I'm a 48 year old male with a strange work schedule that I feel is making it hard to get going on a diet (the "Fit or Fat" program, I had good luck with it many years ago). To allow me to avoid terrible traffic congestion problems in my area, my company allows me to work an 11 AM to 8 PM shift, but I'm the only such worker and am under pressure to adapt in all other ways. So I take my first meal of the day at about 1 PM (brunch) and my last meal at about 9 PM (dinner) when I arrive home. Around 3 to 6 PM is an awful time for me. We are not permitted to eat at our desks (except snack foods), nor are we permitted to break up our lunch hour into two half hours. I try to get by on chewing gum, eating hard pretzels, diet soda, caramel rice cakes, etc. but almost every day the pressure of the job combines with the boring diet and I hit the vending machines!!! I know I've painted myself into an awful corner, but if I go back to 8:30 to 5 PM schedule I'll be in the car an extra hour a day in awful traffic. Anyone have any ideas? :(

I suggest eating something heavier but still healthy for your snack time. If you feel you need to, eat a lighter lunch to 'account' for this. If it has to be 'snacky,' perhaps you can bring fruit or yogurt (I don't know if there is an employee fridge to stick this in). You could also bring a bagel (find one high in fiber!) or even a meal bar (some of them are around 200 calories). I do this all the time!

Also, perhaps you should just not carry change and small bills. The thing about my work is that if I don't bring it, it's not like I can usually find something to go eat. There is complimentary hot cocoa mix but I know it's not filling and not good for me. Sometimes people bring in cakes and other sweets but those are just special occasions.

sugarfiend

What time do you get up in the morning and what time do you leave. Make sure before you leave home have a good low fat, high fibre breakfast like maybe a bowl of oatmeal with fruit and a slice of whole wheat toast.

Also, if you're allowed to snack at your desk - take fresh fruit. Bananas, apples,oranges don't need to be refrigerated and because these are complex carbs....they'll stay with you longer.

Hope this helps.

Thank you dawn & sugarfiend for your advice. I will work on putting them into practice. To answer the questions that were raised: yes, there is a refrig/freezer but it's one for the whole floor and so space is very limited. And, unfortunately, yes there are people who bring in snacks on a fairly regular basis and there are candy dishes set out but I think the idea of not bring change or bills is a good one, because that will at least significantly decrease the temptation and (of course) I have to exercise some will power. I get up about 7:30 AM and need to leave by about 9:50 AM. I exercise for at least 30 minutes on stationery bike and the Total Gym. An idea I just had is to stop at a supermarket on the way to the turnpike (I know where there's one). I would just need to allow an extra 10 minutes and I could pick up fresh bagels and fruit every morning.

Thanks everyone for the advice!
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