Eating/Lifting Issue

[Ecto]

My work schedule has changed and now it doesn't allow me to eat like I need to. I am having to use MRP's just to get in 4 or 5 meals a day at best, and it hurts my growth. So my question is, being that i train for strength, and since I can't eat right, should I train more for Hypertrophy or does it not make difference that I won't grow if I can't eat?

[Bruiser]

Re: Eating/Lifting Issue

Can you sneak meals at work? Get in snacks? If so here's a few ideas:

Granola bars
PB sandwiches
PB (just keep a jar and a spoon near you)
Mix raw oats and whey and just snack on it
Bake some high protein cookies/bars
Beef sticks
Beef jerky

If you have access to a fridge/cooler try these:
Whole milk (I drink a gallon a day!)
Hard boiled eggs
Carton of egg whites (man up and drink it)
String cheese

[Bruiser]

Re: Eating/Lifting Issue

If you can't get to food AT ALL while at work, just get in some high calorie meals ASAP. In the strength game, you're eating for recovery, not necessarily growth. Rich, calorie dense foods will help. At supper switch to pork steak instead of ground beef, turkey legs instead of chix breast, choc milk instead of regular, whole milk instead of skim, whole eggs instead of whites, etc.

You get the idea.

[NTL]

You might have to have larger meals before and after work.I have to do this sometime because of busy at work. I can easily consume 1500 calories breakfast and supper meals and only have to get in about 1000 at work.

[Fit Guru]

My work schedule has changed and now it doesn't allow me to eat like I need to. I am having to use MRP's just to get in 4 or 5 meals a day at best, and it hurts my growth. So my question is, being that i train for strength, and since I can't eat right, should I train more for Hypertrophy or does it not make difference that I won't grow if I can't eat?

So what hours are you working and how many hours per shift?

[Vicious 13]

I'm doing 10 hour shifts one break I feel your pain I go home starving

[Ecto]

Re: Eating/Lifting Issue

So what hours are you working and how many hours per shift?

Well I am in Food Sales to restaurants. How ironic being around food all day and I get nothing to eat. I am in and out of my car all day long, I bring my lunch and have no access to a fridge or microwave. I leave the house at 6:15-7 am and get home at 5ish. Then I also work at home maybe another 1-2 hours in evening preparing for the next day. I workout at 5am on lifting days. Where I am having trouble getting the meals in is 10 am during prime selling time and 2:30 pm, I really struggle to sit and eat a meal at that time cause I'm working my butt off. I don't even have time anymore to get a decent breakfast down my throat, and I can't wake up any earlier than 5am, i would feel miserable. Maybe I just need to plan better....

[rikkitikkitavi]

Ecto, I think it is all about planning ahead. I have a similar schedule. I wake up and go to work between 5:30 and 7:30 am and don't get home from school until 8 at night with no time or way to get home to eat between. I put out a bowl of dry oatmeal with brown sugar in it, and also have an electric kettle I use to heat water to cook it in while I get ready in the morning. I also cook at least four boiled eggs, and cook things ahead like seasoned chicken breasts or fish and make a PB sandwich or two. I have a good sized cooler that I throw all that plus whatever else I can find in it with a few cooler packs that stay cold for about 12 hours and that mostly lasts me for as long as I'm not home. Every once in a while I have to buy a meal on campus. Sometimes I'll dice up and cook potatoes, brown ground hamburger, and dump a dozen eggs in it and cook it all together to make basically a breakfast burrito mixture that I'll throw in a Tupperware and down with a spoon throughout the day. I do most of my cooking on the weekends and in any spare time I find. So yeah, I think it's all about thinking ahead about what you are going to need and just make it happen. Sometimes eating cold food gets old, but you have to do what it takes if it's important to you, right?

[Fit Guru]

I'm doing 10 hour shifts one break I feel your pain I go home starving

Well by law u get 2 breaks but even at 2 that's 2 meals plus u should be able to guzzle a whey shake at another time.thats 3 meals out of the. 6 u should have.meal 4 soon as you get home.meal 5 soon as u wake up after 8 hrs sleep.then meal 6 before work.i do this all the time.no excuse not to get your meals in.there has been not one single work environment that I couldn't schedule meals .Hell it's a. 10 hr shift.everyone does that.

[Sinister613]

Yea no reason shouldbt get at least 2 paid breaks. 15 minutes is lots of time to eat. I have 1.5 cups of rice, 1 lb ground beef and a bunch of brocolli in 10 minutez on my break then enjoy a coffee the last 5.

To op, if your in your car for even 5 mins you can get lots of food in ya. I have cold oatmeal i make the night before in the fridge (not cooked) with milk, peanut butter, coconut, and protein and eat it directly following workout. Im up at 430, and at the gym by 530 and get home from work around 530 and can easily get in 4000 cals by then.

[Encino_Mang]

Re: Eating/Lifting Issue

It's hard sometimes but you can prepare meals before and keep them. I boil chicken and rice and carry tubs of the stuff with me (in my car)

[Vicious 13]

One hour break we leave earlier. no food allowed w us since its a hospital we r building. I get 5 meals always sometimes the 6 but its hard

[Vicious 13]

Lately I've been so beat the gyms not even on my mind I'm happy if I get in two or 3 times a week. 10 hrs of hanging dense glass in an elevator shaft climbing up and down and in and out on the scaffold. Plus I cramp up from being tense all day because its sketchy work. Won't b forever though I just gotta push through

[SisterSteel]

Re: Eating/Lifting Issue

If you're in your car almost all day pack your food and put it in a cooler. That way you can eat while you're on the go so you never miss a meal. You have to always be prepared.

[Negao]

Re: Eating/Lifting Issue

Well by law u get 2 breaks but even at 2 that's 2 meals plus u should be able to guzzle a whey shake at another time.thats 3 meals out of the. 6 u should have.meal 4 soon as you get home.meal 5 soon as u wake up after 8 hrs sleep.then meal 6 before work.i do this all the time.no excuse not to get your meals in.there has been not one single work environment that I couldn't schedule meals .Hell it's a. 10 hr shift.everyone does that.

Hey! This is fantastic advice and I love your "no excuse" attitude can I shoot you a PM? I have a question concerning bulking nutrition.