Busy Lifestyle - Not Eating Right

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cloth1dr
cloth1dr Posts: 17
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sure a lot of you out there are just like me, always on the go. I am a substitute teacher during the week usually from 8am-4pm and then a minimum of 3 evenings out of the week I work at a hospital from 5pm-8pm. On top of that I work on the weekends at the hospital 8am-8pm and all my other week day evenings I'm usually running from sporting event to sporting event supporting the kids I substitute for. Needless to say I'm gone all day from 7am-9pm. And I need help...

I'm having a hard time being able to fit in all my meals throughout the day and I'm not big on snacking. So when I get home at 8 or 9 at night I usually eat something quick, usually unhealthy, like fast food or a frozen entree. The last thing I want to do after getting home from a full day and being so late at night is cook.

So here is what I'm hoping to hear from you...
- If you have a busy lifestyle like me how do you find time to make sure you are getting in all your meals?
- If you are someone who gets in late at night and is drained and doesnt want to cook as well, what do you suggest for meals?
- Anything else that is on your mind when it comes to this topic or my situation is always welcomed.

Thank you!!! :smile:

Replies

  • jaydangler
    jaydangler Posts: 28
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    Hey!

    What I do is every Sunday I cook most of my meals for the week. I eat a lot of meat so that's the bulk of what I cook. Also, making 10 or so hard boiled eggs for the week are quick and convenient. Sweet potatoes surprisingly are good days after being cooked when they're microwaved.

    When I'm gone for 12 hours at school, I have this lunchpale thing called "pack it" that has built in ice packs to keep my meat cold throughout the day. For my meals, I typically have some meat product mixed with nuts and coconut oil, and maybe carrots w/ almond butter on the side in Tupperware set.

    It takes me barley over an hour to cook all my food for the week (including clean up) and saves a ton of time!

    -Julian
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
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    Cliff Bar in my handbag as an emergency measure for quick meal. They are really good. Can be bought at Walmart and most grocery stores for about a dollar a piece. White chocolate macademia nut rocks.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    When I was a young Psychiatric Social Worker and studying in the US I learned that people always find /make time for the things that are important for them. I passed this way of thinking on to my clients but never practiced it myself until I got exactly to where you are now. I believed also that I had no time for certain basic things like good nutrition and self care. I even went to a stress management course due to severe insomnia. Guess what I learned in that course ? I learned that most people find/make the time for things that are important to them be it watching certain TV shows , cooking their own food and eating better, or as in my case finding at least 6 hours every night to rest .
    With all due respect, I would like to suggest the same to you. Find the 2-3 hours on the weekend to prep your food for the week, arrange your daily schedule in a way that allows you to have at least one decent meal with enough time....even if it is breakfast. Cut down a little bit on your student support in favor of self-support and take yourself just as important as you do all other activities in your life, because you and your health deserve it !
    Good Luck !
  • katznkt
    katznkt Posts: 320 Member
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    I work full time and am a law student in the evenings. Basically I am gone from 5 or 6 am until 10 pm every night. I have long commutes so I spend about 3-4 hours a day in my car. Did I mention my job was sedentary? Last year I gained 40 lbs because I ate out a lot and let my schedule become an excuse not to exercise.

    This year I have lost that weight and am working on losing even more. Same schedule. What changed? I prioritized my health. And sleep. It means I haven't studied as much, but overall I think I'm doing something better for my body.

    Honestly, id suggest cutting the sporting events that you attend so you have more time to cook at home and exercise.

    If that isn't an option, you can try what I've been doing:

    I stock up on fruit and steamable veggies. Every morning I grab my fruit and veggies. If I won't have a fridge I take it in a small cooler. I also always have a giant 30 oz water bottle. I also pack a bunch of low sugar, low carb protein bars and drinks. I make sure I am never ever without at least one Apple and water and protein. When I can, I cook my protein. When I can't, I buy a rotisseri chicken and package it up to last me a few days. When I can't manage that, I frequent a bbq place close to my house that has a great grilled chicken breast. It comes with green beans, broccoli and a side salad. I split it into two meals. I found that as long as I always have quick and easy access to healthy food, I make good choices. And avoid fat... I mean, fast food.

    as for exercise... That was hardest time wise. I started to do jillian michaels 30 day shred because it gives me about the best workout possible in 25 minutes. I'm not going to lie and say it happens every day. On a good week I do it 5 times and on a bad week maybe twice. I try to add to that by being more active at work. I walk around, and do some light strength moves during lunch, or in my car. If I stand in line I bounce or do calf raises. Any little thing any little time I can. Right now I'm tapping my feet. Every bit helps burn more than you would have. But really, when your time is limited, your diet just becomes that much more vital.
  • katznkt
    katznkt Posts: 320 Member
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    When I was a young Psychiatric Social Worker and studying in the US I learned that people always find /make time for the things that are important for them. I passed this way of thinking on to my clients but never practiced it myself until I got exactly to where you are now. I believed also that I had no time for certain basic things like good nutrition and self care. I even went to a stress management course due to severe insomnia. Guess what I learned in that course ? I learned that most people find/make the time for things that are important to them be it watching certain TV shows , cooking their own food and eating better, or as in my case finding at least 6 hours every night to rest .
    With all due respect, I would like to suggest the same to you. Find the 2-3 hours on the weekend to prep your food for the week, arrange your daily schedule in a way that allows you to have at least one decent meal with enough time....even if it is breakfast. Cut down a little bit on your student support in favor of self-support and take yourself just as important as you do all other activities in your life, because you and your health deserve it !
    Good Luck !

