When Work Shifts, My Body Shifts: What I’ve Learned About Fuel, Endurance, and Adaptation
Work doesn’t just change my schedule, it changes my body. One week I’m at a desk, the next I’m on my feet all day in a massive workspace, walking miles between stations and climbing stairwells like it’s leg day. My body shifts when my work shifts. And the truth is, that adjustment isn’t always smooth. Sometimes I wake up at 5am, sometimes I start at 5am and have to drive an hour to get there. These days I run on coffee alone, and realize halfway through the morning that I’ve got low food drive again, no appetite, just grind. That’s when the danger hits: lightheadedness, fatigue, the slow crash that creeps in when you’re burning energy but not feeding the fire.
First, there’s The Switch-Up
Freelance life means no two jobs are the same. Some days are long stretches of sitting, other days are constant movement. Each setting demands something different from my body, it demands focus, stamina, or endurance. The switch-up is real, and if I don’t prepare, it shows up fast in my energy levels.
The Low Food Drive
One of the first signs my body is in “adaptation mode” is that my appetite drops. It doesn’t mean I don’t need food it just means my system is prioritizing survival and focus over hunger signals. That’s a dangerous combo, because it’s easy to push through until I’m almost lightheaded. I’ve learned that low food drive isn’t failure; it’s a cue that I need to adjust how I fuel.
Pocket Fuel Strategy
When my appetite disappears, I don’t try to force big meals. Instead, I carry pocket fuel, small, dense bites that keep the fire lit without weighing me down. A handful of nuts. Half a protein bar. Dried fruit. Cheese sticks. Beef jerky. Simple things that fit in my bag and can be eaten in less than a minute. The trick isn’t eating a lot it’s eating a little, often enough to avoid the crash. For me, that means a nibble every 90 minutes, even if I’m not “hungry.”
Freelance work means adapting, not just mentally, but physically. I don’t always control where I’m working or what the hours look like, but I do control how I support my body through it. When the work shifts, my body shifts. And when my body shifts, my strategy shifts too. That’s the real discipline: knowing how to keep yourself fueled, steady, and ready no matter where the job takes you.
And here’s the part I can’t forget: food doesn’t just affect my body, it affects my mind too. When I go too long without eating, I can feel it in my focus. My thoughts get a little fuzzy, my sharpness dips, and even my ability to stay present for the people I’m working with takes a hit. But when I fuel, even just a small, steady bite, it’s not just my muscles that respond, it’s my clarity. Food is brain fuel, and when I honor that, I’m sharper, steadier, and more myself in the work.
So how do I actually do “pocket fuel”?
In case it helps, here’s what’s literally in my bag right now:
GU Energy Gel: my emergency brain + body boost, I keep one in the bag.
Beef Jerky : quick protein when I need something savory and solid, I keep two.
Water Bottle: hydration is fuel too.
Foldable Fisherman’s Cap: sun protection that fits anywhere.
Sunblock Stick SPF 70, waterproof : trust me, this one saves me. I’ve felt the sting of sunburn and the wrong sunblock in my eyes just driving home.
And that’s just the bag. Another day I’ll share what I keep in the car, because sometimes your trunk has to double as your base camp
Some of these are affiliate links, that means if you grab something through my link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s one way to support the FormaFit Diario while keeping your own bag ready to go.
Journal Prompt:
Think about the different kinds of work you do the quiet desk days, the on-your-feet days, the unexpected shifts.
How does your body respond when the work changes?
What signals does it give you (low food drive, tension, extra hunger, fatigue, energy bursts)?
What strategies have you already discovered that help you adapt?
Where could you add more “pocket fuel” not just with food, but with rest, movement, or mindset, so you stay steady no matter the environment?
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