# Battle of the Bulge (or: How do I stay fit in an unhealthy job?)



## Andy in Germany (7 Jun 2018)

So I've turned 40, and as with a lot of males, the stomach is trying to grow. I always had a bit of a bulge to be fair: I'm generally slim but my body does like to store fat all in one place.

Now, I'd like to keep The Bulge to a minimum, but I'm at a bit of a loss with the current situation:

I commute as far as I can to work, about 6k (3.5miles) with 110m/369ft climbing. I appreciate this isn't that far and at 20-30min not that fast either...

I also walk another 1.5k at the other end of the journey.

I work in a theatre with about seven clients with a mix of Psychological/addiction issues, so I'm moving about plenty, carrying stuff and going up and down several flights of stairs throughout the day. I also sit at a computer about 30% of the time.

We start at 07:30 which means leaving the apartment at 06:30, so breakfast is very early. I eat a bread roll at 10:00 and again at 12:00am. We eat a cooked meal at about 2:30pm because we eat at our own restaurant when the lunchtime customers have gone.

Recently I've had to start eating a Snickers bar at 10:00am because if I don't I get sleepy and lethargic. As it is, by the time I get back to my apartment at 1730ish I'm exhausted -but I need to look after my kids so I can't just chill out.

I've tried eating fruit instead of bread in the morning but it doesn't seem to help -I just get tired and lethargic as if I hadn't eaten at all.

I don't drink alcohol, and most of my sugar is in tea and the current emergency snickers bar.

Before someone suggests it, changing job isn't an option until my contract ends in April 2019.

Any suggestions that I can squeeze into the day that may help the body adjust to the new situation and/or reduce body fat welcome


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## slowmotion (7 Jun 2018)

Try eating porridge for breakfast. I found that it stops me wanting to snack for hours on end. You can make it in the microwave in three and a half minutes. I just use oats and milk and don't add anything on top. It's surprisingly tasty.


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## Andy in Germany (7 Jun 2018)

slowmotion said:


> Try eating porridge for breakfast. I found that it stops me wanting to snack for hours on end. You can make it in the microwave in three and a half minutes.



I wondered about eating something heavier, but I eat six slices of heavy German bread at about 0530, which you'd think would stoop me needing to eat for a week, but, but by ten I need something solid to keep me going...


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## slowmotion (7 Jun 2018)

Andy in Germany said:


> I wondered about eating something heavier, but I eat six slices of heavy German bread at about 0530, which you'd think would stoop me needing to eat for a week, but, but by ten I need something solid to keep me going...


I'm no expert but I think that oats are supposed to release energy at a steady slow rate so you don't get sudden hunger pangs. They are also very good for your ticker.


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## ianrauk (7 Jun 2018)

Is there any chance you can up tbe mileage on your commute? A 16k either way would work wonders for your fitness and weight.


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## Tenacious Sloth (7 Jun 2018)

I would suggest extending your morning commute to at least 45 minutes and make it a fasting ride. Don’t have breakfast before you set of but keep the ride fairly low intensity i.e. zone 2. This should cause your body to burn fat.

You shouldn’t have to get up any earlier to cover the extra distance as you will be skipping breakfast.

Have something to eat when you get to work.

Try it for a couple of weeks and see what’s what.

Graham


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## Drago (7 Jun 2018)

Tidy up your diet, jog each way to work.


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## Julia9054 (7 Jun 2018)

Tenacious Sloth said:


> I would suggest extending your morning commute to at least 45 minutes and make it a fasting ride. Don’t have breakfast before you set of but keep the ride fairly low intensity i.e. zone 2. This should cause your body to burn fat.
> 
> You shouldn’t have to get up any earlier to cover the extra distance as you will be skipping breakfast.
> 
> ...


This is what I do. Only 30 mins ride but on just coffee. Porridge when I get to work - those pots you pour hot water on do the job.


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## slowmotion (7 Jun 2018)

Drago said:


> Tidy up your diet, jog each way to work.


Jog?????

That's a bit extreme.


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## Julia9054 (7 Jun 2018)

Andy in Germany said:


> I've tried eating fruit instead of bread in the morning but it doesn't seem to help -I just get tired and lethargic as if I hadn't eaten at all.