    exactly! It is a tough lesson to learn, but sometimes health has to come first. And if you want to continue to be a great sub that kids look up to, you should make your lifestyle healthy enough that you would want them to mimic. Otherwise you eventually might not be able to teach our support them if your health issues become too bad. And they might not be that bad yet, but a few more years living like that... Well, you can do some real damage. I know first hand.
  • katznkt
    katznkt Posts: 320 Member
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    Ok, so my posts sound negative so I wanted to add that you are awesome to be so invested in your kids as a sub. Especially with so much else going on. Very impressive. I just don't want you to have the same kind of rough year as I did last year. :)
  • Vex3521
    Vex3521 Posts: 385 Member
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    I pre-pack a lot of things. This includes my prep for my breakfasts so no dicing and chopping, just heat up a pan, toss in my veg and then whip up my eggs and in they go. It's a lifesaver.

    Re; cooking ahead, I can't recommend anything else better. I have my chicken pre-cooked for my meals this week so all I have to do is pop a Tupperware in to warm up and that's that for lunches. No junk. I have sweet potato in with half and I'll do a mixed salad with chicken for a couple meals. But really the hard part when it'd be going for the junky food is now handled!!

    I do 7-8 chicken breasts in about 30mins at 375. I cover my cookie sheet with foil, drizzle olive oil on them and flip to coat and then chuck them in the oven. Depending on what meals I am having I might put Mrs dash on some, or BBQ sauce, or whatever else sounds good... or just go plain. I flip them over at 15mins in and that's all I really need to do. Way easy to just cool them off a bit, cut them into chunks, portion out (by food scale weight) into Tupperware and into the fridge they go! I bake my sweet potato at the same time and pre-measure my salad out as well so it's all set for me. If I'm doing anything else food wise I will set this up too so it's all going the same time.... this way I'm not double cleaning the kitchen!

    I work a 40hr graveyard shift, have 4 kids and my husband and assist with care for my parents so I totally get hitting the ground running!
  • janer4jc
    janer4jc Posts: 238 Member
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    Ditto on the importance of preping anything possible. I also bring a large container of yogurt to work on Mondays and eat it throughout the week. Love to add fruit or granola once in a while.
    I generally have an apple and boiled egg for a quick snack or a packet or oatmeal. Lastly, we go through stretches of a lot of crock pot meals. Chicken breast, beans, salsa, and cheese is a regular.
  • spaingirl2011
    spaingirl2011 Posts: 763 Member
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    Speaking as a doctoral student/college instructor: I agree with making things ahead of time when you do have some time. I like to make big meals (like a pan of lasagna or a crock pot of stew/chili/pasta sauce) and the freeze them in individual portions so if I come home without the desire to make anything, I can heat up my own frozen entree. As far as easy meals, nothing comes close in ease to an egg white omelet.

    I learned in my first two years of grad school (after I had gained 30lbs) that you really don't have anything if you don't take care of your health first. Hang in there and find some time to take care of yourself!
  • katznkt
    katznkt Posts: 320 Member
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    Dupe post
  • cloth1dr
    cloth1dr Posts: 17
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    I didn't take your comments in a bad way at all. I appreciate all input on the topic and you're right that I need to prioritize my time a little more wisely. My health needs to come first and I know my kids will understand if I can't make it to every game.
  • cloth1dr
    cloth1dr Posts: 17
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    Thank you everyone for your input, it is very much appreciated. I'm working on making a list today while at work on different meals I can prep ahead of time.
  • Livingdeadgirl44
    Livingdeadgirl44 Posts: 264 Member
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    I've just made a big batch of courgette and parmasan soup and a giant Frittarta to take to work next week. Hoping it will stop me getting an unhealthy lunch as I know we are going to have a busy and stressful week.

    It's not something I usually do but its been quite relaxing spending a hour or so cooking and I've got lunch/breakfast sorted for the whole week now. I might make a habit of it :)
  • tashiaberman
    tashiaberman Posts: 48 Member
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    If you are too tired and too busy to cook during the week, cook a big meal on the weekend and portion it out into plate-sized freezer containers for those evenings you are too busy to cook. Just pop it into the microwave to defrost and cook. No fuss, no muss -- dinner in a few minutes. If you prepare a big salad that can last a couple days, or buy salad in a bag at the grocery, add that as a side to whatever meat & veggies you have frozen.

    Lunches are not that hard. chicken salad, tuna salad, egg salad are easy to prepare in advance. Throw in a piece of fruit, apple, pear, orange, etc. Have plenty of Ezekial bread in the freezer, separated into 2-slice sections so you can chisel one off. A granola bar for a snack, a plastic container of that salad from the fridge with a little raspberry vinaigrette dressing and you're ready to go. Drop a plastic wrapped string cheese stick, babybel cheese round or such into your purse for those quick mid-morn or mid-afternoon snacks.

    I have trouble getting all this done in the morning before work too, so I try to keep something prepared that I can throw into plastic bags or plastic tubs quickly, toss it all into a bag to pop into the fridge at work and be done with it. I even carry my own agave sweetened tea and coffee so I don't succumb to temptation at work.

    Preparation when you have the time is key.

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