Career-driven fitness pals

I'll send you a request. I'm trying to get into a competitive industry (sports) and my current job requires eight-hour days, but untraditional hours (like 4 p.m.-midnight) and I only get a half-hour break. Not to mention that some women that work in this business are practically gorgeous, so I feel a lot of pressure to drop the weight and look a certain way! (No, I don't want to be on TV, but the whole look good thing is definitely in my face and I notice it a lot.)

It's tough. I was wondering if I was the only one. It seems like everyone I know has no problem getting to the gym after a long day at work. I haven't found a balance yet but I'm trying to prepare meals when I do have time so I have healthy things to take to work and such. I run my own business and I do everything. Some days I'm at the computer all day and some days I'm in the shop cutting up tires (www.ringswings.com) which is hard work but doesn't really keep me fit. If I don't get up in the morning and work out before all that it does NOT happen. And I'm not a morning person. Just have to make time for yourself and remember why you want it badly enough to go the extra mile!

I feel your pain. I'm an assitant to the Chair of a complicated surgery department, and manage their fellowship program, the interview season is begining for us. I get pulled 25 different ways daily, get an hour for lunch, but spend that hour at my desk eating and working. I take 4 hour long dance classes a week after work, and I usually end up packing a dinner to eat on the way to class, or on the way home from class. Dinner ends up being whatever I can eat ona bus, with my hands, that doesn't look or smell gross to other people. Which usually ends up being chicken breast peices, cheese, and cucumbers, or a protein drink. It's not very exciting. I try to make up for it by making something awesome on the days I don't have class. Or making a really fantastic salad for lunch. The temptation to stay late after work to catch up is almost overpowering sometimes. Do I come in early and sacrifice sleep? It's not everyday, but some days I feel like I have to choose between work (and my professional reputation in terms of being able to be timely and capable of super human feats) or my health. I made the resolution that I would be choosing health this year, and saying no more often. I've been sucessful 8 days in, but ask me again in a month lol. But my reputation for superhuman feats has opened a lot of doors for me in this job, I'd hate to loose that. I'm starting to have the feeling that I won't be getting 8 solid hours of sleep every night int he next couple of months. Sigh. The question is, how do I have it all, the way I want it? lol

Like you all, I sit at a desk 8-5. and sit in my van driving to and from work 22minutes each way (when traffic and the weather is ideal). I guess I'm not really struggling with my weight (anymore) because I do the following:

get up early (5:30-5:45am) workout to my DVD's 45-60mins.
put my shake in the blender, turn it on and hit the shower while it blends
get out of the shower, turn off the blender
quickly get dressed, return to the kitchen and put my shake in a 'to go' mug and put it in the freezer.
Finish getting my hair done, teeth etc.
Get my bags for work and my lunch.
Grab my shake and eat it while driving to work.

At noon, I have been squeezing in a 15min walk
After I get home I try to do another 15min walk (either step ups, or on my elliptical, or a few mins. of a DVD)
Then I work on supper (run around the kitchen!)
Eat supper.... and while putting it away, plan my dinner for the next work day.
Put my dinner for the next workday in my lunch bag
relax....unwind....go to my childrens functions(ages 14 and 16).

Does it take work to get in shape, yes.
Do I log my food. I have been, since Jan 1. Off and on prior to that.

I'd love to be buddies and share ideas.

Yup! Same here!

I found and subscribed to several really great healthy food / healthy mom food bloggers and started a collection of recipes using an recipe box tool. So now, it takes about an hour each week, but I sit down select what recipes I want to make and it creates a schedule and a shopping list for me and I just stick with that. It's really nice because if I know I'm going to have a late meeting or a super early day I just plan accordingly!

Workout wise - I do the same as some of the ladies mentioned above. I schedule my workouts like a meeting and that helps me a lot.

Full disclosure: I have totally fallen off this awesome plan for several months and it has really caught up with me. It works though - time to get back on it.



Good luck!!!

Saw the topic of the thread and felt compelled to respond. I often feel this way, not knowing when people are able to schedule work outs! I guess the answer is the morning (not really the answer I like!), but that can be so tough when it is so cold and dark out. On top of my work schedule I'm also a part time grad student, which means that twice a week I go to class from 4-7 pm and then two other days I work late to make up those hours. Fridays are my only "normal" day where I work 8:30-5. I love the idea of booking a workout session like it's a meeting. My Outlook calendar is my best friend, so this is a useful tip!