Banana sandwiches are your answer. I live on them!


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## Broadside (7 Jun 2018)

More protein less carbs, try a couple of poached eggs for breakfast with a single slice of bread. This keeps me fuller for much longer than a few slices of bread ever would.


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## deptfordmarmoset (7 Jun 2018)

slowmotion said:


> I'm no expert but I think that oats are supposed to release energy at a steady slow rate so you don't get sudden hunger pangs. They are also very good for your ticker.


I was going to say porridge but you've already got there. It's slow release food so it might leave you free to ditch the bread and maybe have fruit instead. You can also mix in dried fruit, bananas, etc into your porridge to give you a bit of fast fuelling to get you out of the house.


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## Drago (7 Jun 2018)

slowmotion said:


> Jog?????
> 
> That's a bit extreme.



It's only a short journey, and he'll use up to twice as many calories as cycling.


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## fossyant (7 Jun 2018)

Ditch the carbs. Sugar and bread


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## pawl (7 Jun 2018)

slowmotion said:


> Try eating porridge for breakfast. I found that it stops me wanting to snack for hours on end. You can make it in the microwave in three and a half minutes. I just use oats and milk and don't add anything on top. It's surprisingly tasty.




I do the same,but do add some honey.


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## pawl (7 Jun 2018)

Andy in Germany said:


> I wondered about eating something heavier, but I eat six slices of heavy German bread at about 0530, which you'd think would stoop me needing to eat for a week, but, but by ten I need something solid to keep me going...



I was diagnosed as borderline diabetic and advised to have multigrain bread.Along with other changes to diet I am no longer at risk.


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## I like Skol (7 Jun 2018)

I work 12hr shifts and it can be quite hectic so probably burn off quite a bit during the day.

What works for me (other than the 10 miles fast commute each way) is only taking a limited food supply and avoiding the canteen where I can purchase as much food as tempts me!
Rarely have breakfast before the ride unless it is cold and I want something hot before leaving the house when I have porridge or just a coffee. Cereals with milk mid morning, couple of sandwiches and an Apple for lunch then a banana mid afternoon. Sometimes I only take one sandwich instead of two, because if that is all I have then I can't eat any more. I rarely miss the extra sandwich!
The main thing is to keep busy so you don't have time to think about food, and definitely don't snack! We have Klix dispensers at work that dole out choc and crisps if you put credit on your own Klix key. My Klix key was issued to me when I started 9 years ago and is still in the sealed pack it came in, unused 

A bit of discipline helps....... and don't take any money to work


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## Drago (7 Jun 2018)

pawl said:


> I was diagnosed as borderline diabetic and advised to have multigrain bread.Along with other changes to diet I am no longer at risk of ever enjoying a sandwich again.



FTFY matey


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## Randomnerd (7 Jun 2018)

No more bread. Porridge, made with full fat milk and linseed, sunflower and almond mix. The breakfast of champions. Protein heavy lunch and small evening meal. If you want to lose weight the adage is: If it tastes good,don’t eat it.


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## screenman (7 Jun 2018)

Cold porridge or cold rice pudding both made with sweeteners if needed works for me when a I need to drop a bit, also very important for me to keep a proper diet diary, myfitnessplan works well.


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## vickster (7 Jun 2018)

screenman said:


> Cold porridge or cold rice pudding both made with sweeteners if needed works for me when a I need to drop a bit, also very important for me to keep a proper diet diary, myfitnessplan works well.


Sweetened porridge  but synthetically sweetened porridge


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## Dayvo (7 Jun 2018)

Time for this again! 


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epZjMuRRXLo


If you can skip for 2-3 minutes twice a day (morning and evening) and slowly (whilst improving your technique and stamina) build up to 5-10 minutes twice a day. Other skipping videos available on youtube. 

Also, as above, ditch the bread and sugar.


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## screenman (7 Jun 2018)

vickster said:


> Sweetened porridge  but synthetically sweetened porridge



Have you tried cold porridge? You can make it with so many different ingredients.


