hard time finding time to get started

Eireanne84 · 01-25-2007, 11:46 AM

I'm currently working retail at lowes as a cashier my schedule is all over the place so i'm having a hard time starting this "way of life". Sometimes i have to get up at 4 am to be at work at 5:30 am(no time for breakfast that earlier), sometimes i go to lunch around 9..but sometimes 10 and even 11 at the latest..get off work at 2:30. And though this is not right...i never get a break, supposed to get 2 15min breaks but it dosent happen. I know i need a new job. But anyways, Other times i close..dont go into work til 2pm and dont get off til 11. Then sometimes i'm on a mid shift. It's crazy, so how am i supposed to find the time to eat 6 times a day, esp the snacks..they wont allow food or drink up at the registers, so i can't take a snack up there with me. It seems so expensive to by a new meat for 14 days? Is their anyway you know of to make it easier for someone with a crazy schedule and low budget. I'm college age girl i don't have much money.

rose1 · 01-25-2007, 01:49 PM

In order to make this work with a schedule like yours, you have to plan ahead and be really creative. I know this is hard, but planning is the key. We often have a protein drink in the morning if we are rushed. We buy Body Fortress at Walmart and use two scoops of powder. That gives you 46 g of protein right there. We use half water and half lf milk. You can use all water or add a splash of cream, whatever. It can be flavored a zillion ways, blend in frozen fruit, add extracts. This keeps us going for hours. You could have the liquid already measured in a jar with a lid, then in the morning, add the powder and shake it up.

I know companies don't give breaks like they are required to do, but I believe you can go to the bathroom, right? Keep a couple of string cheese sticks in your pocket and eat them then.

Make ham and cheese rollups in lettuce to keep in a cooler. Pack a little container of slaw. Make celery sticks stuffed with peanut butter or Laughing Cow cheese. Make 1 oz. baggies of raw almonds and take one bag at a time. Boiled eggs, cottage cheese with chopped vegs or fruit.

Do you live alone or is there someone to cook for you? You can cook on the "weekends", meaning on a day off or whenever you have some free time and plan for leftovers. Crockpot recipes are wonderful, because something can be cooking while you're gone. With careful planning, you can make this work. Once you get the hang of it, it will get easier.

I hope others will jump in with more ideas.

Sarmay · 01-25-2007, 02:57 PM

Retail certainly does wreak havoc on healthy eating! DH is a recently-diagnosed diabetic who works for Kroger. He rarely gets breaks, and, when he does, it's one little 15 minute break anywhere from 2 hours after the start of his shift up until an hour before he goes home.

We've tried talking to his supervisors about how he NEEDS to eat at certain times, and it usually works for a week or 2, then slips back to whenever.

First suggestion: talk to your supervisor and say that, in order to control your blood sugar, you need your breaks to be at whatever times you need. It's completely true, after all. If (when

) that doesn't work, planning ahead and sticking to the plan are essential.

I would suggest devoting at least a few hours of a day off each week to preparing and packaging meals for the week. They can be frozen in individual containers (raid your mom/grandma's/friends tupperware collections :laughor use baggies, or old yogurt containers if you have them. Some things can even just be wrapped in foil individually and put in a large bag for the freezer ... just trust your judgement

)

Cooking ahead is also easy on your budget, because you can often get a better deal on larger packages of meats and ripe vegetables. It doesn't matter if the veggies are ripe if you're using them that day instead of over the course of a few days! The protein shakes for breakfast are a great idea, but you could also make up some homemade granola bars. You can control the ingredients and portions on them.

(I really need to make some more myself ... lol)

If you have a locker at work, get a cooler or a cooler bag (they even have those silver hot/cold bags at Krogers in our area that are only like 3 dollars and work well with an ice pack) and make sure it fits in your locker! If you don't have a locker or anyplace to put it at work, stash it in your car.

Some ideas for foods to cook ahead: (depending on if you have access to a microwave at work or not, you may have to eat them cold, but that's ok, lots of foods are good both ways!

)

-ANY vegetable, roasted (eggplant, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, etc)
- eggplant lasagna
- sear and sliced lean steak for topping salads
- baked, broiled, roasted chicken
- tear up salad greens for several days and store in fridge for quick salads
- breakfast quiches - don't have to be only for breakfast, ya know.

I'm drawing a blank, but you get the idea.

HTH and Good luck!

Eireanne84 · 01-25-2007, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarmay