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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:
megletthesecond · 20/03/2023 19:14

I've just remembered I have colleagues who get headaches. They don't drink much water or eat well.

Original poster
isthisallnormal · 20/03/2023 19:15

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?

My thread is not a cry for help. I'm a grown woman. I'm on a waiting list for therapy that will start in a couple of weeks.

I felt so awful after one day of not being able to eat and drink my usual amount from anxiety, it surprised me, given there are people who are flat out busy and can't take a lunch break. I didn't think I'd feel so physically floored.

Everyone is different and has different appetites. At the weekend I often don't have brunch until 2pm, spend the morning lazing round drinking coffee and feel perfectly fine...But once I get on the move, walking for my commute and working (even though it's desk based) I really need to eat!

OP posts:
MichelleScarn · 20/03/2023 19:16

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?

Well yes, there's a complete difference between people who can't leave a ward due to cohort supervisory needs, people working in a community setting who have no access to loos, teachers who get called into pupil management issues and the extreme issues that the op is reporting re anxiety stopping her being able to leave her desk.

Fairislefandango · 20/03/2023 19:16

No, I'd be starving! I either eat breakfast at 7:15 or have a banana and a few nuts for breakfast at work at 8:00. Lunch at 12:20 and dinner at 7 or 7:30. I'm already really hungry when I get home at 6pm. No way on earth could I make it through from 8a.m. to when I get home!

fgdk · 20/03/2023 19:16

@isthisallnormal no I know apologies OP I read it completely differently (I can't even say quickly I read it like 3 times confused by the replies!) Sarah put me right!

Phoebo · 20/03/2023 19:17

All the time, often no time for the toilet either

Original poster
isthisallnormal · 20/03/2023 19:18

fgdk · 20/03/2023 19:16

@isthisallnormal no I know apologies OP I read it completely differently (I can't even say quickly I read it like 3 times confused by the replies!) Sarah put me right!

Thank you for your concern though, it's rather sweet!

I reckon I'm just a delicate little flower who definitely needs three good meals a day to function semi-normally Grin

I couldn't hack no food and drinks as the daily norm.

OP posts:
SarahAndQuack · 20/03/2023 19:20

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.....

No, I totally got where you were coming from!

theysaiditgetseasier · 20/03/2023 19:21

I work in domiciliary care and once did a 7am - 9pm shift with only tea water and a banana - made me very unwell, now I always take some protein bars & fruit as we don't always have breaks from one visit to the next.

borntobequiet · 20/03/2023 19:21

Often. Teacher.
Kept my weight down nicely.

Streamside · 20/03/2023 19:21

I eat a full breakfast with porridge, seeds, nuts, fruit and peanut butter. I don't eat again until around 5.30pm but drink regularly throughout the day.
Remember King Charles never eats lunch!
As another poster has said the op's main issue is that she's not eating due to anxiety.

EarringsandLipstick · 20/03/2023 19:21

I often miss lunch. It's sometimes because I'm too busy, it can also be due to anxiety. I'm going through a hard tome at present & yes, I r experienced that 'frozen' feeling of knowing I need to eat / get up / do x task & not being able to.

It's hard. I try & make myself do the smallest next step possible eg stand up from my desk / walk towards bathroom etc.

Regarding the effect of not eating, I actually like the feeling of being 'empty' (I can find it hard to know what to eat during the day as I get full quite easily and I don't like a lot of things others would have for lunch.

However, it's really bad for me as I'm exhausted later, don't want to cook (have 3 DC, so I must) and then make poor decisions like eating chocolate or not getting ready for bed properly. I'm working hard to eat more regularly.

I hope your therapy is helpful 💐

CharlotteMullen · 20/03/2023 19:22

Streamside · 20/03/2023 19:21

I eat a full breakfast with porridge, seeds, nuts, fruit and peanut butter. I don't eat again until around 5.30pm but drink regularly throughout the day.
Remember King Charles never eats lunch!
As another poster has said the op's main issue is that she's not eating due to anxiety.

I need to eat a proper breakfast more often. It’s just so frantic in the mornings…

OnTheThames · 20/03/2023 19:24

When I was SLT in schools I often didn’t eat lunch, but I did grab something during the afternoon - a banana or a cereal bar - and I drank loads of water.

Without anything at all I would’ve felt atrocious.

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 20/03/2023 19:26

It’s definitely sustainable as its always been a normal feature of my working life and I’ve been working over 25 years.

