This is springboarding off the "Grass isn't Greener" thread, in which Dags made a very good point. He said that because many of our situations in life (such as weight, for people with certain body types) are determined in part by our choices and preferences, trading places with someone else would only be a temporary solution to our problems, and we'd quickly find ourselves back in the same situation we started in.
I thought that was a very good point, and it made me think about my own situation. I've gained about 30-40 pounds since I took a job in the game industry. I went from being an unemployed aspiring filmmaker who barely attended college, had infinite free time, and lived by selling screenplays to his overindulgent parents ... to becoming a married professional in a stressful and sedentary career, with a child and a half-finished house in an expensive city within only a couple of years.
So while I used to be able to convince myself to spend time getting exercise, working out, and generally improving my physical condition by saying to myself, hey, I'm not doing anything else for the next six hours ... now, I come home at midnight after 14 hours of brain-taxing work, I haven't seen my family awake in a couple of days, and all I want to do is sleep. I wake up in the morning, and it's the only time I have to spend time with my daughter before I have to go back to work again. And even when the work slows down to a reasonable pace, I still need to finish remodeling my house, spend actual quality time with my family, and (as silly as it sounds) play video games, so that I don't fall behind the rest of the industry.
I watch myself getting heavier, but looking at the rest of my circumstances, and considering how difficult it is for me to persuade myself to do stressful things like working out at the end of a stressful day, I don't see myself realistically making much of a dent anytime soon. I've given up some of my favorite fattening foods as a stopgap measure, but really what I'd like is to have a generally active lifestyle that helps my body to maintain itself at a healthy and aesthetically-pleasing weight.
My problem is that all the other things I've listed (work, family, house, stress management) are more important to me than this. But knowing that doesn't make me happy with the way I look, and it doesn't make me satisfied that I'm as healthy as I want to be.
I have the same body type as my father, who as you've surely read, has struggled with being overweight his entire adult life, and has only gotten it under control through radical eating habits and lifestyle changes that, frankly, I don't think he could have even entertained if he had not been at a point in his career at which he had complete and absolute control over his own schedule. Much of the original weight he gained, I believe, he gained while he was working at a job very much like my own, when he similarly felt powerless to change his habits because of the long hours, the stress, and the lack of time to spend with family and hobbies.
I don't want to have to make radical lifestyle changes in my fifties to reverse a lifetime of weight gain. I want to make much less radical changes right now to prevent myself from being 100+ pounds overweight when I'm in my fifties. The problem is, I don't see any way to do that without giving up something else that is more important to me. AND I don't see a way to be satisfied with the way I look and feel right now, either.
So, what, do I sit around feeling miserable? No, I hate that solution, too. I've always been the sort of person for whom, when I'm upset about something, my entire life becomes about fixing it until it's better. So I want to find a solution to this. I'm just not sure what it will be.
And I'm posting about it because maybe someone else has some wisdom or experience that might help Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
From the OTHER SIDE of that 100+ pounds overweight, I can add only one thing to your excellent description of the situation(s) that got me where I am today. And that is that at every step along the way it would've been easier to make the changes than it is now.
And now, I pretty much have to or face much more serious health consequences.
You know where you're heading, or if you don't you can find out from a doctor better than from me.
But the only advice I have is that however difficult it seems now to fix or change this, it will never feel any easier.
Waiting until much later in life is not always a solution. Your dad has achieved something that many of us cannot -- control over over his own schedule while still gainfully employed. Imagine yourself in your late 40s not as an independent author/screenwriter/playwright, etc., but as a guy who has steadily gained responsibility and prestige in an industry. You might head a company or be a senior manager in a company. Your schedule will be less and less your own.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if I had figured out this equation at a visceral level even 10 years ago, I probably could've avoided becoming diabetic. As it is, I have a shot at reversing the diabetes, but it's a much harder and less certain thing than avoiding it in the first place.
For people who HAVE TO listen to me (like my nephews -- poor souls), I tell them not to become sedentary even if the job demands it. And to radically reduce their food intake the moment they reduce their activity level. And to ratchet things again if they gain 5 lbs. Not to wait for 10, or 20, or 100 to pile on.
It sucks. I hate it. But if you're smart, you'll learn from my mistake and not let it get this far.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
I too want to lose some weight. I gained a lot in college and my eating habits are not completely healthy. So i am changing that, especially with a better job. Perhaps the key is little steps like walking more, parking farther away, walking to the store instead of driving to the store without giving up all the important things and the fun things. It would take a long time to lose the weight that way, but it would be healthier than crash diets and you'd be a lot less miserable with slow gradual changes. More vegetables and fruits instead of a lot of sweets, climbing stairs instead of walking, just stuff like that, and don't feel bad about it either because then you'll just feel worse and things will never change. I too am trying to change my life and get better habits.
Posted by Pelegius (Member # 7868) on :
My weight problem, which is very minor, would easily be fixed by changing bodies. My body will not gain weight even though I eat allot. I was not even on the swim team this year.
Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
Synesthesia has a good point. Little changes can make a big difference. And integrate exercise into your life so you're adding exercise to something that is already a priority and doesn't have to be sacrificed.
What kind of quality time do you spend with your family? Can you combine it with some sort of physical activity? Bike rides, ice-skating, playing a sport, etc?
I don't know the prices of such products, but I remember hearing about equipment that fits under a work desk and that a person can pedal like a stationary bike while typing on a computer or, perhaps, while playing video games.
And exercise will help reduce the stress in your life.
Posted by Kasie H (Member # 2120) on :
Puppy,
What about doing some physical activity related "quality time" with your family? Bike riding is great cardio and it's great fun. I used to do it all the time with my mom when I was a kid; makes for a great Saturday afternoon.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
I have very little to contribute, as I'm relatively very young (22), single, not in debt and have no substantial committments outside of my job, so forgive me if any of this seems really dumb.
1) What's your job situation like? Is this particular job especially taxing in terms of hours, or is it more or less industry standard? Can you pursue another position or even career without significantly impacting your happiness, ability to support your family, create/maintain your home, etc.? Squeezing even an hour or two more of viable time into your day sounds like it would be invaluable.
2) What about your job takes so much time? Are you salaried, or hourly? Is there any way you can focus on improving the efficiency of your work to decrease the number of hours you spend there, or does your job simply require that much time?
3) What are your eating/nutrition habits like? You mentioned cutting down on fat, but I'm talking more in terms of nutrients than calories. Being well-nourished and eating smaller meals more frequently during the day tends to heighten energy levels and may make everything more doable. How do you sleep? Many, many people I know have improved their mattresses/pillows and seen significant improvement.
4) How much of your "quality family time" is spent doing physical activity? Can you use this time both to be with your family and get even a minimal amount of exercise (family sports, etc.)?
Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
quote:1) What's your job situation like? Is this particular job especially taxing in terms of hours, or is it more or less industry standard? Can you pursue another position or even career without significantly impacting your happiness, ability to support your family, create/maintain your home, etc.? Squeezing even an hour or two more of viable time into your day sounds like it would be invaluable.
My industry has a cycle to it. We have normal work months, "crunch" months with insane hours, and long vacations. Doesn't lend itself to a regular exercise habit
As a lead designer, I get less "normal" months than a lot of other folks because almost everything we do involves a plan or a decision I make or am involved with. So if there's an emergency anywhere on the team, most of the time, it's my emergency, too.
But this year has been especially bad. I've pulled double-duty in three different ways since last November, and I've been practically working myself to death. Once this project is over, I will have some freedom to take on a slightly lesser load next time around, which I am looking forward to doing.
quote:2) What about your job takes so much time? Are you salaried, or hourly? Is there any way you can focus on improving the efficiency of your work to decrease the number of hours you spend there, or does your job simply require that much time?
I am salaried, but my ability to keep my job depends on my ability to hit deadlines. If I can't hit the deadline in the time I have, I need to put in extra time so that I do.
I've been working on my efficiency. I've actually started setting "go-home" deadlines on certain days with my wife, which magically makes me work faster and more efficiently on those days. I still need the long days for certain kinds of time-intensive labor, but I've started doing fewer of them and concentrating my efforts.
quote:3) What are your eating/nutrition habits like? You mentioned cutting down on fat, but I'm talking more in terms of nutrients than calories. Being well-nourished and eating smaller meals more frequently during the day tends to heighten energy levels and may make everything more doable.
It's sad, but I'm switching from a diet of all-day chips and candy to a diet of TV dinners and considering it a victory
quote:How do you sleep? Many, many people I know have improved their mattresses/pillows and seen significant improvement.
I've got a pretty good bed, but I'm a natural insomniac, plus the baby wakes up every 1-3 hours. And I find that I actually get up earlier and get more done when I sleep on a crappy mattress, so I've taken to sleeping on the couch during crunch time It's a bad idea, probably, but when I get more done during the day, it's hard to resist.
quote:4) How much of your "quality family time" is spent doing physical activity? Can you use this time both to be with your family and get even a minimal amount of exercise (family sports, etc.)?
The problem is that I'm usually home when it's dark. So "family time" involves a lot of TV and movies, because that's what you do when it's dark.
Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
But in general, I think that the "quality athletic time with the family" idea is a really good one. Once this crunch dies down and I see some daylight hours with my family, I'll try to get that into the plan.
Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
Puppy, I wonder too about your work schedule. I would hope working 14-hour days would be temporary. If not, is this job really worth everything else you're giving up, including your health? (Edit: I didn't see your last post before I wrote this.)
My husband has been gaining for years and finally this year something clicked, and he's started changing things. (I think it helped that at work they've got a challenge going, and they have to weigh in every week.) Here's what he's done:
We thought his schedule was too full to find time to work out, but he's started going out to walk/run after everyone's in bed. Doesn't take long and he can do it at his own pace, instead of trying to go to a gym.
He eats fruit a LOT. He drinks water instead of sodas all the time now, and has a full glass of water before he eats his meals so he won't feel like eating as much. And he's doing something I never thought I'd see: he's stopping after one serving. If he's still hungry he eats an apple. So his portion sizes are about half what they were a few months ago, but he says he's not hungry. His stomach has shrunk. Often now when we go out to eat, we share an entree. (I was too selfish to do that before, but I can't eat more than he!) At night when he gets the munchies, instead of eating ice cream or cereal, he goes to bed. Radical, I know.
He hasn't changed his schedule all that much, but he's changed his diet a LOT and added enough exercise here and there that he's going in the right direction.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
I am more fit right now than I think I have ever been. I have both made a slow life-style change and also made some rather fast, drastic ones, to get where I am right now. I eat vastly differently than I used to, drink more water, and exercise for at least an hour 5 days a week. It is a huge commitment, but I am so pleased with all the benefits! Something so simple as having some upper body strength for once in my life--it is so useful!
My exercise of choice right now is Dance Dance Revolution, which is nice, because you can do it as a group activity. It is great when you can find ways to mix exercise, fun, and family time. Porter has recently started joining me, and it is a lot of fun to do together! Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
The portion-size thing is important, and is something I've always had a problem with When I was a kid, my family used to have to make crazy double-sized batches of pasta just to account for my appetite. Didn't have an effect until I got older.
So I think of "this amount" as being a good meal, even though "this amount" might be more than twice what I need for my activity level.
Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
Is DDR fun with one of those home pads? They always look so cheap to me ...
I should play with the EyeToy more, though ... now, THAT's a workout!
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Tell me more of this EyeToy you speak of. Google tells me it's a game played with a camera.
Posted by Jeesh (Member # 9163) on :
DDR is ALWAYS fun.
Posted by vwiggin (Member # 926) on :
quote:My problem is that all the other things I've listed (work, family, house, stress management) are more important to me than this.
But an overall healthier you would make you a better spouse, parent, and employee. Running and swimming are great ways to relieve stress. Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Originally posted by Puppy: Is DDR fun with one of those home pads? They always look so cheap to me ...
I should play with the EyeToy more, though ... now, THAT's a workout!
Yes, although it's more fun with the nicer home pads. Red Octane makes ones with solid pieces in them for less than $40 a piece, as well as one-piece metal ones that very closely resemble the ones in the arcade for significantly more money.
Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
Porter, the EyeToy is a camera you set up on your TV and connect to your PS2 via USB. It places your mirrored image on the screen with the elements of a game, and you move around to play the game ... swatting tiny ninjas, bouncing a soccer ball on your head, boxing with a robot, etc. Very kid- and casual-gamer-friendly, and very aerobic.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
You might try giving yourself credit on days you actually do some home improvement and do some walking or DDR on the other days. It's also possible to download a free game called step mania and retrofit a USB connector onto a dance pad. At least, I've seen the results. I don't know how they were achieved, exactly.
Exercising helps relieve stress and could in theory help you not comfort eat so much. It is like a reverse vicious cycle. El cyc suoiciv.
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
What's your work commute like? Any chance of biking it sometimes?
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
quote:Originally posted by Puppy: Is DDR fun with one of those home pads? They always look so cheap to me ...
I should play with the EyeToy more, though ... now, THAT's a workout!
EyeToy Kinetic is a freakin awesome workout. I just wish I had a better set up in the TV room so the camera could pick up my movements more easilly. Here's the web page. Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:My industry has a cycle to it. We have normal work months, "crunch" months with insane hours, and long vacations. Doesn't lend itself to a regular exercise habit
I figured as much; most game industry jobs seem to be that way.
quote:As a lead designer, I get less "normal" months than a lot of other folks because almost everything we do involves a plan or a decision I make or am involved with. So if there's an emergency anywhere on the team, most of the time, it's my emergency, too.
But this year has been especially bad. I've pulled double-duty in three different ways since last November, and I've been practically working myself to death. Once this project is over, I will have some freedom to take on a slightly lesser load next time around, which I am looking forward to doing.
Nothing I can really say, except "that sucks."
quote:I am salaried, but my ability to keep my job depends on my ability to hit deadlines. If I can't hit the deadline in the time I have, I need to put in extra time so that I do.
I've been working on my efficiency. I've actually started setting "go-home" deadlines on certain days with my wife, which magically makes me work faster and more efficiently on those days. I still need the long days for certain kinds of time-intensive labor, but I've started doing fewer of them and concentrating my efforts.
Very cool - this is exactly what I was talking about. My day job pays hourly, so I try to stretch things out as much as possible there (I fail; hence why I'm on Hatrack so much during business hours), but the design work I do is on a quoted-estimate basis, not a by-the-hour deal, so I consistently try to improve my work habits to minimize the time I need to spend per project. It helps.
quote:It's sad, but I'm switching from a diet of all-day chips and candy to a diet of TV dinners and considering it a victory
Are you at least picking healthy TV dinners?
What does your wife's timetable look like? I don't by any means want to promote the idea that a wife's job is to support her husband, but it sounds like your time is 100% monopolized and not entirely by selfish efforts, and if she can help you pack something healthier than pre-fabricated crap for meals, that will likely help you feel more like a human being.
You could also do what I do, if you don't already: find 9 or 10 recipes you really enjoy on a consistent basis and make ENORMOUS quantities that you can reheat easily. This makes for quick'n'easy packed lunches, easy microwavable meals for when you get home from your ridiculous hours, and it cuts down on the amount of time you and/or your wife need to spend cooking.
Edit to add: Also, consider other easily-packed foods that are healthier than what you're currently getting. Carrot sticks or other chopped veggies (with light ranch if you absolutely can't eat them alone), fruit, granola bars, Go-gurt, etc. etc.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Originally posted by pooka: You might try giving yourself credit on days you actually do some home improvement and do some walking or DDR on the other days. It's also possible to download a free game called step mania and retrofit a USB connector onto a dance pad. At least, I've seen the results. I don't know how they were achieved, exactly.
Radioshack sells a Playstation2 to USB adapter for $9.99.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
"Is DDR fun with one of those home pads? They always look so cheap to me ..."
My daughter lost eight pounds doing it.
Puppy, I am with Bob. I am forty-two, and just coming out of a twelve year stretch where I was going to get in shape and then get back to playing soccer. Now, though I am finally getting back in shape, my knees would not take it.
It does get harder.
On the other hand, I completely understand how hard it is for you now, and I also understand how unhelpful, though well-meaning, the "just make one little change a day' comments are. (please, no one take offense) When you are stuck, you are stuck, and sometimes, things just snap into place. You have no idea how or why, they just do.
So, all I can say is keep trying. Even if you backslide, just get up and start again. The small step approach never worked for me. I am a good athlete, and competitive, and it was a sport which kicked my fat behind into gear.
Also, can you somehow use this to your gaming advantage? How about a DDR pad that is somehow connected to a sword fight. You could be kicking people's butts and losing wieght at the same time. Would that be technologically possible?
Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
quote:What's your work commute like? Any chance of biking it sometimes?
Good idea, and I entertained it at my last place of residence, but there's no way now, far as I can see.
Besides, why would I want to smell like the guy here that does that? Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
quote:How about a DDR pad that is somehow connected to a sword fight. You could be kicking people's butts and losing wieght at the same time. Would that be technologically possible?
There is a slight chance that my next game might be on the Nintendo Wii. Which would mean that yes, I would have access to exactly the technology you're talking about.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Would it be possible to bike home? Around here, we have some busses where you can put the bike on the front.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
You could be a hero to the mothers of chubby, game-playing teens everywhere!
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Originally posted by Elizabeth: Would it be possible to bike home? Around here, we have some busses where you can put the bike on the front.
This is a very good suggestion. You're in Kirkland, ne? All of the Metro & Sound Transit busses have bike racks, and the only place you can't use them is the Ride Free zone downtown.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:Originally posted by Puppy:
quote:What's your work commute like? Any chance of biking it sometimes?
Good idea, and I entertained it at my last place of residence, but there's no way now, far as I can see.
Besides, why would I want to smell like the guy here that does that?
With a 14 hour day, I assume you miss both rush hours. But when I worked 12 hour days, I would still hit both (yes, D.C. area traffic is that crazy).
I joined a gym and started going in early enough to beat the rush hour. I could be on the road in 5 minutes (brushing teeth and putting on gym clothes only). Then I worked out and got ready for work. With a packed breakfast, my overall extra time from waking to work was only 15 minutes.
I know that doesn't work with a morning schedule of family time, but there might be other ways to "create" time.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Eye Toy sounds wicked fun. Sounds more fun that DDR. I still loves me DDR, though. I do get frustrated with the limitations of our pads, but that is in part due to the fact that they are kinda busticated. And they slip a bit.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Do you have to buy the camera and then go out and buy a lot of games for EyeToy to be fun for exercise?
quote:EyeToy Kinetic is a freakin awesome workout. I just wish I had a better set up in the TV room so the camera could pick up my movements more easilly. Here's the web page.
I went to that web page, but couldn't find anything that actually shows me what the game is like.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Eye Toy sounds wicked fun. Sounds more fun that DDR. I still loves me DDR, though. [Smile] I do get frustrated with the limitations of our pads, but that is in part due to the fact that they are kinda busticated. And they slip a bit.
quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: Do you have to buy the camera and then go out and buy a lot of games for EyeToy to be fun for exercise?
quote:EyeToy Kinetic is a freakin awesome workout. I just wish I had a better set up in the TV room so the camera could pick up my movements more easilly. Here's the web page.
I went to that web page, but couldn't find anything that actually shows me what the game is like.
Puppy, I have been doing Curves for a couple of years. I have moved on, because I don;t feel like it is enough anymore, but it was great becasue it was 30 minutes.
You could either go in drag to Curves, or see if there is a Man-Curves. I know someone once told me there was, and if there isnlt one in California, I don't know where it would be.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
He doesn't live in California.
And AFAIK, there is no Man-Curves (lol!) here anyway. And the Curves around here have pathetic hours.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Yes, Rivka, they do, which was one of the reasons I switched.
I have been searching for Man-Curves, and found the following info:
Due to some guys making a point, I believe men are allowed to join Curves.
There are hydraulic machines, which are used by Curves, which are designed for men. I cannot find a gym that has them. The machines are called, get this, "Glutes."
Curves for Women. Glutes for Men.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Aha!!
""No Time" seems to be the biggest hurdle for men to overcome in beginning a fitness program. PACE 30 Minute Circuit Training is ideal for today's busy lifestyles."
I hope this is not considered Spam...
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
I second most people's suggestions. I had the same thing happen, except without the selling screenplays to overindulgent parents. I had a scholarship to school, though, and a gushy sinecure with a stipend, so I had a great deal of free time. I still didn't exercise like crazy, but I took long bike rides two or three times a week and climbed up the hill several times a day. When I graduated, I switched to a sedentary job, an hour commute, and crappy eating habits. Coupled with a slowdown in metabolism, it made me gain weight.
Is there any way to shorten your commute? Or is it short now? I was amazed by how much time I gained by moving right next to work. It was more expensive, but that time was so much better spent working out than in the car.
Right now I've gained about five pounds since moving to D.C., and I hate it. Part of that is an indulgence in a great deal of chocolate for about three weeks in June, but most of it is that I spend 2.5 hours a day commuting. I want to get back into shape like I was last summer, and the first step is to move a great deal closer to work so I can free up time to exercise.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
quote:But in general, I think that the "quality athletic time with the family" idea is a really good one. Once this crunch dies down and I see some daylight hours with my family, I'll try to get that into the plan.
That is the only thing that seems to work for us. I mean, you're a parent, you work so hard and for so long you feel like you don't see your child enough so when you are with them, you don't want to "waste" that time exercising. The only solution is to do it together, and you have the added benefit of instilling some good habits in your kids as well. Wes plays touch football with the kids for hours, till all of them are sweaty and breathing hard. I take mine to the park and walk the track with my teen while my younger ones run and play.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
quote:For people who HAVE TO listen to me (like my nephews -- poor souls), I tell them not to become sedentary even if the job demands it. And to radically reduce their food intake the moment they reduce their activity level. And to ratchet things again if they gain 5 lbs. Not to wait for 10, or 20, or 100 to pile on.
This bears repeating. I'm going on the assumption that you're not willing to modify your schedule to include even 20 or 30 minutes of regular exercise a day. This leaves strict control of your diet as your only way to reverse your weight gain.
Which, frankly, sucks. I love food, and all through high school I ate ridiculously sized portions. Well, kiss those days goodbye. You said you're probably taking portions that are twice as big as you require -- guess again. A restaurant entree or fast food value meal can get up to 2000 calories, enough to run your body all day.
I'd do what eros suggested, and batch cook healthy foods that you like. Eat them all week. Do little things to up your daily walking around, like getting off the bus one stop earlier, or parking at the back of the parking lot, or taking the stairs at all times.
It's impossible to sustain full concentration for 14 hours, so when you need a break at work, go for a walk. 5 minutes, even if it's just a lap around the office, will clear your head and be surprisingly invigorating.
Keep your morning family time, except maybe look at some way to enjoy it in motion. Such as taking a walk around the neighborhood with the wife and kid. Eat a granola bar, or some fruit or nuts while you're walking to make up the time you're missing for breakfast.
I know your family is the most important thing to you -- how important do you think you are to them? There are a half dozen little things you can do, even with your crazy schedule, to get yourself in shape. I'm sure your wife will sleep better, knowing that her husband is much less likely to have a heart attack or stroke, or to develop diabetes.
Sleeping's another thing -- if you get more exercise, you'll sleep better.
Posted by TheHumanTarget (Member # 7129) on :
Puppy, I somewhat understand the pressures that you're under, and I'm truly sympathetic.
As some background on my situation, I have a chronically ill wife and two young daughters (one of which has also had severe medical problems). Between the stress of daily life and an arguably static, sedentary work schedule (8 hour days, 8-5) I found myself gaining weight. Like you, I have no "free" time before or after work. When I'm home, I'm taking care of the girls, and trying to catch up on sleep (interrupted by an arduous medication routine for my daughter). The only option that I had was to exercise on my lunch break, and even when I'm exhausted I force myself to go. Not because I enjoy it, but because some things are too important not to do.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
My problem is that I find most extercise mind-numbingly dull. I find it so dull that it's more painful to me than physical pain. I know that sounds whiney and ADD-generationish, but that's the way it is.
The only thing I've found that really allows me to overcome this is martial arts. It's not dull -- I'm constantly trying to learn, understand, apply, and finesse.
The big problem with doing martial arts is the time investment. I might have to spend a full 1.5 hours (including travel there, changing, etc.) in order to get half an hour of real exercise. I could go to more than one class, which improves the ratio, but it means that I'm gone the entire evening, which was always hard on Beverly.
When we got pregnant with our fourth child, she asked me to drop the dojo to spend more time at home. I did so. Now that we have four children, I'm needed at home even more than during the pregnancy. I don't see me being able to go back to the dojo any time soon.
I am worried about developing diabetes like my father did, but so far I haven't found anything that works for me.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
2.5 hours a day isn't too bad for a commute into DC. I used to do 3 hours a day, easy-- and that's getting up to go into work at 4:30am, and leaving work at 2pm. Of course, I lived 60 miles away...
The trick seems to be recognizing your eating and activity habits, and making changes to them accordingly. When I started my job in Charlottesville, I started going out to eat a lot for lunch. I don't track my weight, but I could feel myself getting less healthy. Also, going out to lunch is expensive. To get back on the right track, I cut back on portions-- I can get lunch from the Chinese place for $6, and spread it out over two days. (Soup and noodles for lunch one day, the main course the next) It still isn't the healthiest thing to be eating, though...
Posted by Zeugma (Member # 6636) on :
Okay, I just want to say that your work hours scare the bejeezus out of me, since I'll be looking for work as an animator in a couple of months. :-P
That aside, I wanted to suggest again the value of finding out how many calories you need to eat a day in order to lose weight in a healthy manner, and then keeping track of how many calories you actually are eating in a day. Knowledge is power, right? Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Side note: I got a new place to live yesterday. My commute from door to door will about half an hour each way. Yay! It is also right next to a gym, so the plan is proceeding nicely.
Posted by TheHumanTarget (Member # 7129) on :
Kat, Where will you be communting from now?
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
That's great, Kat.
Posted by BaoQingTian (Member # 8775) on :
Puppy, it sounds like you have no way to exercise during those periods of 14 hour days without giving something up that you wouldn't want to.
However, something that was mentioned but doesn't seem to be elaborated on is diet. It may or may not help you to lose weight, but you shouldn't won't gain any. When do you have free time to exercise, it should help you lose weight as well.
First remove the bad: Cut out all junk foods- soda, chips, candy bars, pretty much anything that adds sugar (even fruit juices), etc. Drink lots of cold water- your body will burn calories heating it up, it also can kill hunger pains. Last, eat smaller healthy meals 5-6 times a day which can help jump-start your metabolism. If you plan the calories for these meals to be 500 below your daily maintenance level, you'll probably see a slow drop in weight over time (I do mean slow- like 2 lbs a month)-but you'll need to write down what you eat to track it. If you don't have time, perhaps your wife would be able to pack a lunch for you.
Lastly, something else that may make a small difference is just doing some situps, pushups, and pullups before bed, or first thing in the morning. It would only take about 10 minutes or so.
Edit: Ok, so I'm a slow typer...El JT and Zeugot beat me to it.
Posted by Anna (Member # 2582) on :
Kat, so glad to hear that! *hugs*
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
One thing I have been doing(even though I am obviously not doing it now) is staying off the computer.
I tend to get sucked in. I have been much more active this summer.
Another thing is basically to piggyback off what Zeugma said. When it comes down to it, weight gain or loss is all about the calories in vs the calories out.
You can get a lot of calorie burn from doing household chores, or just by moving around the house instead of sitting.With my computer time limited, I have gotten a lot more done around the home.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Thanks, I'm thrilled. It's about two miles from the Pentagon metro stop. I can ride my bike, or there's a bus that takes ten minutes. Pentagon to L'Enfant plaza is seven minutes, and L'Enfant Plaza, where I switch trains, to Capitol South is four minutes. Capitol South is right next to my building, so that half hour will be, I think, door to desk. Posted by TheHumanTarget (Member # 7129) on :
That's great that you were able to find a place to live so close to the metro.
Posted by Anna (Member # 2582) on :
That's even greater news! Woot!
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote:It's sad, but I'm switching from a diet of all-day chips and candy to a diet of TV dinners and considering it a victory [Smile]
Well forget exercise. I doubt it would help you that much until you change your eating habits.
I'd say the first step is to eat less calories at work. I work an eight hour day, and eat around 500 calories during those eight hours. I pretty much make sure that I don't exceed 600.
I eat one breakfast bar when I get to work (90 calories). I try not to eat anything more until lunch-time. This isn't easy, so sometimes I have another breakfast bar. My lunch is a Lean Cuisine southwest chicken sandwich. These are great, they grill in the microwave, and taste quite good (280 calories). It took a very long time for me to find low calorie lunches that I enjoy. I only have two right now, these sandwiches and the Lean Cuisine garlic chicken pizza (290 calories). I'm so glad that I found these, however, because they are both delicious.
I try not to eat again until a few hours after lunch. What I munch on depends on what I bring. If I bring an apple, I'll eat that (around 40 calories). I sometimes bring Quakes, those yummy rice cake cracker things. They are seven calories each, and trust me, they are quite yummy. They have ranch flavored ones, cheato flavored ones, sour cream and onion ones, ones which taste like carmel corn. I am a total chip lover myself, and these satisfy the craving. The key is not to bring more than a handful each day, or else you run the risk of eating half the bag. I can have an apple and 13 quakes in the afternoon and leave work with 500 calories consumed. On an indulgent day, I leave work with 700 calories consumed.
This means that as long as my dinner is less than 1300-1500 calories, I've managed to bring a net loss.
Before I started actively reducing my calories, I would often leave work already having consumed 1800-2200 calories. My lunches were usually 600-800 alone, and I would even eat candy bars in the afternoon. These are 200+ calories each! Somedays I would have two or more of them. I'd bring cookies to work, chips, all sorts of things.
Anyone who eats like this is going to gain weight, unless you have a hyper-active metabolism. The problem with me is that I did have that metabolism because Grave's Disease, and those eating habits left me 37 pounds heavier after the condition was cured.
I started exercising three times a week, and the weight gain mostly stopped. I didn't start losing weight until I started counting my calories at work. This was an eye-opening experience for me. I didn't realize that I was eating so many calories. I started counting my calories about 10 weeks ago, and I've lost about one pound a week since then. I'm not perfect. I will sometimes have days where I go out to lunch with my coworkers and get a net gain for the day, but then again I also still exercise three times a week.
I'd listen to Bob about taking the steps to fix the problem now, and I would start reducing your calorie intake. Counting helps so much. I'll give an example.
I often (about once ever other day) purchased a twix bar from the office candy closet. Then I started counting my calories and realized just how bad the 200 calories was. Especially since it didn't do anything to my hunger. I'd go to the gym, and spend 20 minutes on the eliptical to burn off that one solitary candy bar. Busting your ass for twenty minutes on an eliptical isn't easy, and I resented myself for eating the darn thing. I haven't eaten one since, and don't even look at the candy shelf any more. It honestly has very little pull on me anymore, because no amount of pleasure gained by eating the candy could ever make up for me hating myself for being weak and indulgent the whole rest of the day.
Exercise is important, but don't let the inability to get to the gym stop you from reducing your calory intake. If you don't take steps now, you will become morbidly obese. Like others have said, it will not get any easier.
[ July 13, 2006, 11:01 AM: Message edited by: Xavier ]
Posted by Zeugma (Member # 6636) on :
Yep, it's (almost) all about the calories. Which is a bummer, because calories are so tasty!! But there's a lot of good news, too, once you get into watching them... one is that, when you sit down and calculate it, you'll see that your body burns a LOT of calories without you even lifting a finger. Yay, breathing!
The other is that, while the amount of calories your body needs to gain/maintain/lose weight is hard to change, where you get those calories from is totally up to you. So if you know you want to shoot for 1500 calories a day, and you absolutely cannot live without chocolate ice cream, it's totally possible for you to find a way to work a little ice cream into your goal for the day, either by limiting the size, or eating chocolate fro-yo instead, or eating nothing but vegetable soup the rest of the day, or by doing enough exercise to offset the ice cream. Maybe these aren't as fun as just eating the darn ice cream, but it's a whole lot more satisfying to choose from a set of options than to just tell yourself "I'll never eat ice cream again!"
That said, weight loss by calorie reduction alone is very reliable, but VERY slow, like BQT said. I've gotten very accustomed to going an entire week eating within my target range, without seeing any progress on the scale. But... my clothes continue to get baggier, I feel great knowing that I've finally turned my eating habits around, and I know that, even if I only lose 3 pounds in a month, that's 3 pounds I didn't *gain*, and it's twelve sticks of butter I'm not carrying around with me anymore. Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Sleep patterns were mentioned earlier, and I just saw this article:
A couple of random suggestions specifically directed towards Puppy. I have no idea if they will work for you but I thought I'd throw them out. These suggestions will be appalling to the whole foods crowd but will make a difference over time.
1) If you've upgraded to TV dinners , go with Michelinas or something similar. Not only can you get them on sale for 88 cents a piece, they are in smaller boxes, so the calories are very limited. You can eat two and still have fewer calories than many of the Banquets. I personally don't think they are as greasy either.
Also, after you've got yourself down to two, then start spacing them away from each other, so it becomes two smaller meals rather than one all at once. They are only 4 minutes in the microwave and you can eat them at your desk.
2) Couldn't you put a DDR or your other 3-D thing in at work somewhere? I would imagine that you aren't the only one that would utilize it, and even programmers need brain breaks sometimes. You can find tons of research showing the productivity improvements that even five minutes of excercise normally has while at work.
Even if you are doing DDR while simultaneously slurping down soda at least you are doing something physical.
Thirdly, being LDS I don't whether you consume caffine or not, however if you haven't already consider switching to diet soda. It lowers calories radically. I personally like Coke Zero. Or, if you really can't deal with diet flavors, and do need the sugar to keep your brain functioning, mix diet and non-diet half and half. It's more bearable than straight diet still cutting calories, while keeping your brain happy enough with the sugar.
4) Take a good standard vitamin suppliment if you aren't already. It will help keep your metabolism going a little better. Isn't a diet pill, it just supplies the micronutrients your body needs to work more efficiently.
I have no idea if they will work for you or not, but I thought I'd throw them out there...
AJ
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
quote:4) Take a good standard vitamin suppliment if you aren't already. It will help keep your metabolism going a little better. Isn't a diet pill, it just supplies the micronutrients your body needs to work more efficiently.
I second this. I've recently re-started a vitamin regimen and when I lost all my weight before I took one faithfully and I really can tell a difference. I feel like I have more energy, there are times when I'm sitting and reading (this lit class requires a lot more reading than previous ones I've taken, as if the prof thinks we really must cover the entire book) and I put it down and go do something because I absolutely cannot sit still any longer. That's something that never happened before I started taking my health seriously again and started back the vitamin. Now, I'm not saying the vitamin alone did it, maybe it's all pyschosomatic, but I think it makes a difference, so it does. Anything that gets me off the couch is a good thing.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote:Thirdly, being LDS I don't whether you consume caffine or not, however if you haven't already consider switching to diet soda. It lowers calories radically. I personally like Coke Zero. Or, if you really can't deal with diet flavors, and do need the sugar to keep your brain functioning, mix diet and non-diet half and half.
I think that the very FIRST thing someone should do who cares about their calories is to drop soda entirely.
Stepping down to diet is a step, but I'm not so sure it helps any. Weren't there studies linked here which suggested that diet sodas actually are worse for a dieter than regular sodas?
If even half of that article is true, I'd be extremely cautious about switching to diet soda.
If at all possible, drink water. Lots of water. Empty out a gatorade bottle and leave it filled with cold water and at your desk at all times.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Xavier, correlation is not cause, and that article is particularly blatant about conflating the two. However they are talking about the tast stimulating biochemistry. In which case the half and half mix of soda that I described would address that situation too.
I actually tend drink regular soda at work and diet at home. If eating anywhere where there is self serve drink dispenser, I'll mix half and half on my own. I can handle drinking a combination of the two... I realize not everyone can.
However I second the water suggestion, and I also would suggest lemonade when out at a resturaunt.
AJ
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:Xavier, correlation is not cause, and that article is particularly blatant about conflating the two.
I agree. From the facts that this article puts forward, it seems more reasonable to conclude "Overweight people drink more diet soda than others" than "Drinking more diet soda will make you more likely to become overweight."
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I've been shocked at how much more water I drink when there's ice in it. Somehow it just goes down much faster when it's colder. And I'll pass on the straw suggestion that folks gave me when the doctor told me to drink more water. Get a large cup and a bendy straw and keep it filled with ice water and your water consumption will go up.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Exactly. Diet drinks in themselves haven't been shown to be bad, though that study does connect them with a higher incidence of future obesity.
I drink 2 or so a day, and I have for 3 years, and I'm not yet obese.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I'd guess it's because people with a sweet toth have a higher incidence of future obesity.
I personally don't have much of a sweet tooth (salty greasy foods are my weakness), and I prefer water over any kind of soda most of the time.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote:Xavier, correlation is not cause, and that article is particularly blatant about conflating the two.
You know, I had a feeling that this would be the response, and was considering editing my post to address this. Not sure why I didn't.
No, of course correlation does not equal cause. That doesn't mean that its something you should dismiss either.
Have their been any studies which have shown that switching to diet soda helps you lose weight?
If not, and there are studies which correlate obesity and drinking diet soda, then I think that someone should be very cautious about thinking that switching is going to help you.
The article mentions some speculation by the researchers that drinking diet soda stimulates appetite, because your body craves the calories it thinks it was getting from the soda.
We don't know if that's true, but we also don't know that it's not. Another study mentioned may suggest causation:
quote:That may be just what happens when we offer our bodies the sweet taste of diet drinks, but give them no calories. Fowler points to a recent study in which feeding artificial sweeteners to rat pups made them crave more calories than animals fed real sugar.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
quote:Have their been any studies which have shown that switching to diet soda helps you lose weight?
I would be interested in seeing that too, but you'd have to eliminate any other variables. And that's pretty impossible, because you can't tell someone "switch to diet drinks but make no other changes" and be certain that they did, in fact, make no other changes.
I can say anecdotally, that I lost weight when I switched to diet sodas, but was the diet soda the reason I lost weight? In itself, probably not, because I made a bunch of other changes at the same time. I also started eating better and walking.
However, a switch to diet soda, I think, is better than doing nothing. Depending on how many you drink per day, you may save hundreds of calories. I can't believe that's a bad thing, but anything's possible.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:The article mentions some speculation by the researchers that drinking diet soda stimulates appetite, because your body craves the calories it thinks it was getting from the soda.
I can speculate too.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote:However, a switch to diet soda, I think, is better than doing nothing. Depending on how many you drink per day, you may save hundreds of calories. I can't believe that's a bad thing, but anything's possible.
I do agree with this. I would strongly enourage a soda drinker to switch to water instead of diet sodas, however, if it's at all possible.
Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
I second the water in a bottle with a pull-top or a straw. You can sip it all day, whereas trying to sit down and drink a whole glass of water (as in "drink eight glasses of water a day") sounds horrible to me.
And I forgot about vitamins ... I'm not a vitamin person, but I took them after my last baby to help combat postpartum depression. Not only did they help my mood, they gave me MUCH more energy. Suddenly the hours I was sleeping at night were enough - I was no longer falling asleep at my desk. I need to get back to doing that.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
quote:I would be interested in seeing that too, but you'd have to eliminate any other variables. And that's pretty impossible, because you can't tell someone "switch to diet drinks but make no other changes" and be certain that they did, in fact, make no other changes.
I've convinced several friends to switch to diet drinks while making no other dietary changes. They each lost 5-10 pounds within a month (including one who lost 14 pounds in 3 weeks -- results not typical). Obviously, that's not a study, but for some people (like my friends) who drink a lot of cokes and stuff, it's certainly an easy way to cut calories, especially for people (like me) who abhor water.
As long as the relationship is correlative, I see no reason to worry about diet drinks making me or anyone gain weight. Calories are what make you gain weight, and diet drinks don't have any.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Water in a bottle with a pull-up top does not work for me, because I do "sip it all day." I'd go through maybe a half a bottle in eight hours. Pouring it into a glass with ice and a straw, I suck down four bottles worth in the same timeframe.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
I got an Aquafina 1.5 liter bottle for work, and I fill it twice a day. I like having something to do with my hands when I'm thinking. If it isn't water, it'll be junk food, so this is so much better.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote: Drink lots of cold water- your body will burn calories heating it up, it also can kill hunger pains.
The minuscule number of calories involved in heating the water to body temperature won't make any difference. However, most people drink more water when it's cold, and more water is good for all kinds of reasons -- including weight loss.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
My husband, the lout, switched from Coke to Diet COke for two weeks before our wedding and lost FIFTEEN POUNDS.
(He drinks about a 12-pack a day!)
Our doctor, who plays squash with him, calls him his "Number One Follow-through Patient." He saw him without his shirt on and said, "Whoah! How much weight have you lost!" He has not really lost any, but he is just getting shape.
