RN working night shift needs help with what foods to eat!

Losewtforlife4him
Losewtforlife4him Posts: 423 Member
edited March 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
I work 7p-7a as a nurse. After working I crave carbs in a big way. Any suggestions from other night shift workers as to what you eat, the time you eat, etc. would be helpful!
Thanks in advance

Replies

  • Jeebles604
    Jeebles604 Posts: 16 Member
    I used to work 6p-6a. I ended up doing intermittent fasting. I would eat between hours of 7p-2a (7 hr feeding window).
    Meals were almost always a huge salad and chicken or hard boiled eggs. I would vary my salads (greek salad, kale, mixed greens, etc).

    I ate almonds, baby carrots, cucumber sticks, 100 cal popcorn bags, string cheese, hummus, apples and bananas as my snacks. I didn't waver from that during the workweek and the weekends were more lax.

    I know how hard shift work is, and I found that taking any guesswork out of deciding different meals helped me a lot..
  • hekla90
    hekla90 Posts: 595 Member
    edited March 2016
    I go home and go to sleep. Hard to eat when you're sleeping ;)

    I usually eat around 2200-2300 as that's when the shift is usually calmed down and no meds usually scheduled. I usually eat spinach or baby green salads with 1/2 cup of either beans, check peas, and the also topped with tofu, avocado, pepper, grape tomatoes, and light salad dressing. I usually bring berries or grape tomatoes to snack on or carrots. Also usually oack something like walnuts or mixed nuts. I will eat dry roasted edamame if I get really hungry, it's very filling so I can get about 1/2 down and then wat the rest. I just eat my snacks whenever I get hungry so usually 2-3 am. I bring a lot of apples and cheese sticks too.
  • Losewtforlife4him
    Losewtforlife4him Posts: 423 Member
    edited March 2016
    Thanks so much for your suggestions. I do eat many of those things but I guess my real issue is sometimes feeling famished after work. So tempted to go thru the mcds drive thru but resist
  • Losewtforlife4him
    Losewtforlife4him Posts: 423 Member
    Thanks so much for your suggestions. I do eat many of those things but I guess my real issue is sometimes feeling famished after work. So tempted to go thru the mcds drive thru but resist.
  • Losewtforlife4him
    Losewtforlife4him Posts: 423 Member
    Not sure why all of my comment didn't post. I wanted to ask if you eat a certain food upon waking up after working nights and if you also ever just crave carbs. I could go crazy with tortilla chips. Not sure if it's the salt or what but those calories can creep up if not careful. Do you count your new calories starting for the day after midnight? Thanks for your help!
  • Losewtforlife4him
    Losewtforlife4him Posts: 423 Member
    I did take your suggestion of going right to sleep so I wouldn't eat
  • katiehaley23
    katiehaley23 Posts: 11 Member
    I usually eat a "dinner" around 22-2300 which is usually leftover chicken and some veggies. And the. I'll have a snack of yogurt or something light like fruit salad around 0200. Then I just drink tons of water all night. And I usually have a sugar free energy drink around midnight too. Then I go home and go to bed and eat when I wake up.

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