Joining the "night shift" team...I'm scared to get off track

_TastySnoBalls_

Hello fellow nurses!

So, I'm in my last semester of nursing school (graduate in December) but just got a part-time LPN job in a nursing home. I will be working 4 nights per week (2200-0630). Only 8 hour shifts, thank goodness but I am really scared of getting derailed and picking up old habits (eating too much and no exercise).

What are your tips and tricks for working nights and maintaining a healthy lifestyle? I must know

Also, feel free to add me for extra support and motivation. Thanks :drinker:

pcgirl58

I have recently found myself drinking copious amounts of water on nights. I have a pretty,large tumbler that I fill as soon as I get to work, and sip on it through report...as soon as it starts to get low, I fill it back up, and everytime I want to nibble I drink alot of the water and find the urge goes away. I keep the glass close at hand and find I am not near as tempted to snack, and when I do, I have almonds, peanut butter, protein bars at hand and that seems to satisfy me. I also usually have an apple and an orange with me and find them filling as well.:flowerforyou:

_TastySnoBalls_

I have recently found myself drinking copious amounts of water on nights. I have a pretty,large tumbler that I fill as soon as I get to work, and sip on it through report...as soon as it starts to get low, I fill it back up, and everytime I want to nibble I drink alot of the water and find the urge goes away. I keep the glass close at hand and find I am not near as tempted to snack, and when I do, I have almonds, peanut butter, protein bars at hand and that seems to satisfy me. I also usually have an apple and an orange with me and find them filling as well.:flowerforyou:

Thanks for the tips. I like the water idea, having a large tumbler would make it easy to chug on water instead of mindless snacking

amc119

I too do the water idea. I also log all of the food that I take with me before work (i work 7p-7a). Once I'm out of my lunch (if i get to it)/snacks then I'm done till I wake up at 3pm. Or I pack multiple things that are all within the same calorie range and only allow myself how ever many calories I have left. Doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me.

ktlynn447

I too do the water idea. I also log all of the food that I take with me before work (i work 7p-7a). Once I'm out of my lunch (if i get to it)/snacks then I'm done till I wake up at 3pm. Or I pack multiple things that are all within the same calorie range and only allow myself how ever many calories I have left. Doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me.

this is what i do... and it seems to work. i work 7p7a... the hardest part of the night is 2a-5a when all i wanan do is occupy down time with snacking. i log all my food before i get to work and drink lots of water.

locoducky

Hi everyone! I am a new RN, just graduated in May 2012 working nights at a critical access hospital. The only tricks I have developed so far are trying to stay active (we aren't the busiest place around...lol). Since I am not yet comfortable enough with my coworkers to do exercises in front of them, I do simple things whenever I go to the bathroom such as pushups with one leg raised or squats with arms raised. This also helps wake me up. I am working towards drinking more water instead of so much unsweetened iced tea (I do have a bit of an addiction to it...), I bring my lunch as much as I possibly can so that I can have more control over what I eat. Other things I am trying to do are having hot chocolate for my chocolate snack fix and not bringing cash in to work since I have vending machines 10ft behind me that constantly call to me all night long or small things to stay active (I am currently standing to type this or I walk around the hospital). I also know that I eat before I go but I get hungry around 8pm so I take a snack for then and save my meal for about 1 or 2am so that I am not starving before I eat some breakfast and head to bed. One thing I am working towards is bringing healthier snacks and trying to drink more water. Have a great shift everyone!

tiffyrobyn

I too do the water idea. I also log all of the food that I take with me before work (i work 7p-7a). Once I'm out of my lunch (if i get to it)/snacks then I'm done till I wake up at 3pm. Or I pack multiple things that are all within the same calorie range and only allow myself how ever many calories I have left. Doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me.

This is what I just started doing. I was eating horribly at night. I have to pack things that are grab and go, cause I never have the time to it and really enjoy a "break".