Work interferes with my exercise/diet plans

Janelle31
Janelle31 Posts: 23 Member
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
I work at a small town hospital. My schedule is essentially Monday to Friday 7:30 to 3:45. Unfortunately my job also requires that I take call, meaning that for three to four days in a row every other week I am available for 24 hours in addition to working my regular shift. And at least one of those stretches of call is over a weekend.

This wouldn't be too bad except that it never fails that I will be called in to work either when I am just starting to make supper, or as I am about to workout. That's bad enough by itself, but then I'm often so tired after a stretch of call that I have very little energy for a couple of days after I'm finished.

Does anyone have any suggestions to help me stay on track? I get so frustrated that I can just get a nice "habit" developed and then work screws it all up for me.

Janelle

Replies

  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    I would suggest working on maintaining a calorie deficit while eating really wholesome foods. That way you can stay nice and full but still cut back on consumption. Then work out any time you really do get a chance.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Is there anyway that you can do workout DVD's at home? Like before you go to work? There are some that only take like 15-30 minutes.. not a lot of time.

    Also do you get a breaks at work? If you do, take a spin around the hospital.. I'm a substitute teachers aid, so I understand what it's like to be on "call" and have your plans get f-d up.
  • angkev2560
    angkev2560 Posts: 36
    Do you get to move around a lot at work (walking etc)? My sister is a nurse and used to work at the hospital (12 hour shifts) and would wear ankle weights since she did a lot of walking while at work. Just a little something extra when you don't have time for full blown work outs. Hope that helps
  • ittzings
    ittzings Posts: 7
    Maybe when you are not on call, put together some healthy meals that you can either cook quickly or take with you if you get called in on call. For example, a healthy vegetable soup is really fast to heat up in the microwave.
  • RollinDawg
    RollinDawg Posts: 235 Member
    Are you a nurse or doctor? I bet you're on your feet enough when you're called in to make up for that lost exercise.
  • fastbelly
    fastbelly Posts: 727 Member
    What is more important your work or your life?

    I'm pretty sure your job is important but if you were given the chance to choose between the job and your life you'd have a easy choice. If you make sacrifices to take those call's and to work, you need to start making those same sacrifices for your health and well being.
    Take time for you first, make it the first thing you do when you get up, take time for yourself first and you'll see the rest will fall into place.

    If you do get called, make a commitment to yourself that you will replace that workout you were about to start the next day no matter how tired you feel and DO IT!
  • audram420
    audram420 Posts: 838 Member
    I work in a hospital as a respiratory therapist and during cold and flu season it is so busy I can never get to the gym let alone eat, so I grabbed some ankle weights and walked around the hospital in 15min. increments.
    A good 20 min. DVD to do at home is the 30 Day shred!
  • k121777
    k121777 Posts: 306
    Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can.

    JUST DO IT
  • wendibartel
    wendibartel Posts: 132
    I thougt my schedule was bad. Being on call one weekend a month and 5 week days a month on top of my full time work schedule. It sounds like yours is even worse.

    I would have to say the best investment I made since starting my journey was a crock pot that had a timer on it. Takes a little time to throw the ingredients in but then you set it and if your not home by the time its done cooking it will switch over to keep warm or off in extended lengths. Then you will have something ready and waiting for you when you get home.

    I also agree in stocking your fridge with meals you prepare on days off. They can just be taken out of the freezer and warmed up in most cases.

    Hope this helps. As for excersise It sounds like your already on your toes most of the day so its not like your just sittine there.
  • Nursebeachnut
    Nursebeachnut Posts: 83
    I would cook on the days you have off and freeze portion sized meals. Ready for on the go meals ...this will prevent over eating or "tired" eating. As far as exercise I would make good use of the stairs at work ...you would be surprised how many calories you could burn during a 15 min break....Good luck...I was a night time on call RN for 7 years. I feel your pain...
  • wendibartel
    wendibartel Posts: 132
    I work in a hospital as a respiratory therapist and during cold and flu season it is so busy I can never get to the gym let alone eat, so I grabbed some ankle weights and walked around the hospital in 15min. increments.
    A good 20 min. DVD to do at home is the 30 Day shred!

