Eating for a 12-hr shift?

zingeber

Ok, does anyone else work in healthcare (or somewhere else that requires you to work 12-1/2 hour shifts, on your feet running all day)? I started working in a hospital 3 months ago and I have GAINED 10 LBS SINCE!

I eat 5 meals a day (6 am, 9 am, 1 pm, 4 pm, and 8 pm usually) because I get so hungry from the work, but obviously I'm not burning off the calories. Even though, on an average work day, it feels like I'm barely eating enough to keep going.

I only work 3 days a week, but on the off days, I still keep that same eating schedule even though I'm doing much less activity. And I know I don't drink enough water.

Any advice??? If I keep going at this rate I will be officially obese by Thanksgiving. I need a plan that works for my life...

DixiedoesMFP

What are you eating five times a day?

speakz82

Open your diary...

ItsTerriC

My husband does 12 hour shifts plus a 1 hour drive each way. It is a challenge to keep enough food in him but not over do it. He's lost almost 20lbs by using the 6 Week Body Makeover plan, modified a bit since my kitchen is being renovated and I can't cook. Basically he eats every 3 hours or so. Breakfast, morning snack, Lunch, afternoon snack, Dinner and sometimes an evening snack. Lean meats, lots of veggies, carbs at every meal, no sugar, low sodium, low or no fat. He may eat his breakfast meal at 3:00 in the afternoon and go from there when he is on night shift, but he sticks pretty close to the plan. I hope this helps you some.

zingeber

I'm brand new at this, so I'm hoping the diary will REALLY help me target my problems. But any general advice is appreciated!

Well, I'm not consistent, which is probably part of the problem now that you ask. Breakfast at 6 am is tiny, coffee and some kind of toast (or a pastry if I'm in a hurry, which I usually am). 4 pm is a "sugar low snack" - anything with sugar. I've tried trail mix or something high protein but it just does not give me the energy to finish out the day. These are probably the two most consistent

Breakfast and lunch are generally from the work cafeteria - egg and cheese on an English muffin for breakfast, or something comparable. Seems to work better than just carbs. Lunch is all over the place though - turkey burger with fries some days, or just a small bowl of soup other days. Usually with diet soda and some kind of cookie ( I have a sweet tooth, can you tell?)

Dinner is whatever is at my house. Usually some kind of leftovers. If I really don't feel like cooking, or there are no leftovers it's fast food.

...Wow, it does make a difference to see what you eat. Maybe I should have asked for advice on quick, easy home cooking instead.

DixiedoesMFP

I am by no means an expert, and I also have a sweet tooth....but let me try to help. Breakfast at 6 am: Exchange to pastry for a hard boiled egg and wheat toast (just as easy to grab on the go), breakfast at work: egg mcmuffin without cheese, lunch at work: turkey sandwich and an apple, or carrots, or celery, or green beans (NOT fries), 4 pm snack: greek yogurt, cottage cheese and fruit, apple & peanut butter, dinner: grilled chicken and wild rice, broccoli, sweet potato, etc. Tuna is also quick & easy.

I gained 15 pounds since I sit on my rear all day in an office. From what I have learned, eating several small meals of high protein and complex carbs is best, and will help you avoid the sugar low in the first place. Then you aren't as tempted to grab something on impulse because your sugar and insulin levels are staying steady.

hjollyrn

Bump! I'll reply when I have a few minutes! I also work 12s!

hjollyrn

Bump! I'll reply when I have a few minutes! I also work 12s!

megmariew1

I work 12 hour shifts also and I'm also in healthcare. I try to bring my meals and have it all planned out ahead of time. I usually only get 3 breaks a day. Breakfast is usually oatmeal or hardboiled eggwhites, fruit. Lunch will be a salad of some kind with some protien and then a snack in the afternoon. I usually have dinner at home. It can be done.

I tried just doing the cafeteria stuff and occasionally still do, but bringing stuff from home has made things a lot easier.

hjollyrn

Ok. I do 3 twelves too and I'll go thru a typical day!
First, the best thing I can suggest is bringing your own food! Generally, that cafeteria food is not healthy, and even just going to the cafeteria is too tempting to get crap. The days I work, I almost always plan out my day the night before. Have everything logged so I know exactly how many calories I have left!
One difference for me though is I generally eat only a couple times a day and I'm ok with that. A typical day for me looks something like this:
Breakfast: usually eat once I get to work. Any time between 7 and 9 and consists of something like a yogurt and banana or some sort of nutrigrain bar or such. Maybe even toast and PB or a bowl of cereal. I usually don't eat anything then until lunch. I may pack a snack, like a hard boiled egg, fruit, or crackers to eat around 11 if I'm hungry.

