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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you ever work a full day without eating lunch?

141 replies

isthisallnormal · 20/03/2023 17:36

I'm struggling with vicious anxiety and ended up doing this last week. I couldn't make myself get up, go to buy food, it just all seemed too much and i literally was frozen at my desk. I didn't drink any water or coffee and also couldn't make myself get up and go to pee despite needing too.

Normally I'm a big fan of eating regularly throughout the day so this is very unusual for me. I felt like utter shit, very weird and faint until I came home and grabbed some bread and cheese. I do have quite low blood pressure and wonder if a lack of drinks made that drop.

But it got me wondering - I'm sure I've read about how it's quite common for people to skip lunch or not take any time to eat because they are so busy? And nurses for example often don't get time to eat or pee throughout their shift?

Is it common at your workplace to not have lunch or regular tea or coffee breaks?

OP posts:
Doyouthinktheyknow · 20/03/2023 18:18

Yes, nurse here. Regularly miss lunch and don’t drink enough.

Missed lunch today! Never get a lunch break. It’s not healthy and my diet is poor.

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 20/03/2023 18:41

Boomboom22 · 20/03/2023 17:53

You realise any exercise done without eating is pointless, your body will go into starvation mode and store more calories when you do eat.

Show quote history

I don’t exercise for anything to do with calories.

I exercise for fitness, fun and strength. I don’t care about calories.

GotABeatForYouMama · 20/03/2023 18:43

Not now but when I was a Support worker out in the community, most days. Also didn't drink much as there was no-where to go to pee. My day started at 8.30am and finished anywhere between 5-7pm.

AllOfThemWitches · 20/03/2023 18:45

No way, I get shaky if I don't eat

Perfect28 · 20/03/2023 18:46

Yes frequently. I don't know how I get through tbh

ShowOfHands · 20/03/2023 18:47

Boomboom22 · 20/03/2023 17:53

You realise any exercise done without eating is pointless, your body will go into starvation mode and store more calories when you do eat.

Show quote history

Starvation mode is a load of old cobblers and lots of us don't care about calories/fat loss. Exercise is about health.

I teach and on a very busy day, I miss lunch. I drink plenty and have a really big snack at 3.30 on those days.

Apairofsparklingeyes · 20/03/2023 18:48

I know someone who has kidney damage after not drinking or peeing during long work shifts over many years. No job is worth sacrificing your health.

Blurpy · 20/03/2023 18:50

Boomboom22 · 20/03/2023 17:53

You realise any exercise done without eating is pointless, your body will go into starvation mode and store more calories when you do eat.

Show quote history
  1. That is completely not true.
  2. No one is starving after not eating for a day.
  3. Exercise is not just for weight loss.
KateAusten · 20/03/2023 18:50

I have a one hour unpaid lunch and make sure I take it everyday

CharlotteMullen · 20/03/2023 18:53

Quite often. I didn’t today. I had a banana around half seven and a handful of nuts around three.

Mum23amazingkids · 20/03/2023 18:54

Every single day

Twinedpeaks · 20/03/2023 18:55

Yes all the time, and I don't eat breakfast either. I wouldn't not drink though - I don't take tea/coffee breaks but there's always a mug on my desk which I'm drinking from.

Am in a normal policy job, albeit senior. I don't think this is the reserve of a few professions

fdgdfgdfgdfg · 20/03/2023 18:57

I quite often don't eat anything from the time I wake up until 6pm or so. I just don't get hungry.

I do however always take my lunch break. Fuck giving my employer any more of time time than I have to.

Delatron · 20/03/2023 18:58

No I would never do this but I have an active job and life so it would be very bad for me.

As an aside exercising whilst fasted is not good for women (men can get away with it) it raises our cortisol (stress hormones).

If you have a desk job then maybe you can get away with it. But not eating all day then exercising is not good for you. You need to fuel the exercise.

justmyluck1234 · 20/03/2023 18:59

I definitely have done.. not intentionally but just on externally busy days at work.

