Routine for work

                    Routine
I am going back to work this week on Wednesday the 21^st and am concern about a routine that will work for work.  I have to be at work by 7:45 a.m. and get off work at 4:30 p.m.  I have a 30 min lunch on most days and work in an office.  I can pick my own lunch time.  The problem I am having knows how to work in all protein and water.  In the past I had a terrible habit at work.  I would go all day and only eat lunch and drink less than 12 oz of liquid while at work because I would focus on work.  I plan to figure out how early I need to get up in order to do my bathroom business, put something in my mouth, and prepare food for work.  I want to make this work but unfortunately I continue to struggle with getting things down.  After I drink a shake I feel stuffed all day.   I need some idea on a routine to help me succeed I am tire of this rocky road and need to be normal.  I have to get in at least 100 grams of protein a day and minimum of 42 oz of water

I have been back to work for 3 months. I also had the same concerns and I ate pretty much the same as you pre surgery, skip breakfast, eat lunch, then eat from 6pm ----till?

I have not had your complications by far, but had my fair share and worried whether I'd be able to even sit at a desk for more than a few mins without having to run to the restroom. After my revision, I stayed at home getting better and once I felt confident that I was better, could hold my own nutrionally speaking and work, I did so.

Main thing is to alway plan ahead. It's a new thing to me, obviously if you look at my previous habits. That is one huge difference for me now, is that I have to think about myself. I also have my vites for the day brought in 30 days at a time and in my desk.

First thing is, I do have to get up early and make sure I have plenty of time to use the bathroom a few times. That isn't any complication anymore, it's just normal ds bowel movements for me. I also know which restroom I can run to during the day if I have to go again, that happens sometimes with our makeup.

Eating. I eat/drink all day long. I keep food, shake mixes and flavorings for those shakes, as well as the shaker bottles at wor****ep mayo in the fridge, tuna in my desk for a backup for a quick bowl of tuna, which I usually have a can of a day, besides shakes/meals. I can take in a few eggs in a bowl, a few slices of mircowave bacon and have it on first break if I am running behind. (I don't mind nuked scrambled eggs)

Liquids. We are provided with ice, tea, coffee and splenda at work. I use the coffee/ice to make shakes. I use the tea to make fresh splenda tea all day long by brewing it and pouring it over ice.

Lunches are usually leftovers from home, tuna, tilapia, salad or homemade soup. I make up a huge batch of soup or chicken salad and take it in everyday.

ETA: forgot to mention that work is not a place to experiement. Know how your react to a food prior to eating it at work. I had an "oreo ball" a co-worker brought in for a luncheon, and I knew it'd been a better idea to try it at home...phew...that wasn't a nice experience.

 Thank you Dusty Dear,

I believe my biggest issue is that this pouch do not allow me to eat a lot therefore, I am having problems getting enough down.  I do not eat anything but protein because I do not have room for anything else.  Thanks for advice.  How much earlier do I need to get up in order to take care of bathroom business and still make it to work.

amazing to me that no one else has to have a work routine.................

I went back to work last week and I set my cell phone to beep every thiry minutes to remind me to drink-
so far its working for me.  I have a tendency to wait so I tried this method- Im like Pavlov's dog now- as soon as it beeps I grab my water and drink.  I am going to continue to do this as long as I am not doing it alone.  I have a different alarm every two hours to remind me to snack. 

Its helping me. 

Glad you are feeling better and get to go back to work.  Thats wonderful!
JJ

i had to get up a half hour earlier to get to make sure i go to the bathroom  and get ready, i sometimes eat boiled eggs before morning meetings so i don't feel dizzy or hear my tummy or guts growling, i steer clear of the pastries and bagels. i keep ice and water on my desk, i was not always good at packing lunch so i found cheap alternatives for lunch like cold cuts with out the bread, chili, burgers and hot dogs with out the bun, etc, i scouted out the nearest bathrooms and found one i could get to in a pinch.i keep nectar protein in my desk and a shaker bottle, i usually dont eat in the cafeteria because everything is low-fat and dry! which always gave me gas or always bothered my stomach so i go out and get lunch plus it make me walk around instead of staying at my desk, ditto experimenting with food at work, you never know how your tummy will react, i know what going to happen usually within a half hour or 45 min, this might seem like a lot but i notice i don't have as many problems with gas and diarrhea like a had early out and i dont get stressed out. dont worry it gets easier, baby steps!

I usually get up about 1.5 hours before I have to leave. That gives me enough time to have about 1/2 hour in the bathroom, get dressed, grab my vites, and make a protein shake before I go. I take my protein shake with me in a Camelbak Better Bottle.

It's really helpful if you have a desk and/or a little personal area to keep a few things. I have a locker and a desk, and at wor****ep a couple of blender bottles, a few sample packs of protein for the days I am a little slow and don't have time to make protein coffee, some snacks that don't need refrigeration (nuts, jerky, pork rinds), protein bars. I also keep a Camelbak Groove bottle which filters water as you drink it, because we don't have a water cooler and our tap water is kinda coppery.

If you have refrigerator access (I assume you do, since it's an office), I also suggest keeping a few little snacks in there: Cheese sticks, tuna fish, a rotisserie chicken, greek yogurt, mayo, maybe some vitamin Water Zero if you like. I tend to give myself short breaks and graze snacks throughout the day, maybe having a small "meal" at lunch. I also have a timer on my phone to remind me to take my vites.

I hope this helps!

 EJ thank you for all your suggestions.  I believe I am ready for work the main thing is going to be to utilize a timer so that I remember to eat and drink.  

 
Hi there, Martina!  I didn't have a job-job after my DS, but here are some suggestions:

Prepare for tomorrow, today - Pack an all-protein lunch box at night so it's ready to grab and go in the morning.  Cold cuts, cheese, cooked bacon that you can nuke at work, boiled eggs, whatever works for you.  Leftover dinner is good.  Nuts have some carbs but they also have protein and are easy to carry.  Pack stuff that's simple and easy for you to eat for lunch and snack on a break if you get hungry. 

Also, pick out your work clothes at night and do any/all preparation (hair, briefcase, etc.) for the next day in the evening.  It will make your mornings go very smoothly, and give you time to focus on establishing your new routine.

Water jug - Get a water jug that you love, one that travels easily and that holds a lot of liquid.  You can fill it when you get to work and drink it all morning, then fill it again in the afternoon.  Before you know it, you'll be downing two in the am and two in the pm, and more!  Don't forget that using sugar-free flavors in your water is a-OK, if that will help you be more interested in drinking it.  Just give yourself some time to get used to drinking more liquid.

Protein shake for breakfast - You can make a shake that has 50g of protein in it, and drink it before you leave in the morning.  Lori's coffee shake made with 2 scoops of Champion Pure Whey Stack, 4 oz half & half, coffee, flavoring and ice will get you there.

My first morning shake makes me poop, so I'd say make time in the morning to have the full shake before you leave the house.

Bathroom-- I have to have a shake before I go poop in the morning, otherwise I'm "stuck."  Some people only poop once per day, and others go more frequently.  Time your breakfast with your poop to get them both done before you leave the house, and you'll be good to go!

Commit to lunchtime and breaks - Don't work through lunch or breaks.  Commit to taking them because they will give you time to catch your breath and get you used to the routine.  

I hope the transition back to work is smooth for you!  Let us know how it's going.