Is this what working in your 40s like or am I just a fatty?

[Frequency]

Obviously, I've worked before but from home for the last 6 years. My work routine was to get up 5 minutes before I started work, stumble to my desk, and then make a coffee and make myself vaguely presentable after handing over from the last shift. The only walking involved was to the kettle and back.

Now I am working outside the home, my day involves getting up at 5 am to shower, style my hair and make my lunch, walking to the bus stop, walking from the bus stop to the next bus stop, and walking from that bus stop to my workplace.

Once I get to work I walk from job to job around the estate as issues are reported, sometimes carrying equipment, up and down millions of flights of stairs, and then I repeat the bus trip home, usually getting home at 8 pm. By the time I've walked the dog, I am usually too tired to eat dinner and just drag myself to bed.

I've gotten up today to sort the garden, clean the kitchen, spend time with the dog and catch up on all the college work I should have done during the week but I ache. Everything aches. My knees ache, my thighs ache, my elbows and shoulders ache, my feet and ankles and back hurt and all I wanna do is curl up in front of Netflix with a bottle of wine and then go back to bed.

Is this what life is now? Do I live in a constant state of exhaustion and pain or will my body get used to my new job and adjust?

It sounds like a lot and that commute, phew!. If I were you I would accelerate your driving lessons with the aim of passing asap if you need to borrow money from family I would do it. This will reduce your commute to something half reasonable which means more time to yourself between shifts but also means less walking to and from the bus.

By the sounds of it the weight will slowly sort itself out based on what you are eating and how active you are and that will make things easier too.

This sounds unsustainable and if you wear yourself out and damage yourself that will make it do much harder or permanent effect you going forward and that's before mentioning how terrible the work life balance is currently.

Of course your body aches after going from doing nothing to being constantly on the go!

But in 6 months time you will think nothing of it and be so glad that you’re not just sat down all day.

We are meant to be active all day and your health is going to improve massively.

Please buy some scales and weigh yourself and do this every week.

As long as you’re eating healthy, then you are going to see the weight falling off - which would definitely motivate me when I’m feeling exhausted.

Its a huge adjustment but your lifestyle before was very unhealthy and would be the biggest reason why you’re so overweight.

As a PP said, make sure you get some decent trainers and perhaps have a soak in the bath every night.

If you can afford a dog walker, then I would definitely do that whilst you are adjusting.
You could even look into putting your dog in kennels for a week or 2, just so you can focus on the new job without feeling guilty.

Well done you for getting a new job and pushing yourself into a whole new role.

As the PP said, I would focus on your driving lessons and try and pass your test asap.

My life completely changed once I got my car and everything got so much easier.

If your mum drives, you could look at the cost of being insured on her car and so you can practise without the huge expense of driving lessons.

So book a dog walker for either 9-10am or 3-4 pm or in the evening after you're home. Have them and your mum.

OP isn't going to bed at 8pm. She gets in the door from work at 8pm then she goes out again to walk the dog! It's after all that she goes to bed. Sounds like a pretty energetic day to me!

OP, all that extra activity should lead to weight loss which will make things easier and you will given a bit of time build up stamina so you will be less whacked.

5am is a very early start though. Could you reduce the time it takes to get out the door by preparing lunch the night before and taking as many shortcuts as you can on grooming and hair styling? I have recently let my crazy curly hair just go it's own way rather than trying to blow dry it straight and it has been a game changer

You definitely need decent footwear.
Are you allowed to wear hiking shoes? They look like trainers but have more support.
I'd get a pair of them if I was having to walk that much all day.
I do a lot of walking (not to do with work) and have gel insoles to cushion my heels more and that stops my feet hurting.

Your body will adjust to the extra exercise with time.

That sounds like a very tiring day.

At size 22, it’s a huge strain on your body too. You’ll start to get used to the increased activity levels, but if you lose weight it should help massively with the aches and pains.

