Long work hours, little breaks - help?

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lesliedias22
lesliedias22 Posts: 30 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone,

I am having a really hard time eating consistently throughout the day. I am a therapist so I am always working hands on with people and therefore it's hard to get small meals and or snacks in - sometimes even water intake is tough! So that means when I come home, I am eating everything or I have a big meal and feel bloated almost right into the next day.

I am normally really active but lately have fallen off that wagon as well which stresses me out. Aside from that, I also have some thyroid issues.

Overall, I just want to know what everyone else does to make this work?! I'm curious. I am starting to become really fed up with myself and it is entirely not motivating. :(

Replies

  • pollypocket1021
    pollypocket1021 Posts: 533 Member
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    Can you eat between patients or while doing paperwork? That's what I do, and everyone else I know.

    Just adopt the first three rules of surgery:
    1. Eat when you can
    2. Sleep when you can
    3. Pee when you can

    Pre-plan and pre-log. Meeting kcal goals is pretty simple. Spoon and a jar of peanut butter. 2 minute lunch.
  • lesliedias22
    lesliedias22 Posts: 30 Member
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    pollypocket1021 wrote: »
    Can you eat between patients or while doing paperwork? That's what I do, and everyone else I know.

    Just adopt the first three rules of surgery:
    1. Eat when you can
    2. Sleep when you can
    3. Pee when you can

    Pre-plan and pre-log. Meeting kcal goals is pretty simple. Spoon and a jar of peanut butter. 2 minute lunch.

    Hahaha, very solid rules. Majority of my patients are back to back, and a lot of the time I chart at the end of my day. There are occasions where I can definitely snack between patients. Looks like I'm hiding a jar of peanut butter in my office!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    My work days are people oriented so I understand about rarely having two seconds to run to the restroom. I do not eat during the day at all. I have some water.
    Eat a filling breakfast and a nice dinner and then a snack before bed.
  • aaliceinw
    aaliceinw Posts: 747 Member
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    I'm also with people all day. I try to have a filling breakfast and take a lunch box with both a protein shake and s protein bar in it. I also have fruit in the lunch box. It helps because I do eat better on those days when I remember I have the lunch box.... I'm learning new habits
  • Coachconni
    Coachconni Posts: 42 Member
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    Protein shakes. Easy to have between patients. Will help stave off hunger.
  • JenniferInCt
    JenniferInCt Posts: 431 Member
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    Im a nurse so i hear you! Lately, ive been trying realllly hard to find 5-10min to eat, because before mfp i never took breaks. Now i plan ahead- protein shakes (ready to drink), bananas, yogurt, string cheese, and for days when im ambitious and praying for a dinner break, i bring a salad with dressing portioned out. You have to find 5min somewhere! Worst case, eat when you chart.
    If you really cant find time, start eating a filling well balanced meal before and after.
    Its hard, i know!
  • jmkb1012
    jmkb1012 Posts: 1 Member
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    I'm an ER nurse, so I have the same struggle! I'm lucky to get a bathroom break. I used to come home starving, and end up eating junk food at home before crashing and getting up for the next shift. Now I pre-plan, which takes some work, but gets easier as you get into a routine. Packing my protein powder for shakes really helps. I've recently starting adding casein protein into my whey protein because it seems to keep me feeling full longer. I also pack Greek yogurt, string cheese, an apple, peanut butter, carrot sticks, etc. Anything that I can eat quickly. I still need to work on my water intake. ..I'm terrible at that part!
  • lesliedias22
    lesliedias22 Posts: 30 Member
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    Thanks everyone! Glad to know that there are others with the same struggle. I am definitely going to work on all of these ideas - especially the protein shake! Keep the suggestions coming! Seems like all of us can use them if anyone out there on Mfp has mastered the disastrous schedule eating
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
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    Can you pack a snack to eat on your commute home? Maybe if you had some string cheese or some almonds before you even walked in the door, you'd be tided over enough that you wouldn't feel the urge to go straight to the fridge and binge (I've been there, I know how it is).

    You could also try for an intermittent fasting schedule, with your fast being during your workday.
  • rach6288
    rach6288 Posts: 1 Member
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    Hello,

    I'm a student midwife so know the struggle!

    I take little pots of 100 cal snacks that I eat throughout the day when I can. Normally things like olives, pine nuts, pecan nuts, cheese, grapes etc and have also started to take hard boiled eggs.

    It felt strange at first to not take a 'proper' meal, but I'm used to it now! And when I was taking a meal I would often not get the chance to eat it anyway! I too would not eat all day, come home at 10pm and eat everything in sight before bed!

    X
  • vfit10
    vfit10 Posts: 228 Member
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    Eat when you can ... Or if you can drink .. There are small bottles of pre made protein shake from muscle milk it will keep you full
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    I always keep snacks in my desk drawer. It's become something of a joke with my co-workers. I don't have your work situation but there are definitely days where my phone doesn't stop ringing and I barely remember to use the restroom. I always have protein bars, crackers and other easy items in my desk drawer. In the past I've also kept a jar of peanut butter in there and pretzels to eat it with.

    I'm sure you know that when you eat has little bearing on weight loss, right? It's more that you aren't comfortable when you eat so much at the end of the day? As long as you aren't going crazy from being half-starved during the day why not eat a big breakfast, snack on something quick and small when you can during the day and then have dinner with the rest of your calories?
  • kaitlinrt
    kaitlinrt Posts: 28 Member
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    There seems to be common thread...Healthcare workers (myself included!) need to take care of themselves! Do you work 12 hour shifts or 8 hour shifts? I could see if you work 8 hour shifts getting a larger, more protein dense breakfast in before your shift that could sustain you longer. If I know I will have an especially busy day, I bring my breakfast and have it right before I clock in(6:30am); otherwise my breakfast would be at 5am. I know it sounds silly but this prevents me from feeling starved by 11am.

    I also try to chug a big amount of water (12-16 oz) when I get home before I eat dinner.

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