Time MGMT

[EDH1968]

Hello all! Rookie member here and was looking for advice on when to workout and for meals. I've been on 3rd shift (11p-7a) for almost five years now and with age and life (I know that's no excuse) have gone from 220 lbs and pretty good shape to 392 lbs and find it difficult for any exertion or physical activities....... Very embarrassing and done feeling this way and wanting to transform myself very badly.

Since it's been like 100 yrs since I exercised or worked out I was wondering when is the best time to and when should I eat my meals to get there most out of weight loss and muscle building?

I thought about working out right after work because it's not very crowded at that time but heard that's not good for me because I'd be too tired from working all night.

As far as meals, I thought just reversing my three meals.... Like breakfast before I go to work, lunch at work and dinner when I get home from gym.

Anyway, all advice would be appreciated as I'm in here to kickstart this journey and start of a new me.

Hope to hear from you soon.

[spradish]

Workout timing is personal so you'll need to experiment. When my husband worked thirds, he slept from 8a-3p. When my BIL worked them, he slept noon-8p. Your sleep schedule is going to affect when you workout and there's probably a reason why you sleep whatever hours you sleep (e.g., do you want to be up for family meals, etc.)

In the end, your workout and meal schedule mean very little when it comes to weight loss. Just figure out what is sustainable for you and you'll be fine.

[AlexSays]

Hi ED, glad to hear you want to make a change. To answer your questions in order:

1) Meals and nutrition. Eat whenever you want, nutrient timing and meal 'spacing' or frequency has no effect on fat loss or muscle building results. What you need to do is work out a routine that works for you. If that's eating everything in the last 3 hours of the day then do that. If it involves 8 snack meals every 2 hours do that. Or literally anything in between. The main aim is to make sure it is a pattern that keeps you as satiated as possible and that you can maintain long term.

2) Work out whenever is most convenient for you

3) see answer 1. I will also add that breakfast lunch and dinner are social conventions, not biological necessities. They are each just a meal and (if you are going with 3 meals a day) you can eat whatever you want for each of them, the only thing that varies is what time you eat them. If you want a full chicken dinner as your first meal and bacon and eggs for your third meal then there is no physiological reason why you shouldn't, it is personal preference (ie some people don't like to eat a lot after they wake up). The only things that matter are your macros (protein and fat minimums) and your calories over weeks/months. Day to day just meet your macro/calorie goals as best you can, whenever you can

Just a last couple of comments.

At your weight even small changes to your lifestyle will result in measurable results. For instance if you cut out all snacks/soda, reduced your current meal portions by 10% and went for a 30 minute walk every day you would likely start to see very noticeable movement on the scale.

Concentrate on creating long term lifestyle changes, not a 'diet and exercise plan'. Slowly introduce exercise/lifting into your daily routine so that it becomes the norm. Adopt an approach to nutrition that is convenient to you and still includes nutritious food you enjoy. Do not fall for all this 'boiled chicken breast, spinach and brown rice' nonsense. To lose the amount you are going to have to lose you need to realize that this may take a while. Your approach will have to become the new normal. Adopting short term diets usually just results in a 'yoyo' between losing 10-50lb and regaining because you cannot maintain a healthy approach to life in the long run. Don't adopt habits you can't maintain and be happy with.

Set shorter term goals. This might be the first 10 or the first 50lb. It is likely going to take a couple of years to get back to where you were so it is important that although 200lb (or whatever) is your ultimate ideal, your current goal is that first 10-50lb, then set a new one. Trust me when you reach 350lb you will feel a hell of a lot better than you do now, even if your eventual goal weight is a long way off. You will feel even better at 300lb and so on and so on. Don't think that you have to wait for the ultimate goal before you will reap any benefits.

Good luck, I hope you succeed

[EDH1968]

Hi ED, glad to hear you want to make a change. To answer your questions in order:

1) Meals and nutrition. Eat whenever you want, nutrient timing and meal 'spacing' or frequency has no effect on fat loss or muscle building results. What you need to do is work out a routine that works for you. If that's eating everything in the last 3 hours of the day then do that. If it involves 8 snack meals every 2 hours do that. Or literally anything in between. The main aim is to make sure it is a pattern that keeps you as satiated as possible and that you can maintain long term.

2) Work out whenever is most convenient for you

3) see answer 1. I will also add that breakfast lunch and dinner are social conventions, not biological necessities. They are each just a meal and (if you are going with 3 meals a day) you can eat whatever you want for each of them, the only thing that varies is what time you eat them. If you want a full chicken dinner as your first meal and bacon and eggs for your third meal then there is no physiological reason why you shouldn't, it is personal preference (ie some people don't like to eat a lot after they wake up). The only things that matter are your macros (protein and fat minimums) and your calories over weeks/months. Day to day just meet your macro/calorie goals as best you can, whenever you can

Just a last couple of comments.

At your weight even small changes to your lifestyle will result in measurable results. For instance if you cut out all snacks/soda, reduced your current meal portions by 10% and went for a 30 minute walk every day you would likely start to see very noticeable movement on the scale.

Concentrate on creating long term lifestyle changes, not a 'diet and exercise plan'. Slowly introduce exercise/lifting into your daily routine so that it becomes the norm. Adopt an approach to nutrition that is convenient to you and still includes nutritious food you enjoy. Do not fall for all this 'boiled chicken breast, spinach and brown rice' nonsense. To lose the amount you are going to have to lose you need to realize that this may take a while. Your approach will have to become the new normal. Adopting short term diets usually just results in a 'yoyo' between losing 10-50lb and regaining because you cannot maintain a healthy approach to life in the long run. Don't adopt habits you can't maintain and be happy with.

Set shorter term goals. This might be the first 10 or the first 50lb. It is likely going to take a couple of years to get back to where you were so it is important that although 200lb (or whatever) is your ultimate ideal, your current goal is that first 10-50lb, then set a new one. Trust me when you reach 350lb you will feel a hell of a lot better than you do now, even if your eventual goal weight is a long way off. You will feel even better at 300lb and so on and so on. Don't think that you have to wait for the ultimate goal before you will reap any benefits.

Good luck, I hope you succeed

Thank you guys for the info and ideas..... Really appreciate it

[paulinkansas]

I rent furnished houses out by the week. All my tenants are refinery contractors. They usually work a 10-12 hour shift. It can be day shift or night shift.

All of them that lift weights lift AFTER their work shift, not before. Everyone else has given you good advice.

[snailsrus]

I rent furnished houses out by the week. All my tenants are refinery contractors. They usually work a 10-12 hour shift. It can be day shift or night shift.

All of them that lift weights lift AFTER their work shift, not before. Everyone else has given you good advice.

Honestly, for strength training I’d go before a labor intensive work day, but that’s just my experience