Lunch: usually around 1 or 2. This is my biggest meal. Leftovers, a turkey sandwich, tuna sandwich, salad, smart ones meal, or something of the sort. I eat that along with maybe some baked chips and fruit or veggies. Our grocery store has a salad bar and I like to go there sometimes the night before and make a nice salad with grilled chicken, egg, and veggies. I may have a snack around 5. Grapes, carrots, something easy to snack on.
Dinner: when I get home around 8 or 9. Something small, quick. Sandwich, scrambled eggs are easy, cereal.

hjollyrn

Shoot didn't get to finish.

As far as the sweet tooth. I love to have something sweet after I eat. I always have the fun size or mini candy bars available at home and will pack one or two to have. It's just enough to cover that craving.

You can do this, but I think you definitely just need to make some changes to your foods.
Water, I use one of those ice mountain sport bottles. It's easy to grab and take a quick swig, then refill when empty!

Best of luck! I sent a friend request if you'd like to check out my diary.

Oh, also. 12 hour days I don't work out, but my days off I make sure I get a good workout in! Hope this helps!

ejohndrow

I'm in the Navy and work 12 hr shifts as well, on monday we just switched from days 0600-1900, now it's about 1800-0745.
At my last base I mistakenly thought that I needed all of this extra food and I ate more than I should have. I stressed over when and what to eat, trying to get my calories down and to not waste the exercise I'd done for the day. Now I pretty much take grilled chicken, fruits and veggies and eat that, plus coffee-A LOT of coffee is consumed. We're all different but sometimes you just have to step back and ask 'Am I really hungry? or do I just need to walk around or do a crossword puzzle or something instead?' My eating habits have changed a lot in just over the past couple of weeks and I'm actually losing my appetite now, however, my answer to staying full on 12's is raw nuts, raw fruits and veggies. Stay away from prepackaged foods when possible.

zingeber

Thanks everyone so much for the ideas! That is so helpful, and so encouraging to know that this can be done with the schedule I'm on. It seems like half the staff on our floor are on a diet at any given time. We all struggle with this. I can see I'm definitely going to have to do more planning ahead, because it sounds like success comes primarily from the fresh and/or home-cooked foods. Grilled chicken sounds awesome and so easy, Emily_J_J... can't believe I never thought of stocking up on that to take to work.

Would anyone mind sharing *how* they plan meals? Weekly, daily? When do you grocery shop? How do you organize yourself?(This may need to be a new thread...) I love the idea of "advance tracking" from hjollyrn, so you know how many calories you have left. Do you do all of that the night before? Thanks again.

kgasser

I, too, am in healthcare and work 9-16 hour shifts...here is my new bestest friend...and yes, I know it is not the healthy alternative like carrot sticks and greek yoghurt...and bless those that can be satisfied with that, but it really is much better than a bag of Lays potato chips with a chaser of M&M's....baggies of cereal...I know, sounds lame, but it works...and I am not talking the good for you stuff like Life cereal...I am talking the good stuff...Reese's puffs, Lucky Charms, and my newest, favoritest friend Cocoa Puffs Brownies Crunch!!!
I premeasure the box of cereal into ziplock baggies of single servings. I find that when I am on the run I can grab a handful of these little devils and eat each piece slowly and by that time I am distracted into doing 14 other things....many times at the end of the day I still have 1/2 of the 110 calorie serving left...BONUS don't need to stop at Sheetz for a bag of Ruffles and a chunk of cheese just to get me home...got my brownie friends to ride with me...try it...you, too might become a kid's cereal addict....and at 110 calories and some added fiber and minerals, etc, it may not be tofu meatballs with a side of garbonzo beans, but it beats that Blizzard!!!!

kimwish

I work in the healthcare field as well, I bring lots of food with me to work. I am vegan and I believe that it really helps me stay away from all of the junk food that shows up on the ward. i pack my bag full of fruits, veggies, oatmeal, salads, nuts and seeds, dates for a sugary treat, once per rotation I will bring myself a small bag of chips or a vegan cupcake for a treat. I just make sure that I log all of my food and that I stay under my calories allowed. If most of your meals are fruits and veggies its easy to be able to eat a lot and snack more frequently. Cook your food from home and pack it to work it will make the biggest difference because you will be able to control how much fat, salt, and calories are in it...


