Shift workers.... How do you stay healthy?

bounmyinthavong
bounmyinthavong Posts: 3 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Life is going to become complicated again in the next few weeks with going back on call and having irregular sleep and work schedules (midwife here). Wondering what do other shift workers do to ensure a balance in food, exercise, sleep and sanity?

Replies

  • princess00amy
    princess00amy Posts: 1 Member
    i do 4 night shifts a week and find my eating pattern is all over the place and when im at work all i do is crave junk food. The my fitness pal app if fantastic for making sure you stay within your cal goal! all i do is eat when i feel like it but make sure i stay withing the goal for that day...
  • sunnyazgirl
    sunnyazgirl Posts: 273 Member
    I work nights 3X a week, 7PM to 7AM. I track everything and make sure I eat something small every 2-3 hours, especally after midnight. During breaks I get out of my department and walk around the hospital trying to build up my steps. I do not crave junk food by eating something every two hours. It may be a Greek yogurt one time, some celery sticks and Laughing Cow Light cream cheese wedge, or fruit and cottage cheese another. One thing I also do that helps with the munchies is to pop a Jolly Time individual (100 calorie) bag of popcorn before I leave home (our microwaves at work are awful) and have that as a snack, along with my all natural, calorie free water enhancer. I buy the Everly brand on Amazon. The Peach Mango flavor has natural caffeine!

    I also track in the same 24 hour segments as MFP has. A typical night - when I get to work I have my 160 calorie calorie Premier Protein shake recorded as lunch or a snack (If it is my first night back and I had lunch earlier in the day). At 10 PM I have dinner - I usually bring something prepared at home or I have a Lean Cuisine with a salad or fresh cut veggies. At 2 AM & 4 AM I have one of the snacks mentoned above. At 6 AM have some oatmeal for breakfast, also brought from home. I use the cups that just need hot water added for a quick pick up. That way I have something in my stomach for my 45 minute drive home. I may have Breakfast Part 2 once I get home and before I go to bed, usually just a glass of milk. If I am really hungry still I may have a half of an English Muffin.

    I have lost 94 pounds since last August 1using MFP and working nights. Good luck! :)
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