HereBeFuckery · 20/03/2023 18:59

Yep. Teacher: three of my five lunch breaks are used up by duty, club and providing extra support for struggling students. One break is a duty, and usually the others are used for catching up on printing/tidying/marking/planning/logging behaviour issues/calling home. No time to eat! I do drink tea and water but sparingly as I don't get time to pee either!

BillyNoM8s · 20/03/2023 19:01

During the week I don't eat breakfast or lunch. I just eat early dinner and a snack (I eat a lot).

If there's nuts or something in the office then I might grab a handful.

If I'm busy then I often don't drink enough to go to the toilet. This bothers me. The lack of eating is intentional.

LindorDoubleChoc · 20/03/2023 19:01

No. I don't eat breakfast so of course I prioritise lunch. OP you need to address your anxiety first.

fgdk · 20/03/2023 19:03

Has everybody else read a different post to me? Why is everyone jumping up and down to say whether this happens to them due to their job rather than point out the rather glaring issue that to not get yourself food or drink due to "vicious anxiety" and being "frozen to your desk" to the point you won't even go to the toilet is really not normal and this thread is more likely a cry for help than a genuine interest in your jobs?!

OP does this happen to you often?

fellrunner85 · 20/03/2023 19:03

You realise any exercise done without eating is pointless, your body will go into starvation mode and store more calories when you do eat

What absolute bollocks. And exercise isn't about burning calories anyway - it's about getting fitter and stronger.

I do all my runs on an empty stomach, because that's what works for me. I'm certainly not in this mythical "starvation mode" - I'm pretty fit and healthy.

And as for the point of the thread - yes, I often miss lunch. I have a really busy job and often don't get a break. It's normal in lots of industries, unfortunately.

Delatron · 20/03/2023 19:04

I think some people are making excuses on here for not eating all day. It takes what 2 minutes to eat a sandwich? No employer is going to deny you that (or loo breaks). Apart from doctors/nurses where I have heard horror stories.

It’s about prioritising your health. I mean do teachers really have to withhold fluids because they don’t have time to pop to the loo?

I don’t mean one off days that get away from us. But regularly not eating all day is not good for your health. Most people must be able to find a few minutes to eat something ..

SarahAndQuack · 20/03/2023 19:06

fgdk · 20/03/2023 19:03

Has everybody else read a different post to me? Why is everyone jumping up and down to say whether this happens to them due to their job rather than point out the rather glaring issue that to not get yourself food or drink due to "vicious anxiety" and being "frozen to your desk" to the point you won't even go to the toilet is really not normal and this thread is more likely a cry for help than a genuine interest in your jobs?!

OP does this happen to you often?

As I read it, the OP was trying to get a sense of what's normal. I've not seen anyone else say 'yes, I am often so anxious I don't eat,' but rather, some people have said they might be too busy. When I read the OP's post I thought it was quite clear she was wondering whether it was normal to miss meals etc. in a state of anxiety, and the thread is about showing that, in fact, while missing meals may not be so unusual, the cause is rarely what she's experiencing.

LaVitesse2022 · 20/03/2023 19:09

Delatron · 20/03/2023 19:04

I think some people are making excuses on here for not eating all day. It takes what 2 minutes to eat a sandwich? No employer is going to deny you that (or loo breaks). Apart from doctors/nurses where I have heard horror stories.

It’s about prioritising your health. I mean do teachers really have to withhold fluids because they don’t have time to pop to the loo?

I don’t mean one off days that get away from us. But regularly not eating all day is not good for your health. Most people must be able to find a few minutes to eat something ..

Exactly my thoughts. I'm shocked that so many people skip 1-2 meals regularly and are able to function. That is not healthy and cannot be sustainable. Nothing can be keeping you so busy that you can't take 2 min to eat a sandwich. And as for exercising at the end of the day after not having eaten at all... That's just bonkers.

fgdk · 20/03/2023 19:10

@SarahAndQuack oh god sorry yes I see what you mean!! I was reading these replies thinking what the heck how self involved are these people to ignore this cry for help! My apologies Blush as you were.....

megletthesecond · 20/03/2023 19:12

I have never missed lunch in my life. Or breakfast, dinner, snacks and regular water.