    I agree the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred is pretty good. I am on day 3 a 10th of the way there :)
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    My gym is right near a hospital and it gets a lot of traffic before and after shifts.
    I also suggest you eat very carefully. Shift work is notorious for adding huge amounts of weight because your body craves sugar and fat when your circadian rhythms are screwed with.
  • garlic7girl
    garlic7girl Posts: 2,236 Member
    Hey I agree with the rest. Break up exercise in 10 to 15 min intervals. Do they have a gym at work or a gym near the hospital?
    Also, plan plan plan take snacks with you. I am a nurse and what saves me are healthy snacks I take in a cooler with me. like today I had baby carrots and hummus.
  • kristen11joy
    kristen11joy Posts: 114 Member
    Cut yourself some slack when you're on-call, and if you have to miss a workout or eat a less-than ideal meal, don't let it derail you the rest of the time. On days when I can't stick with the program, I at least try to do better than I used to (Pizza will never be good diet food, but if I eat one slice instead of three, that's an improvement!). Then, stick to it when you can (don't let yourself off the hook, saying, well, I already blew it this week, or something)
    Having healthy meals and snacks planned ahead and ready to go, and some quick exercise video you can squeeze in on those days might also help.
  • _Sally_
    _Sally_ Posts: 514 Member
    Weightloss is 90% nutrition, so don't feel bad about the occasional missed workouts.

    I would recommend focusing on stocking up on healthy snacks that you can keep at work, in your car, or grab and bring with you easily. In addition to some frozen portions of healthy meals you've cooked on previous nights, make sure you stock up on fresh fruits and veggies that you can eat raw, plain fat free yogurt, popcorn (unsalted), low fat string cheese, low sodium soups, raw nuts, hummus, hard boiled eggs, etc. Trader Joe's also has some nice already cooked (and in some cases spiced) soybeans, lentils, etc. that you can keep on hand without refrigeration.

    Instead of viewing your work schedule as an interuption to your new routine, you could look at it as a new normal, and plan for these interuptions as a normal part of your weekly schedule so they don't throw you off your game.

    I have no doubt you'll be back in the swing of things with a little extra planning. You can do it!
  • Levedi
    Levedi Posts: 290 Member
    I would cook on the days you have off and freeze portion sized meals. Ready for on the go meals ...this will prevent over eating or "tired" eating. As far as exercise I would make good use of the stairs at work ...you would be surprised how many calories you could burn during a 15 min break....Good luck...I was a night time on call RN for 7 years. I feel your pain...

    I love these ideas - both have worked really well for me too.

    to OP - I know this sounds heartless, but make yourself do 20 minutes even when you're exhausted after a long shift (and get the longer workouts when you're not on call. I've had to force myself to do this and I find that the first 3 minutes are really hard and then the exercise starts to relax me after my long day and it gets fun again. I de-stress and sleep better, plus over the long run I've built up more stamina so the work day doesn't wear me out as much.

    Hope this helps!
  • Janelle31
    Janelle31 Posts: 23 Member
    Thanks for all the great advice. I'm already doing a fair bit of the meal prep suggestions. And I keep healthy snacks at work. I am a lab and xray tech so my job is very active and on a normal day it doesn't take long for the pedometer to hit 10000 steps. I eat very healthy but get frustrated that I'm not seeing the weight loss that I would like. I know if I increased my exercise I would see more results. I guess maybe I just need to not be so hard on myself and I just have to push myself a little more when I'm tired to get that 15 minutes of exercise in.
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,063 Member
    after a hard shift you're exhausted for a couple of days? mentally or physically? because if you're physically tired for that long, that's not normal and you should see a doctor!
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