How to keep up with a busy schedule.

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shelby_wiede
shelby_wiede Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I just wanted some tips on how to stay on track with eating healthy with a busy schedule. I work from 8:30-5:30 Monday - Friday. But I live in Austin so I leave for work at 7:30 and usually get home around 6:30. I don't really like eating that late so I either just skip dinner or go for the quick solution. Fast food

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  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    You have a couple of options -- you can prep meals on the weekend so that when you get home you just grab a pre-portioned meal out of the fridge and heat it up or you can find fast food options that fit within your calorie goals.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Why don't you like eating that late?

    I commute 2-2.5 hours daily...I leave my house around 6:45 and usually get home around 6:30 on non gym nights. My wife and I usually eat dinner around 8:30 or so. We both also brown bag our breakfasts and lunches most days. On days that we just don't get around to it, I'll hit up a Wendy's for lunch like I did today...the Mediterranean Chicken Salad is pretty good and I like having a baked potato with it.
  • salsera_barbie
    salsera_barbie Posts: 270 Member
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    Your schedule doesn't look busy to me. I'm up at 4:30, at work 7-5, workout for 1 to 1 1/2 hr, get home by 7:30. Dinner is usually salad or something quick like breakfast tacos.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Make friends with your crockpot. Make a meal the night before, turn the crockpot on low before you leave for work and dinner is ready when you get home.
  • BigJes37
    BigJes37 Posts: 82 Member
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    Microwaved egg bakes! Quick easy simple. Put in the numbers you need.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I'm gone for 11 hours straight as are you. Often times longer. I have a cooked meal nearly every day. There are 100s of quickly prepared meals or like many others have said, meal prep on weekends. Also nothing wrong with eating late. You're only making excuses
  • mommamia30189
    mommamia30189 Posts: 82 Member
    edited August 2016
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    I dont feel like you are making excuses- I understand what you are saying. I work 8-5 and with my commute I am gone from home from 7:15am-6pm.I work out before work, i get up at 4:30 and work out until 6am- I also go work out at night most nights for at least 90 mins so by the time i get home and take a shower its 8pm. I hate eating that late also. I usually have something small like an apple or yogurt.
  • forever_polish
    forever_polish Posts: 3 Member
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    I don't think she's making excuses either. I'm a full-time working mom of a toddler and when I get home, I want to hang out with my kid, not sit in the kitchen for an hour or more. Freezer meals are my friend. I prep the dinners on the weekends during my kid's nap/when my husband can get him and let me work. A lot of them are crock pot meals or oven bakes and I can usually get two dinners per meal I prep. I pull one out of the freezer the night before and then stick it in the crock pot in the morning, or stick it in the oven as soon as I get home. All I have to do then is clean up from dinner. It's really worked out well.

    I also don't like eating that late because I don't like feeling bloated when I go to bed.
  • nickisa28
    nickisa28 Posts: 116 Member
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    Maybe find meals that are quicker to cook? I know my diet could be better as in less processed stuff but it's still better than a McDonald's and it fits with my macros and calorie allowance. So I buy meatballs and burgers ready made (I just go for the low fat options and check the salt and sugar contents), I eat a lot of steak and grilled meats with veg or salad because they're easy to prepare. I rarely spend more than 15 minutes on cooking my meals. I don't think I'm organised enough to prep or crockpot before work...I'd forget :/ and yes on the weekends when I cook dinner, I will prep extra so I can eat it during the week but I don't specifically put time aside to prep 5 days worth of meals. So if I've done that at the weekend, that's Monday and Tuesday's dinner sorted, then Wednesday could be steak and veg (10 minutes if you like I medium/rare like me) Thursday could be grilled chicken breast salad (15-20 minutes to make if you don't cheat with pre cooked chicken) and Friday I can take a little longer because it's the weekend and I'll be going to bed later than usual.
  • forever_polish
    forever_polish Posts: 3 Member
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    I have this book that has been very helpful as well:
    https://www.amazon.com/Weight-Watchers-Cook-Fast-Recipes/dp/1250052955/ref=pd_sim_14_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8SEXF776Y144S0FW83YQ
  • bendis2007
    bendis2007 Posts: 82 Member
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    What has also helped me is moving back my lunch time as I don't get home until about 9:30. I eat a very late lunch (maybe 2 or 3 PM) and it tends to be my heaviest meal of the day - lots of protein, lots of fiber - very filling. I do have a small measured snack - maybe fruit - before I leave and that way when I get home I'm not in ravenous mode, nor do I feel the need to stop for fast food. So I'll only need a 2-300 calorie meal/snack before bed instead of a full dinner. Meal prep at the beginning of the week would be helpful so that you can grab something already made when you get home.
  • shelby_wiede
    shelby_wiede Posts: 2 Member
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    Thanks everyone for their insights! Really helpful! I don't like eating late because my tummy gets upset when I go to bed and lay down too fast. I try to get to bed so I can get plenty of rest for the work day ahead. I'm going to take all of these wonderful suggestions and try to figure out what works best for me! Y'all are awesome!

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