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## Slick (7 Jun 2018)

woodenspoons said:


> No more bread. Porridge, made with full fat milk and linseed, sunflower and almond mix. The breakfast of champions. Protein heavy lunch and small evening meal*. If you want to lose weight the adage is: If it tastes good,don’t eat it*.


 

Got to be the worst adage I've ever heard.


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## Slick (7 Jun 2018)

screenman said:


> Have you tried cold porridge? You can make it with so many different ingredients.


My old man would rarely eat porridge unless he could slice it.


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## vickster (7 Jun 2018)

screenman said:


> Have you tried cold porridge? You can make it with so many different ingredients.


I have it hot almost every morning. Oats, skimmed milk, water. Cold


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## screenman (7 Jun 2018)

vickster said:


> I have it hot almost every morning. Oats, skimmed milk, water. Cold



It is not porridge that has gone cold, have a google, chef makes mine with natural yoghurt and lots of other goodies.


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## Julia9054 (7 Jun 2018)

The Oats so Simple pots are useful if you are at work with limited cooking facilities. They are sweet but not particularly high in calories


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## fossyant (7 Jun 2018)

I'd go with what skolly says. Dont take much money or you will pass that machine or shop. We have a refectory, cafe and machines in the building. Then there is a co-op right nearby and other eateries. Dont take money. 

Since no longer cycle commuting I have to be careful what I eat. Lunch is just soup. I'll usually have some fruit during the day but I rarely have breakfast now (not good I know). Sugar in tea has gone too. I also watch what carbs I have in the evenings and have cut down.

Limit the bread if you can. Its not easy though, but little changes help. Ive lost about 6 kg since the start of the year but Ive still got at least that to go before I get back to pre-broken spine weight. 
Cycling has gone from 150 miles a week to about 30-40 or in hours, 10 hours at least to about 3 or 4 (MTB is slower).


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## vickster (7 Jun 2018)

screenman said:


> It is not porridge that has gone cold, have a google, chef makes mine with natural yoghurt and lots of other goodies.


So it's like a Bircher not porridge


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## fossyant (7 Jun 2018)

Julia9054 said:


> The Oats so Simple pots are useful if you are at work with limited cooking facilities. They are sweet but not particularly high in calories



They aren't bad especially if you only have a kettle.


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## Slick (7 Jun 2018)

User13710 said:


> According to a TV programme last night, processed carbs (Oat So Simple, white bread) are bad carbs, whereas other types (plain oats, wholegrain stoneground bread, pumpernickel) are good carbs that combat things like weight gain and type 2 diabetes.


I watched that, quite interesting. Fibre seems to be the new favourite.


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## davidphilips (7 Jun 2018)

Simple eat to much you put on weight , eat to little you lose weight. Try eating a little less and drinking water to feel full, losing weight is hard but keeping it of is harder involves a change in diet/life style and a lot of will power.

know the joke about the guy goes to the doctor and asks best way to lose weight.

Doctor says Dont eat anything fatty.

Guy says like bacon and bergers?

Doctor says No fatty just dont eat anything.


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## Andy in Germany (8 Jun 2018)

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll have to work on Damage Limitation, or possibly Bulge Limitation for this year and make more changes next year when I have a different job.

At the moment I can't increase the cycle commute easily because it takes about an hour to get to work,of which the first 30 min is on a bike. I'd prefer to ride the rest of the way but Stuttgart is in a fairly deep valley so the route involves very steep hills and very busy roads. Likewise extending the cycling part, while tempting, would mean taking too much time from the family each day. 

Jogging has the problem that the theatre has no shower (!) and I'd have to steam in the tram on the way there anyway which seems an antisocial thing to do, besides, I have a damaged knee and Asthma, so it's not possible anyway.

Just eating less may be effective if you're sitting all day at work, but I'm moving equipment about and running after my clients/up and down stairs/ladders all the time. When I tried eating less I got sleepy and lethargic and couldn't concentrate, and working with young lads with drug & psychological issues I need to be 100% present.

I never could skip. They tried to teach me at school but it never worked. I can design furniture in 3d in my head but can't coordinate my hands and legs enough to jump over a rope.