Posted by BaoQingTian (Member # 8775) on :
quote:Originally posted by El JT de Spang: Calories are what make you gain weight, and diet drinks don't have any.
Generally I'd agree with this, but sometimes I don't think it's that simple.
Hypothetically speaking, if a chemical in diet drinks increased the body's insulin resistance, then weight gain could follow due to the way the body will handle the rest of the food.
Also hypothetically, if the sweetness (or a chemical in the drink) causes an insulin spike, the liver will store glucose as glycogen.
This is fine when your liver needs its glycogen level replenished, like as after an intense workout. However, if the liver is glycogen saturated (as is most likely in a sedentary lifestyle), any extra glucose will be transported to fat cells.
Calories in < calories out is definately the foundation of weight loss, like you said. However, when artifical substances are being considered I usually get a bit wary and try to understand what the body is actually doing in response to foods. There's so much we don't know though.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
If you're looking for tasty, healthy meal options, you might try www.tastybite.com They have microwavable Indian & Thai food. Not everything on the site is super-healthy, but it tends to be pretty good, fairly low-cal, and very tasty! There are five or six meals which come with rice, a spoon, and a container to heat the food in, which is useful if you're on the run. (Avoid the green Thai curry though.) They're pretty cheap if you purchase them in the six-packs.
I survive on these things during the school year - my basic diet is tasty bite, lean pockets, fruit, cold cereal with skim milk, homemade "throw everything into the pot" stews, some salads, and lots of water & herbal tea.
Posted by BaoQingTian (Member # 8775) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka:
quote: Drink lots of cold water- your body will burn calories heating it up, it also can kill hunger pains.
The minuscule number of calories involved in heating the water to body temperature won't make any difference. However, most people drink more water when it's cold, and more water is good for all kinds of reasons -- including weight loss.
True, it won't make a huge difference as far as direct calories burned goes. Also true that it has many many other benefits. However, it can cause the metabolism to speed up just a bit resulting in more benefits & calories burned than just the direct calorie burn alone.
From Howstuffworks.com:
quote: So in the case of a 16-ounce glass of ice water, your body must raise the temperature of 473.18 grams of water from zero to 37 degrees C. In doing so, your body burns 17,508 calories. But that's calories with a little "c." Your body only burns 17.5 Calories, and in the grand scheme of a 2,000-Calorie diet, that 17.5 isn't very significant. But let's say you adhere to the "eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day" nutritional recommendation. In 64 ounces of water, there are 1,892.72 grams. So to warm up all that water in the course of a day, your body burns 70,030 calories, or 70 Calories. And over time, that 70 Calories a day adds up. So, while you definitely shouldn't depend on ice water consumption to replace exercise or a healthy diet, drinking cold water instead of warm water does, in fact, burn some extra Calories!
70 calories is equal to 25 minutes of walking at a regular speed (2mph) for a 200 lb person. I'd consider that to be very helpful in Puppy's position.
Personally, I try to drink 1 gallon of water a day, which would burn 140 calories directly.
Posted by Stasia (Member # 9122) on :
This is a great topic, Puppy. It's good to know that my husband and I aren't the only ones experiencing these issues. We work long hours, don't have a lot of free time, and find ourselves slowly gaining weight. Like you, we know we have to get and stay in shape and healthy, but we're just having a hard time doing it.
We cut calories and added small exercise like parking far away and walking up steps but that only served to stop the weight gain. (By the way, I used the http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/ site by the USDA that allows you to actually track your calorie intake and calorie output. I was surprised at how many calories I was taking in, even when I ate healthy food. I was also surprised that I was only eating about 1.5 servings of veggies a day despite my best efforts).
I have recently (within the last month) started to lose weight only because I've been able to go jogging 4 times a week. I may be working 50+ hours a week, but I don't have any set times I have to be there. However, my husband's schedule is not that flexible. He has a sedentary job that requires long hours in front of the computer. I'm going to see if he'll try some of the suggestions given in this thread (vitamins, more water, bringing his lunch from home, walking the dog in the evenings instead of TV, maybe getting him to go hiking on the weekends when he's not at work).
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I also have a very stressful job with often long working hours. One of things that I've found really helps with keeping in shape even when I'm under pressure is bicycling to work. I know it isn't possible for everyone, but it is far more practical for most people than they think. If you live 10 miles or less from your place of work, you can generally bicycle to work in about the same time (sometimes less) than it takes to drive. This may seem counter intuitive but when you drive to work, you spend alot of time sitting at stop lights, driving slowly in heavy traffic, find a place to park and then walking to your office. When you factor all of that in, bicycling often turns out to cost you no time.
One big advantage of making excercise part of your communte, whether its walking or cycling or something else, is that you end up doing it no matter how busy you are. You can't simply skip the commute because you've got a deadline. And if you ride your bike in to work in the morning, then your generally committed to riding it home again at night.
The Seattle area (Are you still in the Seattle area Puppy), is all in all a pretty good place to cycle communte. There are numerous bike routes and cars a generally courteous to cyclists(compared to other American cities).
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote:One of things that I've found really helps with keeping in shape even when I'm under pressure is bicycling to work. I know it isn't possible for everyone, but it is far more practical for most people than they think. If you live 10 miles or less from your place of work, you can generally bicycle to work in about the same time (sometimes less) than it takes to drive.
If my work had some sort of shower, I would certainly bike to work. There's actually two bike trails in Omaha, which when combined, would be able to get me to work with very little riding on the roads.
But when I work out, I sweat a bunch, even in the air conditioned gym. Some mornings its 80+ degrees out, and I would pity my coworkers when I got there. Even changing my clothes, I don't know if it would be enough. I could wipe the sweat off in the bathroom or something, but this would involve stripping naked, getting out wipes, wiping down my full body, and then changing into my work clothes. As much as the idea of biking to work appeals to me, I'm not sure this would be worth it.
Plus I need my car to drive to the gym from work .
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