AIBU to ‘blame’ my job for my weight gain?

[fat13]

Please note - ‘blame’ in inverted commas as I know that ultimately I’m the reason I’ve gained weight, but I do think work is a bit of a trigger.

Life is v busy and stressful. On top of this, I am a teacher and I know I get good holidays but tbh it’s still getting me down a fair bit.

Ive gained weight. Largely because im run down and tired and drained at the end of every day and I’m turning to food as a quick pick me up for comfort and for energy and to feel good.

Has anyone ever broken this cycle or am I going to have to think of alternative careers?

I sorta see what you mean. When I am stressed and overloaded from work I come home tired and in a bad mood and the last thing I want to do is think about being healthy on top of everything else. I just feel so drained. Preparing and living healthy takes will power and many days I feel like the office just saps it all from me, so I have nothing left for myself.

I am still to blame though. I can switch job and have been thinking about it for months now, but haven't yet done it.

I gave up teaching because of the impact on my health and my life. Unfortunately I still have baby (toddler now) weight at the moment. It was the right decision for me in part because my school was very toxic.

I would look at improving your health first and then trying to make a decision. Are you primary or secondary? Do you have children? I would use the 6 weeks to come up with a workable plan and get started. Hopefully you can get into a positive upwards spiral.

I think just lack of constant rushing. Don’t get me wrong, it can be really, really tough being at home with little children and I know this, but I found I was usually busy but in a good way. I suppose it’s that difference between busy with enjoying life and busy stressed / rushed off feet.

Also did absolutely loads of walking with the pram. And the gym was a break!

@Flopisfatteningbingforchristmas it does worry me, I lost both my parents young, don’t want the same for my own children.

You have identified the link between work stress and your eating, so adjust!

Have a nice but healthy treat for the end of the day. A drink that you enjoy (maybe not a frozen Frappuccino with cream nuts and syrups), something to quieten the wolf.

Enjoy the fresh air after the classroom.

And beware: my weight piled on when I was in a stressful desk job and you can eat at your desk! At least teaching has enforced 40 min fasting periods 😏

@StageRage i wish it was as simple as identifying it meaning I don’t do it, unfortunately I’m not sure it’s that simple or straightforward. I do need to have a good think, clearly.

I'm not a teacher so maybe this is not possible, but would it be possible to work on managing your school day so you DO get a small break to have something to eat. Even if it's just a banana and some nuts.
What I mean is, look at the source of the problem - that you don't eat between 8am and 3.30pm. If you can change that maybe the other things (eating crap, feeling too tired to make something nutritious) will naturally fall into place.

It’s all about habit imo. If you train yourself that work = apples + black coffee, you’ll get there. Or whatever. I do 5:2 while surrounded by food. It was hard at first but you quickly adapt and learn that treats happen in a different environment, and hopefully not as a response to stress.

Well yes, I’ve no problem with that either. I’ve sat in cafes when everyone else has fry ups and cake and just had water. I don’t think it’s that. I’m a secret eater.

You need to eat during the working day, if you aren't eating until later your body will be craving high calorie and low density foods to get that hit- plus you'll no doubt be really hungry and want to eat more!

As a secondary teacher as well, others are right in that planning is crucial. I've been the person living on sugary cereal, frozen pizzas and baguettes from the school canteen

You need lunches prepped the night before that are filling and can be eaten quickly if needed. One of my staples is scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. Zero prep.

Evening meals can be batch cooked so they just need to be reheated. If i have to come in tired and starving, I'm more likely to eat rubbish. The healthier option needs to be the path of least resistance.

I'm still overweight myself but I know where I go wrong and taking steps to change my bad habits.

Thanks. I don’t really lose weight by cooking if I’m honest - I work best on those meal replacement diets. Probably useful for maintaining. But I could definitely stick to it really well when I wasn’t working, now I’m struggling.

I understand - willpower has been shown to be a finite thing - you are using it up during the day by doing your work, so you have none left at 330, when your body is understandably outraged that it hasn't had any nutrients and demands the quickest, highest-calorie foods it can get!
I agree with pps that making time for a 15 minute lunch, minimum, and preparing it ahead of time should help.

What does a typical day of food look like? When and what are you eating? What time do you leave work and get home?

I’m a teacher too and I do find that I’m exhausted at the end of the day too and find it hard to find the energy to cook healthy meals. I also find I’m often starving by the time I get home so have some snacks to tide me over but then don’t feel hungry enough to cook a proper healthy meal.

I find bringing a filling snack to work to eat at 3 after the kids have gone helps as this is the time I am the most hungry and there are usually cakes, biscuits etc available which I’ll eat if there’s nothing else. I’ll try and make sure I’m having fruit so something like apple & peanut butter, toast and a banana, avocado on ryvita. Enough that I’m not starving by the time I get home.

The other thing I try and do is batch cook so that I have quick meals like curries in the fridge or freezer I can just microwave and I buy things like microwave rice to try and shave off cooking time. Then I know I will at least eat a proper meal.

Snacking in the evening is still a problem for me but I think that’s habit more than anything to do with my job!

Evenings are when I cave too. I usually get to work around 8, leave around 345ish. That varies obviously but roughly.

Yes, I've changed roles in a school and now I'm gaining weight.

So unless you are going to change careers, you need to make long term changes, not just meal replacements that are a short term solution.

Take something for your lunch that is filling, dont be tempted to go meal replacement or low calorie so you can get to 3:30 as you know your willpower then will be bad. You need to eat something earlier that's very filling - possibly feels over full to start with - so you are still full at 3:30.

Well, I am seriously considering overhauling my lifestyle and the job is part of that.

You sound like you're in a binge and restrict cycle. You eat things that aren't conducive to weightloss, then you starve yourself the next day to try and mititgate it, end up too hungry and eating unhealthy foods again.

I'm not sure that meal replacements are going to help you address this problem. You need to be eating foods that are filling without over eating. It might not lead to the rapid weightloss you're used to with shakes, but even losing just one pound a month would be just under stone in a year.

I'm retired, but some days I didn't even manage to have a wee, let alone a quiet lunch.

i had days like that when at home with kids, but it was different.

I don't think changing jobs is the answer, no matter how much you'd like it to be. As PPs have said, you need to plan - especially to make sure you have something to eat at 3.30 so you don't make crap choices out of fatigue and hunger. Maybe a protein bar? 200 kcal, 20g protein, should tide you over till dinner (which you should also plan in advance).

I understand OP. My DP struggles with his weight and is a teacher also. I think his role and level of responsibility increases the stress which is then relieved by eating, exasperated by food relationship issues linked to his childhood.

The magic cure is switching your mindset and thinking, far easier said than done I know, but it all boils down to how you structure and prepare yourself for the day. A radical overhaul all at once may be too much, you’re going to have to adopt new habits and behaviours so start off chipping away at your whole routine little by little.

Look at how you start your day when you wake up, beginning the wrong way places the whole day on an unstable foundation. I swear by lemon water, half of a lemon squeezed into 500ml of water and drank first thing. Try it for a for a week and notice the difference in your skin and energy levels.

You CAN do this. Good luck!

How do you feel about eating very similar things each day? I don’t mind this at all, but others prefer the variety. An advantage is that it takes away the thinking and then makes planning and shopping easier.

For example, you could make a bag of soup and have it each weekday. Or whatever.

This is not healthy or sustainable. Coupled with the fact that you say you are a secret eater sounds like you have a fundamentally broken relationship with food.

It's good you have identified the trigger, now try to address it. Force yourself to take short breaks in the day to recharge and eat something. Pre-prepared foods are best and don't have to take long to sort. Don't get caught up in a starve/binge cycle.

@Neverendingdust same, I just think it is linked to the structure or the day. And so perhaps that’s what needs to change.