Crazy Schedule, Timing Meals

Nutrition
1

I am currently working 56 hours per week and going to school full-time so my schedule is very hectic and differs from day to day (but is the same each week). I am just wondering how I should time my meals and how important it is exactly (aside from pre/post workout nutrition) to my training goals.

I have only had such a hectic schedule for a little over a month so I have not yet figured out what I should do and how this will affect me!

So…this is a brief rundown of my schedule:

Monday-Friday I work 6pm-3am (at a gym).
Sat & Sun I work 8am-4:30pm

I have early morning classes Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30-12:00 after which I have an afternoon nap (since I would have only had 4-5 hours sleep).

Wednesday’s and Fridays I sleep until 11am, then go to school for an hour and then off to work. Friday’s I also have an afternoon nap because I have to get up for work 8am on Saturday.

I’ve been fitting in my training before I start work at 6pm (since I am already at the gym!).

As you can see…my schedule is totally fucked up with no clearly defined breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lately I haven’t been eating much (if anything) until before work then eating fuller meals on my work breaks…hence most of my heavier meals are a few hours before I sleep (since I go to bed ASAP when I get home).

This probably isn’t the best idea but I just don’t feel like eating in earlier in the day anymore (my body is all out of whack and I’m rushing around so much…I am starting to pre-cook all my meals though to alleviate this).

I could be totally over thinking this…like should I eat before/after my naps? how soon before working out? when I get home from work?.. but my goal is fat loss and diet is 80% of the battle. Suggestions would be great, thanks!

2

It’s not that complicated. There is no such thing as lunch and dinner anymore. Just eat every three hours while you are awake. Eat about an hour before training, maybe less. And have your PWO after training with a meal about 45 mintues later.

3

you are trying to live two lives at once so obviously everything is tight timewise.

getting up and going to bed at the same time will help somewhat. you will have to force down early meals till you can handle them, also you can split early meals in half or thirds and eat every hour a bit.

4

like eengrms76 said…try to eat every three hours. Don’t underestimate the power of a shaker with some Metabolic Drive either!

5

[quote]eengrms76 wrote:
It’s not that complicated. There is no such thing as lunch and dinner anymore. Just eat every three hours while you are awake. Eat about an hour before training, maybe less. And have your PWO after training with a meal about 45 mintues later.[/quote]

Awesome advice. If your training is Martial Art, make it 2 hours before.

6

The food processor can become your new best friend if you can forgo taste at least some of the time. Put everything you need, everything, in a food processor with enough water to make it the consistency you want and put it in a container. Takes about 60 seconds to eat whenever you need to. I do it every day for work.