Early morning starts

Everytime we do overtime ie 6 am starts my eating goes to pot , the first think I do when I get up is breakfast and coffee , so by time my normal start time comes around 8am I’m hungry again , also found that as I have started swimming 3 times a week for an hour my weight has gone up trust me it’s not muscle it’s fat I’m 11 stone only 5 ft 1 so pretty podgy ,any advice would be most welcome xx

Replies

  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,128 Member
    Everytime we do overtime ie 6 am starts my eating goes to pot , the first think I do when I get up is breakfast and coffee , so by time my normal start time comes around 8am I’m hungry again , also found that as I have started swimming 3 times a week for an hour my weight has gone up trust me it’s not muscle it’s fat I’m 11 stone only 5 ft 1 so pretty podgy ,any advice would be most welcome xx

    To the bolded trust me it's more likely it's neither, when you start new exercise your body tends to retain water to help repair muscles that are working harder than they are used to.

    Are you hungry when you're eating breakfast first thing in the morning on your 6am starts or just eating it out of routine habit? If you're not hungry first thing, perhaps put off having breakfast til 8am at work?
  • hmbm09
    hmbm09 Posts: 5 Member
    What time are you swimming? Research fasted cardio and see if it's something you wanna do.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,128 Member
    hmbm09 wrote: »
    What time are you swimming? Research fasted cardio and see if it's something you wanna do.

    Not sure this will help someone who is already experiencing more hunger, especially as the issue seems to be more connected to the OP's work routine rather than the swimming.
  • OGingerBeardMan
    OGingerBeardMan Posts: 157 Member
    Perhaps instead of eating right when you get up, eat at set times regardless of when work starts. I eat on a pretty consistent schedule, and it's been working for me. I eat at 7:30, 10, 12, 3, and then somewhere between 5 and 6 and then only drink water before 7:30 amd and after 6 pm.
  • Buff_Man
    Buff_Man Posts: 623 Member
    The key thing is not over eating. If your schedule changes your calories should stay the same. If you must eat first thing try having a big glass of water so that you can make jt to your normal breakfast time. alternatively have a small snack then breakfast at normal time
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i have to say swimming makes me starving in a way no other exercise does
  • swim777
    swim777 Posts: 599 Member
    Swimming makes me hungrier too. How are you managing your exercise calories? I agree about set times to eat. Maybe you need to build in a little snack on those overtime days to hold you.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    Are you eating a second breakfast at 8am?
    Could you have coffee when you get up and put off breakfast until your first break?
    Are you eating back some of the calories you burn from swimming? If not, that may be making you hungrier than usual as you need to fuel those swims.

    I agree that the weight gain could very well be water retension from new exercise. However, you don't mention tracking your food intake or whether you add an extra breakfast on days you work overtime. An extra meal a day for days at a time could hinder weight loss.
  • hila_13
    hila_13 Posts: 44 Member
    I agree. If you can hold off on breakfast until 8 it’s the way to go. Alternatively, I used to have a mini-breakfast when I first got up. A small yogurt (low fat, sugar, etc.). It was under 50 calories and got me through to a more reasonable hour without too many extra calories.
  • emmies_123
    emmies_123 Posts: 513 Member
    might also be what you are having for breakfast/work food. May need to experiment to see if other foods fill you up for longer.