help me ,shift work is killing my diet

delmc1

i am working 12 hours shifts days and nights. on my days i'm fine with my food and my training.
but nights are destroying my diet,
i am looking for ideas for food to bring in that will fill me and stop me eating junk at 4 am to get tru rest of shift
what i bring in now
10pm protien shake and fruit 15 min break
0130 am chicken/tuna salad or roll 30 min break
4 am fruit .
most nights i end up at vending machine for coke and a bar to get me tru

if anyone has any ideas on what i can bring in for 0130 break as salads are not filling and im hungry within an hour or 2 .
high protein option would be preferable

groovyfirechick

I too am a night shift worker. I bought chocolate protein powder and mix it with milk and make a shake. Keeps me full for hours! I add one scoop of powder to 8 oz of milk in my shaker and give it a good shake. It's delicious!

huizenm

If you're having trouble at the 4am point and are reaching for a bar in the vending machine, why not keep stashes of high protein/fiber bars on you instead. There are lots to choose from and it is a better option that the vending machine bar. Drinks LOTS of water - try it with lemon!

Some other higher protein options - hard boiled eggs, nuts, greek yogurt (try with blueberries & a sprinkle of granola), lean lunchmeat wrapped in lettuce for crunch (watch the sodium though!), cottage cheese or string cheese.

I like to snack on baby carrots. I keep a bag at my desk. My other go to snacks - veggie straws, pretzels, dry cereal , popcorn...

Good Luck to you!

TrailRunner61

My husband works swing shift, usually nights, and I make trail mix for him. He also takes 50 calorie chocolate crunch rice cakes, 100 cal popcorn or fruit and sometimes packaged oatmeal. The trail mix is just whatever nuts I can find on sale with some dried fruit thrown in. This weeks mix was edamame (roasted soybeans), pineapple, pepitas, yogurt covered raisins, cashews, sunflower seeds and a few other I forgot. lol. You can make any combination you like. Most trail mix is packed with fats and some sugar so you have to be careful but it's very filling! Mine usually has about 160 calories for 1/4 cup.

z03406

bring in subway subs and try if you can do some exercises. a couple sets of jumping jacks and push ups do wonders for me. Helps me. I work alternating weeks days and nights 12 hrs per shift

leslisa

Apples and if you are jonesing for chocolate, one square of a 80% or better bar. Apples are easily portable, last pretty well and have been proven to curb appetite. Granny smiths especially as they have lower sugar count. This would be about a 140 cal snack.

If looking for high protein, I almost always go natural and eat almonds. Need more of a kick? Grab some low fat/low cal yogurt for dipping .

As for the drink, if you like sugar, G2 is better than Coke. No carbonation and less cals.

Best of luck. You can beat this!!

bmoregan

Not doing shift work so just my $0.02...

Looks like you're not putting in any slow-release carbs - except maybe a roll halfway through the shift. Not everyone's cup o' tea, but I know that if I don't have 80g of Porridge right after I get up, I'll be snacking 4 hours later.
I cheat a little - I shake in some canderel/splenda to help.

Most fruit is often quick-release carbs so you (can) get that sugar-low same as refined sugar.I know you said "prefer protien" and I also tend to over-eat on lean protein - but I'd never survive MFP without my oats.

delmc1

thanks everyone ,a few good ideas here .the boiled eggs will be coming with me and oats