T Nation

Making Gains With Stressful Job/Schedule

Bodybuilding
#1

Okay so I’m about to start a job that will make me very, very busy. My schedule right now includes waking up at 4 am and performing cardio, then going into lift weights around 11 or 12 and then resting the rest of the day. I have been getting in shape for this job for a while now and my original goal for lifting was to gain some upper body strength, have a healthy waist, and increase my cardio training.

So those goals have been accomplished and I have accomplished alot of other goals too and it has been great. But this new job I am about to start is really going to challenge my diet and training and I know that their are plenty of training programs on here for people without alot of time but I was hoping that people with highly stressful job situations and training situations in the past and present could tell me what there schedules were like and how they kept there diet in check and made gains in the weight room.

My schedule will bounce around alot, I could be working at dawn, midnight, afternoon, weekends, I have no clue but if anybody out there can relate if you could just tell me about your diet and training methods I would appreciate it.

And if you have any more specific questions for me just message me.

Thanks in advance for the help.

-Hawk

#2

Don’t be lazy and prepare meals ahead of time. It sucks but it has to be done.

#3

[quote]E-man wrote:
Don’t be lazy and prepare meals ahead of time. It sucks but it has to be done.[/quote]
Ya its true, my life is messed up like that, sometimes I am honestly training at 12am or 3am, You can do it, it will just take some time to adjust to a hectic scedule. Preparing your meals ahead of time is Key! and making time for training will become easy if you find training pleasurable, (its my alone peacetime)
FF

#4

E-Man,

What type of meals do you prepare, when do you prepare them, store them, etc. etc.?

I was thinking, fruits, nuts, sandwiches, protein powders/bars, instant oatmeal, instant rice, but if you have more suggestions that would be great.

-Hawk

#5

Egg salad and tuna salad are good to go for me. I take them to work, lift for my lunch hour then wolf the protein food. It’s also good to bring steamed veggies.

This all assume you have a fridge at work though.

#6

[quote]Hawksmoor wrote:
E-Man,

What type of meals do you prepare, when do you prepare them, store them, etc. etc.?

I was thinking, fruits, nuts, sandwiches, protein powders/bars, instant oatmeal, instant rice, but if you have more suggestions that would be great.

-Hawk [/quote]

ANYTHING that has to be cooked. Pre cook it and freeze it if its going to be around a while. Frozen veggies, meats, big Big batched of soups and chili. freeze a bunch of it. Whole turkeys are GREAT and cheap as hell. cook it up, bag it and freeze it etc…

Just takes a bit of planning

#7

Anybody with any training info, what type of splits, what are your goals, so on and so forth?

-Hawk

#8

I’ll be the first one to plug Precision Nutrition on this thread. The dvds show you how to make a days worth of meals in about 30 minutes, the Gourmet Nutrition book is full of quick healthy recipes, and the rest of the package is pretty invaluable as well.
Its the smartest investment I ever made and with all the prep you’ve done up to this point I think it could be a great tool to keep you on track.