I think that is the main issue: I need to fit any Bulge Reduction Strategies into the existing work/life pattern and I have limited possibilities for change while working where I am. I need to be alert at work and for my family, and take a minimal amount of time getting between the two.

It looks like diet change is a promising line of attack so I'll try Bananas instead of bread at work, and I'll ask about a way to heat oats. I don't know if there's a local version of Oats so Simple, will have to investigate...

Since asking this I've been bombarded by online adverts for exercises to flatten a stomach but they haven't been mentioned by anyone here. Does that mean they are a waste of time, or is there some point to them?


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## Heltor Chasca (8 Jun 2018)

I am lucky in that my job is physical and I average about 250km a week on the bike. Some of that is doing the school run. That does something to what your body ‘orders’ from the menu. It needs fresh healthy food. It seems only when I’m in a sedentary phase, I crave the rubbish. 

A real game changer for me was a smart trainer (Wahoo Snap). I work full time and have two daughters to look after except when they visit their mum every other weekend. I just don’t have the time in the week to quickly do 40km in the evening and my youngest isn’t old enough yet to be left alone. The turbo takes minutes to set up and I can easily do an hour to an hour and a half while still chatting, helping with homework etc.


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## I like Skol (8 Jun 2018)

Andy in Germany said:


> When I tried eating less I got sleepy and lethargic and couldn't concentrate, and working with young lads with drug & psychological issues I need to be 100% present.


If you eat more healthily and lose some weight you should find the tiredness and lethargy less of an issue. Then you won't have to snack or overeat to compensate.
Something else that just occurred to me though, are you getting sufficient sleep of a reasonable quality? The tiredness and weight gain trend may not actually be due to just a poor diet. The weight gain may be a symptom of other issues and addressing these first could be the priority.


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## Andy in Germany (9 Jun 2018)

Thanks again for the comments. Yesterday I cut down on the bread from 6 to 2 slices at breakfast, and took two bananas to work, having come to the same conclusion as User46386. Feeling very smug I brought yogurt oats and raisins into work, and promptly dropped the Yogurt on the floor...

I rescued most of the Yogurt and made a musli mix in one of the big glasses, ate that at about eight, and had a banana at ten and another at two. I think I'll start with a Banana next time and eat the Müsli at ten, but apart from that it worked and I didn't feel that hungry until about 2:30pm which is just before lunch anyway.

I ate the Bananas for extra potassium because I felt the lethargy coming on, but also because my legs were starting to ache from all the running up and down stairs -there are 31/2 floors at work and I have to go from to to bottom anything up to 20times a day. Ten minutes after eating Bananas the ache went away.

So, a good start. The only issue so far was spreading yogurt all over the floor...

Still exhausted though. My Mentor -who is an Ergotherapist- suggests it is because of starting a new job and that in her opinion I'm trying too hard...


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## vickster (9 Jun 2018)

Have you had blood tests to investigate the fatigue? Iron, diabetes, thyroid etc

And 6 slices of bread for breakfast?!


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## TigerT (13 Jun 2018)

I was in a similar situation. I‘d just turned 50, had a largish stomach bulge and clothes were getting ever tighter. The final straw was when my BMI tipped into obese range.

My suggestion, if you really want to make a difference, seek professional advice. I started out trying to lose weight on my own and with some success, but I wasn’t achieving what I wanted to. One of my colleagues recommended his personal trainer who is also qualified to give nutrition advice. I started in January this year. I workout once a week, and follow the nutrition plan she set for me. In addition I try to walk 10kms home at least twice a week. I also cycle twice a week whenever possible (I‘m not quick, but I do cover a fair distance)

I won’t pretend it’s been easy. At first I didn’t like half the food she suggested I eat (Quark and berries for breakfast, salad with meat or tuna for lunch. Pretty normal evening meals) and a lot of the things I liked are off limits, but I‘ve lost 17kg and reduced from a 36 waist to a 30. Cycle rides basically give me a free pass as If I have a cake, I know i can burn it off.

I feel so much better and can cycle further and that keeps me motivated to continue.


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## Andy in Germany (14 Jun 2018)

Thanks for the replies again. 

