I started working in a fast food kitchen 2 weeks ago and it’s physically stressful so far. I do a lot of meal prep which includes a lot of chopping, carrying, and cleaning. Being on my feet for ~7 hours a day is slowly taking a toll on me and I really want to take preventive measures for long term problems that come with it. My right thumb is numb as I type down this post at 1am because I somehow woke up before 4:30am.
For a little background, this is my first official job where I’m being paid actual money for my work. As per usual, I can’t quit because of finances and I like my coworkers and managers so far. I just want my body to cope with it better and I’m not sure how I should go with it. I was pretty sedentary before I started working. I wear comfortable non-slip shoes with orthotics to better support my arch. I also bought a muscle rolling stick to help massage my feet and leg muscles after work. I think the compression socks I recently got isn’t doing much so I’m going to invest in some Bombas socks soon. What else can I do to prevent breaking my body doing this job?
+1 for all the advice here, with one extra one: Make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet. Your muscles are getting torn up, and that’s good - that’ll make them grow back stronger! But only if you’re getting enough protein to build them back. I boil up 6 of these guys at a time and pop two a day for breakfast for just a little extra protein: https://food52.com/recipes/35930-momofuku-s-soy-sauce-eggs
As much as I’d love to have some soy sauce eggs, I unfortunately don’t consume eggs anymore. I’ll keep in mind to increase my protein though! That means more tofu soup in the morning :D