Keeping in good shape as a Chef

[lukeygina]

Is it hard to stay in good figure as a chef or is the cliche "never trust a skinny chef" true? I want to try and lose a few pounds as a chef but am curious to see how most of you are... Are you all in good shape or could you afford to drop a few?

[dano1]

actually, i'm at my skinnniest working. 10-12hr+ days, 6+ days a week on your feet. I taste a lot, but don't sit down for a real meal. Same with most folks i know, eat on the fly cuz there's always something to be done. Course it's not the healthiest diet....

[Pete]

I am definately not a skinny chef, but I still like to think, that below all my fat, I am in shape. Seriously, I may be overweight, but long, hard hours keep me pretty healthy. OK, I can't run a marathon, but I would challenge most people to keep up with me. I think if was more concious about what and when I eat I would be in much better shape though. It's not the constant tasting of food that kills you, it's the late night "dinner" (especially pizza for me) after a day of eating nothing.

[Mikeb]

Not a Chef, but I'm a cook in a fine-dining establishment. I'm definitely not as fit as I used to be (used to have 9% body fat, very built), but I'm still in very good shape compared to most people, and most cooks...

[kuan]

One long day in the kitchen and my meals would be something like this:

4 scrambled eggs, 6-8 slices bacon
4 pieces fried chicken thighs
2 pieces cheesecake
bunch of fruit from cutting up fruit trays (no I didn't eat while cutting)
1/4-1/3# spaghetti with whatever sauce was there
Coupla beers at the bar after dinner service

Oh yeah, with probably half a gallon of Coca-cola thrown in

I still never gained weight.

Once I stopped working I put on twenty pounds. I've shed about 10 of those, I'm gonna try lose another 10 this summer.

[drummerspice]

Maybe it's also moreso genetics and keeping healthy. I'm still new to culinary, but I taste things all day long in the kitchen, and I've kept my weight around 120 the whole time, plus or minus a few pounds.

[Jbyl]

I think I'm as unhealthy as I have ever been since I started working in kitchens. I pretty much work 14-17 hours a day 5-6 days a week, and all I do is snack on crap all day long. A few pieces of bacon in the morning, some fried chicken around lunch, and a bag of chips when I get home. Plus I'm tasting stuff all day long. I rarely sit down to eat a full meal. When I do I get full halfway through. Most of the people I work w/ seem to be the same way. I guess I should work on eating a little more healthy. Oh yea, and a LOT of coca-cola, and a beer after everything.

[panini]

My shape is great!! Just like a boule that is proofed and waiting to be scored.
30 yrs of eating on the go and not digesting properly finally caught up with me. I now sit for each meal. I sometimes go off property if it's hectic, even for 10 min.
Being healthy and being in shape are really two different things. I carry weight but BP norm,Cholesteral 138,no sugar etc. my PCPhy. gave up on getting me to lose weight, he says I'll pass from old age.

[Devilxchef]

I'm in High School right as a sophmore. I do track and field and cross country , also weight room 3 times a week. I guess I'm in pretty good shape. Once I get a job and jump into college im probably gonna lose it

[Genie]

As I work alone all day in the kitchen I barely have time to eat, so I'd probably be really skinny if only it wasn't for all the S&V crisps I pig out on once I get home!

[momoreg]

They say if you work with sweets all day long, you don't want to eat them. It's been 21 years of working with sweets, and I'm still waiting.
It's always a race between the two obsessions- working out and eating- to see which will win. I'm not skinny, but I'm very fit!

[Botanique]

How do YOU feel? As a cook I always had a few pounds extra but grazing (tasting) and working out is the way to go. If you feel you need to loose a few pounds, GO FOR IT!!!! You don't need to ask us, you already know what you want -- now just seek advice on how to do it! XXXXOOOO

[Botanique]

BTW -- I never trust a skinny chef

[Chef_Bob]

Originally Posted by Botanique

BTW -- I never trust a skinny chef

---- I don't trust the dead ones either!

[Mikeb]

Originally Posted by Botanique

BTW -- I never trust a skinny chef

Not sure if that's a joke or not, but I've met many very good chefs who are skinny (or at least not overweight), and many famous ones are in decent shape as well. Ducasse, Keller, Adria for example are not very big (certainly not compared to the average American)... The best chefs I personally know are all in decent shape.