I'm sticking to a mix of yogurt and oats with some dried fruits (without sugar) at about 0930, a dramatic reduction in tea consumption, and less unhealthy snacks. This week I've already noticed a difference in my energy levels, and after a couple of days I stopped bothering with extra fruit because I hardly notice any real hunger before about 2:30pm when we eat 'lunch'. We even had one day when he meal wasn't served before 3pm and I was just beginning to get a bit hungry when we went to eat.

I'll see how this works over the next few weeks and then look at other changes.

My biggest problem at the moment is our very enthusiastic trainee cook who wants to become an patisserie chef and keeps asking us to try out his experiments...



TigerT said:


> Cycle rides basically give me a free pass as If I have a cake, I know i can burn it off.



I think I'll have to up my distances before I can claim that, but it's a great idea...


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## kingrollo (15 Jun 2018)

Each to their own - but i have good results with the 5:2 diet.

IME - there is a pain barrier to go through quitting that snickers bar - lots of evidence to suggest a banana would give you the desired energy boost - but your brain is saying "F off banana - I want that snickers and I want it now ......" try 2 or even 3 bananas to kick that snickers bar - then try and reduce the banana intake.


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## Freelanderuk (15 Jun 2018)

I have just joined the forum and put a post in the introduction section about my weight lost , since September 2017 I have lost 7 stone 2lbs ,I found the best way was to log everything I eat ,I use the My Fitness Pal app on my phone and tablet and stick to 1500 calories a day ,I eat back roughly 50% of my excercise earned calories, after the first 4 weeks I had no problems sticking to this, I just make sure I eat a lot of protein ,ie chicken breast ,tuna Greek yougart eggs,
I used a rebock z8 exercise bike in the back bedroom to get some miles in and have had a road bike for about 4 weeks now and just completed 32miles this morning in 1 hour 52 minutes 

Have a look at the app it's worked for me and there support forum is fantastic ,just reading the posts kept me motivated, another benifit is I am off most of my meds now ythat I have taken for the last 17 years after suffering a stroke in 2000

Keep with it I now feel alive


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## CXRAndy (17 Jun 2018)

slowmotion said:


> Try eating porridge for breakfast. I found that it stops me wanting to snack for hours on end. You can make it in the microwave in three and a half minutes. I just use oats and milk and don't add anything on top. It's surprisingly tasty.



How much porridge are you making 

I make a bowl of porridge 40g oats, 210grams of half fat milk, 1min30 in microwave, very hot. Usually through the week i lower it to 30g oats and 170g milk, but then will up it to 60g 250g milk for sportives


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## Trevrev (18 Jun 2018)

slowmotion said:


> Jog?????
> 
> That's a bit extreme.




Not extreme at all. You'll be surprised how quickly you would adapt.


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## Andy in Germany (18 Jun 2018)

Things are looking up: I certainly feel lighter and less pudgy although that could be a psychological response. I'm less tired and feel like I have more energy for concentrating on things and running up and down those stairs. I'm eating less at mealtimes as well, and enjoying what I do eat more: it seems I appreciate it for the smaller quantities.

I'm not even missing snickers bars.

All good stuff, thanks again for the help...


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## Freelanderuk (19 Jun 2018)

Make sure you are drinking plenty of water ,it helps thinking you are less hungry ,I drink at least 6 litres a day , after the fist few days of more water you will not need the toilet as much as your body gets used to it 

Keep it up its worth it


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## Andy in Germany (19 Jun 2018)

Freelanderuk said:


> Make sure you are drinking plenty of water ,it helps thinking you are less hungry ,I drink at least 6 litres a day , after the fist few days of more water you will not need the toilet as much as your body gets used to it
> 
> Keep it up its worth it



Currently drinking like a fish at work. It helps that we are a social organisation running a cafe so we have cold filtered water on tap and litre sized mugs. As an added advantage I work one storey from the privvy so the extra drinking causes more running up and down stairs (=another workout...)

I'm finding I'm now able to reduce the oats/yoghurt a bit and still feel fine as well.

No intention whatsoever of stopping, don't worry. In fact I'm now looking for extra things to improve...


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