Any other workaholics or people with food allergies trying t

Options
kbloodworth
kbloodworth Posts: 107 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi all,

I started a little over a week ago, and am looking for some online friends to help support me on this. I have an extremely stressful job, but have realized that I can't keep using that as an excuse to remain unhealthy. I used to be very active (I was a cheer instructor, a dance instructor, and also had a regular schedule of lifting weights and going to kung fu training), but in the last five years, I have been almost completely sedentary. My bad habits started when I was a full time college student and also worked full time. I was literally busy from 8am-9pm, and spent most of my weekends studying. I also ate out almost all the time because I was never home. I knew this was extremely unhealthy, but felt it was something I could survive for just a few years. After I graduated, I did get back into decent shape, and was feeling healthy again, but that only lasted about 1 year until started my current job. I definitely put my career first, consistently working 50-60 hour work weeks. I have had numerous promotions over the last six years, but I have also paid a price. During that time, I have gained ~10 lbs per year. All the late worknights and take out food, combined with minimal activity added up to a 52 lb weight gain. Almost all my muscle mass had disappeared and my body fat % is out of control.

About a year ago, I found out that I was allergic to gluten and dairy, and that spurred significant changes to my diet and lifestyle. I have already lost 25 lbs and am still working to lose another 40. However, it is a daily challenge. When I had active jobs, I never had to think about fitting in workouts, and I could eat 3000+ calories per day without gaining weight. Now, the only way I fit in a workout is if I put it on my calendar, and I have to prep all my meals on the weekend to ensure that I stay within my much-reduced daily caloric limit. I have enjoyed using this site so far, and am hoping there are some supportive people out there that can add me as a friend, and help me stay accountable and engaged, especially during the more hectic periods at work.

Replies

  • vickiele1
    vickiele1 Posts: 394 Member
    Options
    Hey there - I too have an extremely stressful job with many weeks of 50 - 60 hours per week, plus I am on-call 24/7 for a fairly large adolescent residential treatment facility. I live with stress continuously due to the behaviors of our clients, budget cuts, etc. In addition I am working on my Ph.D. in Psychology and literally am at a standstill with the dissertation. I too am lactose and gluten intolerant. I do my best, but struggle frequently with healthy foods that I'm not allergic to. In addition, fell and fractured my wrist mid November last year and am still dealing with the complications of that. Despite all of that, I have managed to reduce my weight by 67 lbs and have been relatively successful in maintaining my achieved weight goal since the first week of January. Please feel free to friend me if you think I can be supportive. It is tough and having friends that get it does help.

    Blessings

    Vickie
  • jenfunfur
    jenfunfur Posts: 263 Member
    Options
    I hear what you're saying 5/6 days a week i'm out at work for up to 11hours, on top of that i have IBS with dairy & nut allergies.

    I find it so hard to find the time to cook fresh, do a workout, shower etc but i've been trying really hard. I'm only losing 1lb a week & still have 40lb to go but i won't give up!

    I've sent you a friend request, i'll do my best to support your weightloss xx
  • jmabley
    jmabley Posts: 20
    Options
    I am allergic to beef, apples, oranges, pecans, cashew, brazil nuts. I have more food allergies but they are mostly just food sensitivies that don't make me horrible sick like these ones and I can say that they suck. When I found out I was allergic to beef I sort of grew into it because I was raised with beef in my diet but when I was about 15 I started getting sick all the time and it was were because I don't get sick. It took the doctor(s) some time before think of food allergies, and being allergic to beef sucks because it is everywhere you go and a lot of times when you go for a bbq with friends guess what is on the bbq, beef steaks it took some time but I got use to it and so did my husband when we started dating and now he and I don't even notice.

    I use to be like you, I work to full time jobs and a part time, and when I stopped doing that I worked in a hotel and a lot of times ended up workin 17hrs a day and days off were months apart. I final had to stop when my doctor asked me if I was trying to kill myself because it got to the point were I was eating enough and my legs were in constant pain from never having a real break, and my husband was starting to get really irritated that I was never home. Now I work a job where I only work 9 hrs a day 4 days a week which is great it gives me time for me, which was tough for the first while, because even though it was my day of I went to work anyway because I had no idea of what to do with myself at home.
  • jmabley
    jmabley Posts: 20
    Options
    Also if you sensitive to gluten maybe try look up what people with "Celiac Disease" do for their dietary needs because celiac Disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be found in everyday products such as medicines, vitamins, and lip balms. It may help you out

    Best of Luck

Categories