I think you'll get used to it. You've been sedentary for so many years and now your body has to learn how to move again. I'm 50 and can do much more, but I never stopped.

That sounds like an excessively exhausting day. Much more exhausting than any job I'd probably be prepared to do!

My hair takes around 10 minutes to style. All I really do is blow dry the layers around the front and my fringe otherwise they go a weird kind of wavy/frizzy/straight combo and then I blast dry the back. The hairwashing takes longer because our water pressure is shit but even that's only about 15 mins.

I go to bed at about 9:30-10pm - sometimes a bit later if I have the energy to do some college work but never later than 10:30pm.

Knock the wine on the head, that won't help and you'll feel better for it. Keep it for the weekend.

I don't drink wine during the week. I don't have time. I felt like drinking wine in bed this afternoon but I resisted and did an hour in the garden instead.

I only drink once or twice a month and never on a school night due to the hangovers. I'm way too old for that shit

It's a fuck of a long day and a lot of steps so it's not surprising you're knackered. Your extra weight will definitely come down and that will help but I'd be knackered after that day once let alone every day of the week and I'm quite active. Focus on learning to drive, that will help a lot!

I'm still waiting for my first full month's wage but once I get it I'll treat myself to a haircut and get some stuff in to do a Brazilian blow-dry which should cut down the hair-drying time slightly and would mean I'd get away with washing it every other day or the night before.

I plan to make my lunch the night before but I'm always too knackered by the time I get home.

Any suggestions on walking boots/trainers? The dress code is smart/casual so would need to fit with that. Trainers are allowed but they must be plain black. I assume the same would apply to walking boots.

When I went from a desk job to a physical job it took me 2 months to get use to it. I'm overweight and my arms feet and legs ached. I'm ok now , if I have a week off it takes me only a couple of days to get back to normal.

That sounds like a long and fairly physical day.

I'm late forties and just about a healthy weight. I can do 10-15k steps without noticing it. Over about 20k steps I do feel it, but that might be because I only do it occasionally. Doing it carrying an extra few stone would be HARD. You will get used to the extra physical activity but it would definitely get easier if you could drop some weight.

It is not about being fat at your age, it is about fitness. My friend is pretty fat does park run every day and a physical job and gets no aching. Your muscles are adjusting.

I was going to say this too, OP, especially if you worked from home a lot you may have had less sunshine. Vit D helps with almost everything including fatigue and many women our age are deficient.

You are right that your current schedule will see you lose weight so don’t worry too much about that for now. I think that will resolve so long as what you do eat is healthy.

Peri symptoms - esp fatigue - can kick in many years before periods disrupt; but I think with the change of activity it’s more likely just activity level increase atm.

That's a knackering day!

Two busses is draining and a long boring commute Plus 12k steps at workThenTwo busses home

I can do 20k step and feel ok but any more I will start to feel tired. Get a smart watch and calculate your steps

I get up 5.45 walk dog, shower hair leave at 7.30 drive 15 mins to work and then home for 5pm and that's tiring!

How long is your commute.

You will get used to the active work day but it will take time and if you want to lose weight you will shed it quickly!

I have really found that my body has become more achey as I've aged and since I had a baby. When I do 20-30 mins yoga (mostly full body stretching, nothing v strenuous) every single day, I do notice a great difference (a lot less achey). If I stop doing yoga for a few days, I notice the aches start creeping in again. No idea if that's helpful for you but it makes the world of difference for me.

Hope it starts getting easier for you soon!

You leave your dog for 15 hours a day? Please say I'm mistaken/have misunderstood that?

You are mistaken.

I thought she leaves at 7:30 home at 5pm. Many dogs have owners with that kind of schedule.

Her mum cares for the dog while she's at work.

You will soon get used to the routine and your body will benefits from the increase in activity. I went from part time to full time and lost 10 pounds in 6 months and feel a lot happier and healthier. It is a long day but better be busy than sitting down. Good luck on your new job