Two full time jobs. Suggestions on working out?

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I work two full time jobs. Sunday through Thursday I work from 9pm-5:30am. Then I immediately head to my next job from 6:30am-2:30pm m-f. So, for the purpose of this thread, I work 9pm to 2:30 pm five days a week. My son has therapy on Mondays for an hour and by the time I get home I have two hours to sleep before my next "day" begins.

I get my son (a five year old) on the weekends. Both my jobs are physical (I am part of a freight team at a home improvement store and I'm a low volt electrician during the day). I've been working the two jobs for over three months. I'm going to be continuing for the next year. This is all done in hopes that I can move closer and switch to full weeks with my son, so giving up the job is not really an option.

I'm getting my eating under control again (I slipped into the evil fast food trap). I just need suggestions with the activity part. I do hike and play with my son on the weekends but the weight just keeps piling on. I've gained 30 pounds since June.

Replies

  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
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    If this is just about weight loss, your daily lifestyle and a mindful diet should be plenty to sustain calorie deficits and lose weight. The freight tram job sounds like a lot more exercise than most people get anyways!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Eat less. Don't even worry about working out.

    Also, sorry to say this, but enough sleep is extremely important and that's probably part of your problem.
  • katlinne
    katlinne Posts: 5 Member
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    If this is just about weight loss, your daily lifestyle and a mindful diet should be plenty to sustain calorie deficits and lose weight. The freight tram job sounds like a lot more exercise than most people get anyways!

    Thanks. It's just getting back into healthy habits and getting my weight back down. All the extra weight and crappy food has gotten me feeling really rundown. That, and the lack of sleep!
  • buffalogal42
    buffalogal42 Posts: 374 Member
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    You sound way more active than me and I work out 5-6 days a week!! But my job and the rest of my life are sedentary. I'd start by setting your MFP goal and seeing what calories you should be eating without trying to add exercise. Try that for a week or two to get used to it.

    Read the threads here about properly weighing
    and logging food. You can even have fast food if you work it into your allotment of calories. You can do this!!
  • MadInGlasvegas
    MadInGlasvegas Posts: 5 Member
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    I ll second sleep comment. I ve done similar crazy work pattern for a few years but did not have parental responsibilities. Sleep is more important than gym - trust me I wore myself down into the ground in 4 years of doing ft uni and two jobs and gym on the side. My health after graduation went quickly downhill so much so that I wasnt able to do simplest things like get dressed without help for periods of time. I kept working either non stop or two days off a month during that time. I lived in excrutiati g on stop pain. It took 4.5 years for me to get out of it. Im finally bk at the gym and healed my back a lot. It came only after I stopped working so much though. I take every wknd off these days. Im saying it because I dont want you to end up like me. You ve a kid. Unless you do your best to care for yourself you will not be able to care or rolemodel for your child well. What worked for me 1. Sleep whenever - i slept on buses between lectures and as soon as i was home it is still my highest priority (because lack of slerp in my case is quickly followed by increased pain) 2. Eat well - no time to cook buy prechopped everything, toss in a pan with jar of low cal sauce and mince/meatballs buy healthy preprepared meals - soups and frozen food are a godsend engage your child in cooking if its big enough and you ve place where its ok yo do so small kiddos seem to like it 3. Try to take time out even if its 5 mins a day to look up the sky and marvel at how beautiful it is. 4. See /keep in touch with friends even if it is a text msg or fb msg once in a while those worth keeping will understand and stay in your life. 5. dont be afraid to ask for help - this was the hardest for me but so worth it i asked my partner to get me dressed drive me everywhere pick me up from work asked my friends to run my errands and give me mental support asked my coworkers to advise on best physio and to help me out when i was unwell or getting dizzy from meds. Do your best. And accept that your best now might not be your ideal but is still miles better than just giving up.
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
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    It sounds like you get a lot of activity in at your jobs. I'd value the sleep over the exercise. You may see more benefits from getting more sleep than getting more exercise. Just have a calorie deficit and you'll lose weight, no (additional) exercise needed.

    I hope things go well!