When there is a long queue of customers, patients, clients in front of you, or in the waiting room, no, you aren’t going to stop, sit there in front of them and eat a sandwich. (Id feel far worse stuffing food in in 2 minutes anyway)

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 20/03/2023 19:38

isthisallnormal · 20/03/2023 19:15

My thread is not a cry for help. I'm a grown woman. I'm on a waiting list for therapy that will start in a couple of weeks.

I felt so awful after one day of not being able to eat and drink my usual amount from anxiety, it surprised me, given there are people who are flat out busy and can't take a lunch break. I didn't think I'd feel so physically floored.

Everyone is different and has different appetites. At the weekend I often don't have brunch until 2pm, spend the morning lazing round drinking coffee and feel perfectly fine...But once I get on the move, walking for my commute and working (even though it's desk based) I really need to eat!

Show quote history

I think the way you're feeling is probably more due to your mental state than a physical reaction to not eating.

I'd say there's a day or two a week when I don't eat lunch as a teacher. But it's through business not anxiety.

There have been times when I wouldn't eat for mental health reasons when I was younger- and I felt very different in those periods.

donttellmehesalive · 20/03/2023 19:40

Yes every day. I'm a teacher and our lunch break is 45 minutes. By the time the last pupil has left the classroom, it is time to prep for the afternoon. I also try to mark so I don't have as much to do after school. I have a hot drink mid morning and then when I get home.

Rebel2 · 20/03/2023 19:41

Nope, we have to take our lunch and breaks
I don't eat breakfast but always eat lunch

JudgeJ · 20/03/2023 19:45

pasbeaucoupdegendarme · 20/03/2023 17:47

When I was teaching, my colleagues and I rarely ate a “proper” lunch. I suspect it’s the same for a lot of medics.

Same here when I was still teaching, once I left the Staffroom in the morning I didn't get time all day to return. I recall one of my pupils saying in the afternoon You're not drinking that are you, it's been there all day! pointing to a cup of cold coffee, drinking warm coffee was a luxury.

EnthENd · 20/03/2023 19:59

Yes. But not because of anxiety, just because I'm busy. I'd nearly always find time to make a cup of tea (or several!), but if I didn't bring lunch in then I might not feel I can take 20 minutes out to go and buy it.

Delatron · 20/03/2023 20:28

donttellmehesalive · 20/03/2023 19:40

Yes every day. I'm a teacher and our lunch break is 45 minutes. By the time the last pupil has left the classroom, it is time to prep for the afternoon. I also try to mark so I don't have as much to do after school. I have a hot drink mid morning and then when I get home.

So can’t you hurry the pupils out? They can’t take 45 minutes to leave the classroom.. Then you are prioritising marking so you don’t have to do it at home - but over eating lunch? Can’t you eat a sandwich whilst you’re marking?

I understand it for medics/doctors/surgeons and I know teachers are very busy but many have said they have time for several cups of tea. Surely you just can bring some lunch in from home? What about breakfast? Are people just not eating until 4pm?

It’s being portrayed like some badge of honour - oh I’m so busy I can’t possible eat a sandwich (whilst making copious cups of tea).

If that’s what you want to prioritise then fine but I don’t think it’s normal or good for you.

Fairislefandango · 20/03/2023 20:30

Same here when I was still teaching, once I left the Staffroom in the morning I didn't get time all day to return.

I've just gone back to ft teaching. I don't think I've ever needed my lunch more! The staffroom is very full of people eating at lunch time. And full of people drinking coffee at break time.

Original poster
isthisallnormal · 20/03/2023 20:40

It’s being portrayed like some badge of honour - oh I’m so busy I can’t possible eat a sandwich (whilst making copious cups of tea)

In fairness though, I find it much much easier to drink cups of tea or coffee when very busy and distracted with a whirring brain.

This isn't what I was referring to in my original post, but I kind of get why people would do this if they don't have some proper lull in their activities to eat in peace.

It's a separate thing but I hate eating 'on the go'. But usually I don't mind eating at my desk on a break, reading the news or whatnot.

OP posts:
Christmascracker0 · 20/03/2023 20:44

Yes i do. Strangely more now I wfh than I ever did in the office!

WhatFlavourIsIt · 20/03/2023 20:47

Yep most days I eat a peanut butter sandwich on the drive to work around 6.15am & then I don't eat again until 5.30/6pm. I do drink water throughout the day but I don't pee until I get home. Working on building sites the toilets are pretty gross so I'd rather hold it in all day.