Maintaining a healthy diet while working graveyard

NiftyWitch
NiftyWitch Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Anybody else here work nights?? I've found that it's very difficult to maintain a healthy eating schedule, since my sleep hours and activities don't follow the usual pattern. Also, one of the "benefits" at my job is free food in the employee cafeteria... I save money, but the offerings are repetitive, and often high carb/fat offerings. I also have to be careful about portion control, since the cafeteria staff like to load up the plates. I do plan to start taking more of my own food to work, which would help a lot. But getting enough healthy calories outside of work has been a challenge.

Any advice??

Replies

  • EmilyEmpowered
    EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
    I am just transitioning to nights, this is actually my first all night shift. My plan ws to eat as I normally do, but I could use some tips I am finding! Bumping for some (hopefully) good advice
  • laurenh729
    laurenh729 Posts: 16 Member
    i work overnights and the shifts arent back to back, and with kids i have to constantly try to switch back to days. its EXTREMELY difficult for me to work out to my fullest capacity on the days im only getting a few hrs of sleep (which is twice a week)
    the eating has been a learned habit, and sometimes i still fall off. i allow one "cheat meal" every week and save it for my days i know they guys like to eat. start off slow, make a promise to bring a healthy meal half of the time.. then in a few weeks shoot for better than that. form good habits but still allow urself a "treat" if there is something you love from the cafe, get it and immediately put half in the trash. (throwing away food to me was almost against the law for yrs!) it feels so good now to listen to my body and know i have the self control to stop (most of the time)
  • laurenh729
    laurenh729 Posts: 16 Member
    i eat the same for the most part as well. there is one day im up for over 24 hrs straight and i just try to space it out a little bit more. who wants to starve the entire shift :) i bring healthy snacks so im less tempted to buy from the vending machine
  • jessicahartpollock
    jessicahartpollock Posts: 10
    Not a ton of advice here but maybe enlist the help of the cafeteria staff. If it's the same people that work there on a regular basis they might be wiling to help out and not automatically plop huge portions on your tray.
    I don't know exactly what type of work you do but it may also be possible to stuff a ziploc full of almonds or jerky in your pocket for a quick healthy snack.
  • progressnotperfection84
    progressnotperfection84 Posts: 122 Member
    Bumping for ideas too.
  • NiftyWitch
    NiftyWitch Posts: 7 Member
    I work at the customer service counter at a casino. We can keep snacks in the back.
  • tami101
    tami101 Posts: 617 Member
    I work 8pm to 8am and what I found works best for me is to eat a normal breakfast in the morning, a normal dinner around 6pm and I bring a light snack such as fruit and yogurt for my meal break while at work, which curbs my hunger and gives me enough energy to finish out my shift.
  • cingle87
    cingle87 Posts: 717 Member
    When I do night shifts I try andwork my meals around from the time I wake to the time I sleep, so if I wake at 4 thats breakfast 8am bedtime. What I find helpful for my is what would be "lunch" I would have my largest meal about 1-2 hours before my shift starts, this will keep me full for most of the night and I only need a light snack, and sometimes I don't need to eat a snack.

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