straight.

    Luckily as is a restaurant and hotel I can ask the chef to make something

    But they never have time to make lunch so I skip it and then in the evening there are chips to munch on or breaded fried brie wedges etc.

    Oh well
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    I used to work night shift, 6pm to 12am. I would ride my pushbike to & from work (6km each way) and when shift was over I'd buy something horrid & eat while riding.... yeah junk like snack bars.

    Now I don't work. I eat better. But had I known then..... what I know now..... I'd eat before work....then walk home.
  • I work in marketing and it's hella difficult when we're running a campaign that involves giving out food.
    At the end of last year we had 1000 kit kats just sitting in the office, now it will be chocolate brownies for the next campaign.

    It can get tough - but I also allow myself 150-200 cals a day to enjoy as I please. This is based on a resolution I made - that I would eat healthy and clean for 85% of my diet. This way I don't feel deprived.
    I just make sure I'm on par with my calories and macros and then I'm A-OKAY!
    It's working great so far :)
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I'm a teacher and obviously I can't eat while I'm teaching, so if I have a full day with no frees, then I get 30 mins at break and 30 mins at lunch. Even then, by the time I clear my classroom up, grab all my stuff, go to the loo etc, I don't actually have half hour left.

    We have a little office for our department with a kettle and a fridge, so I bring my lunch in (usually salad and some fruit) so I can keep it in the fridge. I usually have some fruit at break time and my salad at lunch time. By the time I eat and have a coffee it's usually time to get to the classroom and set up for the next lesson.

    In my frees I usually drink coffee, but I'm usually pretty busy so don't eat. People don't usually bring in chocolates and things so there's no temptation.
  • Tell me about it! I work in event production. If I'm onsite I'll get two or three meals a day provided. When I was in the UK it was bad enough (McDonald's for breakfast, Tesco meal deals for lunch, lasagne for dinner). Now I'm in Asia I regularly get 3 rice based dishes a day, normally curry or with deep fried meat (no veg), sometimes it's McDonald's but you know you're in trouble when that becomes the healthy option! They also don't always provide water so you end up having to drink fizzy drinks all day. I could take my own meal, but they pay for mine and when I've rejected it before I feel like I've offended them.
  • I work overnight for 12 hours, so i'm so bored! Then when im home with my infant i can barely get two bites in btwn caring for him and tryna get some sleep! I've been bringing in 100 cal snack and a banana all week to try and keep a handle on things! any more late night ideas?