NIGHT NURSES: What's your secret?

I am not a nurse, I am a police officer who works the mid shift. I also bring my own food, fruit, water, veggies. I stay away from the pizza, chinese take out, donuts and everything else that is bad. I get off around 6 a.m. and am up by 1PM and at the gym or out on a ride usually 16 miles.

I am also hypothyroid so I want to give myself a fighting chance. I also take Vitamin C, B12 - 2500 mg and a multi-vitamin daily.

I always appreciate new friends to share ideas and provide support and motiviation.

JT

Night nurse checking in! Just started back on MFP . I am currently an ICU night RN who also work full time while completing my master's program. WOOP WOOP! ( I can see the finish line, I promise it is there). Ok back to the point. Being a full time night nurse and a full time student with daytime clinicals; i realized the most important thing was planning meals ahead of time. Previous three years, I have gained and lost the same 20- 25lbs. In order not to eat fast food EVERY single day for the past 3 years, I had to plan at breakfast what I was going to eat including snacks for that day. In doing this, when I got up that evening to go to work, there was no bustling around for food. I threw it in the lunch bag and was off. Currently, I plan at breakfast what I am going to eat for that day and prepare it. Lunch is around the time I wake up (4:30pm -5:30pm). Dinner(heavy meal) is now always before midnight the goal is 10:00pm-11:00pm( that depends on if my patient are detoxing or crashing). While at work if I become hungry between midnight- 7:00 am, I will eat cucumbers, chicken broth or sugar-free candy, etc. The goal is to avoid chips and sodas. This has been successful for me as of late. It prevents from eating heavy meals at 2 am on my days off. Hope this information helps a little. So excited to see "my" night walkers on a thread

BOOZE, lots of it

This is good timing as I'm on a night rotation at the moment too! I usually eat a small lunch around midnight (a sandwich and/or homemade soup) and then allow myself something sweet at my lowest point (4 am or so - I know it's not a good idea, but considering the crap everyone else eats ALL NIGHT it seems to be okay). Before I go to bed at 8am or so, I usually have a small bowl of cereal as I can't sleep when I'm hungry. I eat a normal dinner with my family around 6pm before I go in.

I also bring fruit and sometimes nuts to snack on as the night goes on.

I find exercising enough while on nights is the hardest part - I'm just too tired, although I've found I feel way better if I do drag myself out for a run etc.