Life gets in the way...

mooshkamonster50

3 12 hour shifts in a row really messes up my healthy eating plans

kristen6350

The trick is to not left life get in the way of the things you really want. I know 3 12hr shifts is ROUGH, but there are other days you can plan food/prepare dinners/etc so that you don't have an excuse. It's really mind over matter and if you want to lose weight/get healthy/etc that badly, you'll do whatever it takes to get it.

malibu927

Preplan and prelog what you're going to eat

Joannesmith2818

Its all about the planning ahead!! I make all of my lunch for the week on Sunday. Make yourself enough food to last your 3 12 hour shifts so you are not tempted by naughty choices. You can do it, it just takes a little prep

SezxyStef

why? my husband works 4 12 hour shifts (2 days/2 nights) not mentioning OT, and still manages to eat healthy meals.

Life happens plan for it.

TimothyFish

Being tired does make it more difficult, but it is doable.

Alatariel75

Pre-planning is the key.

zoeysasha37

It does suck, my life is also crazy. Planning your meals ahead of time and pre packing them will help. I cook up healthy meals in batches and put them in containers on my day off. Then I know that I have several days of healthy meals already made and weighed and ready to go.
So on your next day off, make up a big batch of your favorite meal, package and weigh the portions out so all you have to do is heat it up while at work . It'll already be weighed, so just log it and then your done :-) planning is key

scraver2003

Sometimes... Life DOES get in the way. I find the most important part is trying to do better the next day, the next meal, the next snack. The more you work at better habits, the less life will get in the way.

Unknown

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snickerscharlie

Make yourself a priority. You're worth it.

BoxerBrawler

Saying life gets in the way is just an excuse... Planning and prepping is everything. Prep your foods for the week on whatever day of the week you can. I do this every Sunday and it only takes me an hour or two to cook, portion and pack our breakfasts, snacks, lunches and dinners. I always have healthy snacks in my bag, my car, everywhere I go. There are always healthy options to be found at stores and restaurants as a last resort.

strong_curves

Plan accordingly. Pick a day of the week to make a week's worth of lunches and snacks. Being prepared is the key to success.

Athos282

It does, but doesn't that leave 4 other days that you can do what you need?

Ninkyou

In the words of Tim Gunn, "Make it work."

Yeah, it's life. You gotta live it. Plan for the things you can and ride out the rest. If you're going to hit fast food or a restaurant on break, plan out your calories accordingly by looking up nutrition info. If you're brown-bagging it, plan ahead and pre-log what you pack and fit it into your calorie goal.

Don't let work be an excuse.

ForeverSunshine09

The first time I lost weight I was working 6-7 12 hr days 72-84 hrs a week. I still managed to make it work. You can do it if you really want to.

galgenstrick

I work 3 10 hour shifts with a 1.5 hour commute in between each way. I'm also a physics student At a university full time and have to pull all nighters often to get my *kitten* done.

The best thing I did for myself was lose weight and have a strict schedule. I plan ahead and make my health a priority in my life now. You can do it, eating better and logging food takes almost no time out of your day.

azulvioleta6

You need to plan better. That sounds entirely do-able.

mooshkamonster50

Thanks for your support

PopeyeCT

Maybe try stocking up on frozen meals? Anything with a barcode on it you can scan and track. It might not always have the best mix of micro nutrients, but you can certainly keep within your calories.

mirrim52

I am currently on night shift 6 of 7 straight. It sucks, but planning is the key. I know my will power is horrible at 4 am, so I need to make sure I have enough food in my lunch bag so that I don't hit the vending machine or convenience store across the street. Having plenty of healthy snacks helps. My favs are carrots, snap peas and hummus, or frozen edamame. I also plan to have one night where I splurge on a bag of chips. Knowing that I will have them one night makes it easier to hold off on the other nights. I just plan for it that day and make it fit in my calories. This week, since it was 7 straight, I also threw a mini bag of microwave popcorn in my lunch bag, just in case. I figure if I am having a rough night, treating myself to a 100 calorie bag of popcorn is better than a 400 calorie bag of chips.

dmiivanov

Well, how often do these shifts happen, once a week or once a month?

RodaRose

Prioritize your sleep.
Organize your kitchen like you would your work space -- everything you need out and available and everything else tossed or put away.
Use a food scale to help with logging calories accurately.

LadyTalulah

snickerscharlie wrote: »

Make yourself a priority. You're worth it.

If I could "like" or "thank" this post, I would. What an awesome way of looking at the problem.