To think work makes me gain weight?

[BrambleRoses]

(Sort of light hearted.)

I was on maternity leave for most of last year, and was super healthy, lost weight, was great.

Back to work and gained a stone. Vowed to lose it (and another) this year.

On holiday last week but had no problems dieting. Back to work two days and already floundering.

AIBU to blame my job?

I think stress at work, mindless snacking etc or eating while working and not concentrating on your food can mean you eat more. Also if you’re at a desk job you might not be moving around much. Or if your colleagues bring in cakes and sweets like mine do!

Stress makes you gain weight (and not just from stress eating, from the cortisol-insulin response), so yes, it could have.

It isn’t any of those things, although I don’t get as many opportunities to move about. The main problem is being tired in the evening but it’s the sort of tiredness that makes me want to sit and snack rather than the sort of bone crushing exhaustion that makes you want to go to bed!

Do you need to have a snack mid afternoon to get you through to dinner time?

Very possibly, although not sure why I do when I’m at work when I don’t at home!

I've got the opposite, I eat less when I'm at work, but I get it -- it's absolutely environmental!

I make sure I only take healthy stuff into work so my days at work actually feel quite healthy. I do snack lots but on salad/fruit/nuts etc. But exercise goes completely out of the window on work days (work 12 hr shifts so no chance I’m working out before/after).

are you in a office job?

My job is physical and when I'm on AL, I gain weight. Grr.

I teach, so you’d think I’d be on the go all the time but I think that’s the issue, I crash at the end of the day.

I get like this too. I eat to combat tiredness.

Have you tried checking your iron levels or taking an iron supplement as I'm anaemic so that's why I get so tired.

My office job saw me pile on the weight. In my case it was stress causing me to lay down tummy fat; and having to take meals around unpredictable meetings, meaning I ate at times when I wasn't hungry (because I was about to go into a meeting at 11 that might go on for 3 hours) and then again later when I was.

On both occasions when I lost my job and reverted to eating when and what I wanted, the weight just melted away.

Being stuck at a desk 9 hours a day, too.

Ah the workplace grazing

I work nights and put on weight, due to hours and the snacks at work. Sandwiches left over from residents supper, crisps, biscuits and cakes.

Definately agree, sedentary tole, incredibly stressful and exhausted at the end of the day leading to terrible choices (oven food, takeaways, ready meals)

Well it’s harder to build good habits when most of your energy is going into working but that’s what you need to do. Could you try not having the foods you are craving in, try swapping for something that you won’t eat as much of. Also are you having a filling evening meal and making time to cook and eat something you enjoy?
You’re bound to be tired if you’ve just gone back to work with a little one to look after. You just need to find what works for you now as I presume you won’t be retiring any time soon!

I sometimes go to bed very early (8:30) so I don't eat. I can watch stuff in bed but at least I'm not eating.

@BrambleRoses

I teach, so you’d think I’d be on the go all the time but I think that’s the issue, I crash at the end of the day.

Hmm is there always treats in the staff room?