good luck, I am sure that you will figure out what works best for you

kimwish

I just noticed the post about the cereal...I love that ...great idea I believe that I will have to try that out:flowerforyou:

sp53

The hardest lesson I've had to learn as far as working long shifts: bring food! I know--it's a horrible chore, but it pays off. Bring something you can eat with minimum fuss/mess. When I've worked really hectic units where you might not get a break, I bring ensure or something, just to keep my stomach and blood sugar ok. And keep something yummy but healthy to eat when you get home, because we may say we're not gonna eat late at night but we DO. Have you noticed how many nurses are unhealthy and overweight? It's cause we can't figure out the very problem you bring up.

ejohndrow

I work in the healthcare field as well, I bring lots of food with me to work. I am vegan and I believe that it really helps me stay away from all of the junk food that shows up on the ward. i pack my bag full of fruits, veggies, oatmeal, salads, nuts and seeds, dates for a sugary treat, once per rotation I will bring myself a small bag of chips or a vegan cupcake for a treat. I just make sure that I log all of my food and that I stay under my calories allowed. If most of your meals are fruits and veggies its easy to be able to eat a lot and snack more frequently. Cook your food from home and pack it to work it will make the biggest difference because you will be able to control how much fat, salt, and calories are in it...


good luck, I am sure that you will figure out what works best for you

Have you tried those Terra root chips? I got hooked on those when I was vegan, far better than regular potato (in my opinion of course).

ejohndrow

Also OP-I eat a lot of fish as well. I go to the store and get those big bags with the individually wrapped Tilapia and I'll grilled that and bring it as well to mix things up (not sure if I aready mentioned it).

cherrycake26

Hi there, also in health care, shifts are one 24 hr and a 13 1/2 hr, food provided! The provided food often seems very high calorie and I found it difficult to gauge what I was eating. So now as far as I am concerned its all about the the seven "P's" Prior Planing an Preparation Prevents P**s Poor Performance" I take all my meals with me, calorie counted and logged on mfp befor I go on shift. When I cook I make extra portions of low cal food that I can freeze they are great to take on wrk days as can use microwave whilst there. Lunch meals are usually open sandwich on ryebread either all made up or ingredients packed ready to assemble. I weigh and measure all cheese and meat, salad is varied and I take low fat dressings. Use low fat hummus instead of butter. I have low fat yogurts, alpen bars and fruit for breakfast or snacks. Taking my own bottled water seems to work also I know then that I am drinking enough.

When I shop I try to plan ahead, when I am unorganised my cuboards contain the wrong foods. I am lucky that my daughter who lives at home prefers to eat healthily, its me that needs to keep a tight rein on things

Dont know if this is helpful to you, but, it helps me reaffirm what I am doing, 27lb lost alltogether with another 15lb to go before i reassess my final target weight x

irishredgirl70

I, too, am in healthcare and work 9-16 hour shifts...here is my new bestest friend...and yes, I know it is not the healthy alternative like carrot sticks and greek yoghurt...and bless those that can be satisfied with that, but it really is much better than a bag of Lays potato chips with a chaser of M&M's....baggies of cereal...I know, sounds lame, but it works...and I am not talking the good for you stuff like Life cereal...I am talking the good stuff...Reese's puffs, Lucky Charms, and my newest, favoritest friend Cocoa Puffs Brownies Crunch!!!
I premeasure the box of cereal into ziplock baggies of single servings. I find that when I am on the run I can grab a handful of these little devils and eat each piece slowly and by that time I am distracted into doing 14 other things....many times at the end of the day I still have 1/2 of the 110 calorie serving left...BONUS don't need to stop at Sheetz for a bag of Ruffles and a chunk of cheese just to get me home...got my brownie friends to ride with me...try it...you, too might become a kid's cereal addict....and at 110 calories and some added fiber and minerals, etc, it may not be tofu meatballs with a side of garbonzo beans, but it beats that Blizzard!!!!

Another great dry cereal to try is Quaker oat squares, they rock and 1/2c is 105 calories. Slightly sweet to help with the sweet tooth.

kimwish

I have they are really yummy as well, but so expensive, everytime I buy them my daughter breaks into the bag and eats them all. I have never seen them in the small snack sized bags though, and an open bag of those would get "tested" untill thay were all gone

Mistya81

Thanks for the tips! I'm not working a 12 hr but switch between 8am - 4pm's and 4pm - midnight shifts. (Just started a new job at a hospital.) It's taken so long for me to figure out how to eat healthy on a day shift and now I find I'm eating twice as much on an evening shift!! Great to hear that it can be done with some planning.

nomorebingesgirl2014

Bump