Shift Work and Nutrition

Burandt80

I work around the clock, one week of days than roll right into a week of midnight's. I feel when I get on midnight's I sabotage my meals. Any ideals? Recipes?

kommodevaran

I don't think there are any magical recipes that stop the clock at midnight or anything but I have an idea - what if you make a meal plan for one whole cycle of, if I read that correctly, 14 days, and make sure you're neither over- nor undereating in that time, that your meals are balanced and varied and tasty, and schedule your meals so that you have time to sit down and enjoy them, as well as energy to work.

quiksylver296

Night shift is hard. I used to eat to stay awake and alert.

You'll have to pre-plan, pack your meals, and make a rule that you can't eat anything you didn't bring with you. Not having any money on you helps.

amandaeve

Plan meals ahead of time and require yourself to do jumping jacks when you get hungry on nights? When I'm sleepy, I tend to regret whatever I ate to help keep me awake.

TWRUNNER32

I find that it’s most helpful to plan and pack food. I also, no matter what, make sure i have something ready to go for when i get home in the morning. I’m always starving and it’s far too easy to swing through the drive through.

RodaRose

On your days off, eat less food that for the days you work.
Instead of a daily average, look at a monthly average. If you can keep track, it might work for you.
Basically, eat less on weeks when you work days.
Make a huge effort to prioritize your sleep.

Burandt80

Thanks everyone

debvfr

I would just eat my normal day meals at night just lighter stay full longer meals.
But 4Am I had to have s/v crisps.
I tended to probably have good carbs and protein more than veggies and fruit. Porridge before I left,Homemade leek and potato soup and a ham chapatti about 1230 -130 crisps at 4 and always a Choc bar and bottle of luczade just in case can’t touch lucazade now I don’t work nights.
I’d always have porridge before going home to see me through the sleep didn’t wake up as much.
Lots of my colleagues had McDonald’s and takeaway but I always felt sick.
Best advise is pre plan make everything nothing worse than not having your food you just eat junk and sleep I know it’s hard but if you don’t get ya rest it all goes wrong.