Nurses and Night Shift workers... Help!!

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babyworms
babyworms Posts: 1,304 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Haha! I'm a nurse, and i'm starting a block of night shifts tonight. I always struggle with food on night shift, as i find it's one of the only things that can get you through, grazing on tasty treats.
I've started eating a proper meal rather than grazing the whole time, but snacks are still awesome, to keep the energy levels up and stop me falling asleep on the desk. (this has happened before.)

I was just wondering what people recommend as good night-shift-grazing type foods. I usually take nuts and stuff, but was wondering if anyone has any more original ideas!!

Thanks heaps!

Replies

  • RobinCampbell
    RobinCampbell Posts: 1
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    How about packing some carrots, peppers, cucumbers and celery in a container. Fill it with water and it should keep the
    vegetables firm for the night. This really helps me when I am in a munching mood. Good luck, I hope it helps.
  • katielynn46
    katielynn46 Posts: 11 Member
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    im an emt so i work 2 14 hour nights. I take 90 calorie fiber one bars and brownies. So instead of getting a snack at the hospital i get one out of my bag and eat that. It helps control the cravings and tastes good too! Fruit is always a good snack too. I pack a banana or apple in my bag too so i can eat it inbetween runs. Hope that helps some... I do agree those middle of the night cravigs are hard to deal with.
  • JLSchmetterling
    JLSchmetterling Posts: 19
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    I absolutely LOVE those Kellogg's Special K multigrain crackers and Apple Cinnamon rice cakes. I also love snacking on raw fruits and veggies.
  • pittsblue99
    pittsblue99 Posts: 277 Member
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    I personally like almonds and dried cranberries. String cheese and carrot sticks are good too. What field of nursing are you in?
  • Chrystelen
    Chrystelen Posts: 5
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    Protien!!!! Protien!!! Protien!!! Cook some Chicken breasts and cut them up / buy the packages of imitation crab / or low sodium turkey or chicken lunchmeat.
    Eat 3 to 4 ounces of protien every 3 to 4 hours with some fruit or veggies. You can even have a little rice or potatoes. Sweet potatoes works best.
    I lost 65 lbs in 4 months eating this way and walking 45 minutes every other day.

    Chryste
  • aerodynamicvomit
    aerodynamicvomit Posts: 17 Member
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    Granola bars (fiberone? special K? low calorie, both these makers have ~90. Chocolate is always a good answer, at least for me!)

    Yogurt, lite or no-fat, I eat Carbmaster from Kroger. 60 calories apiece. Normal cup size. Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal is a great addition for a little something extra while keeping it healthy.

    Mozzarella Cheese sticks!

    Instant oatmeal, specifically high protein or high fiber varieties. I use Quaker Oats High Fiber Maple brown sugar.

    Bananas, I add peanutbutter (always on the unit!)

    Apples. Peanutbutter optional.

    Since there's no cafeteria, brown bag it or get reasonable microwave meals, Healthy Choice, lean cuisine, whichever!

    I work day shift now, but nights were grueling and I ate like CRAP at the time because it's SO easy when there's so little food around, unless you surround yourself with good choices, all you have is crap. Good luck!
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
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    When I worked nights, more often than not we were all too busy to get a break to pee, let alone snack and eat a proper meal. I always had some nuts and some fruit in my backpack, and the occasional granola or oatmeal bar.
  • babyworms
    babyworms Posts: 1,304 Member
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    thanks everyone, there's some awesome ideas there! I work on a medical ward at a rural hospital, so most of our patients are long-stay and no longer acute, just waiting for placement to a nursing home. Nights drag like nothing else, and food is the only thing to keep you going!
    Thanks so much for all the ideas!
  • TamaraGraceS
    TamaraGraceS Posts: 273 Member
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    I have to say we are guilty..... The desk contains many treats to keep us going BUT are very bad for us!!!! ( at 4am I always want a warm out of the oven chocolate chip cookie....Which I probably really just want my bed!) I pack a bag with little treats. First I only put them in those small snack zip lock bags. Variety important. From Ann's soy energy blend 1/4 cup is 150 cal. 5 cups of popcorn without butter is 100 cal.
  • irishtones
    irishtones Posts: 3
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    I'm a nurse too but i just somehow manage to switch my eating habits and just treat nights just like their days. It seems to be working for me so far as i only started using MFP this week when i started nights and i'm already down 3lbs. Here's hoping i can keep it up. I just think that if you stick to the allocated calories and keep a little active that you won't stray far off your targets. I don't know about your situation but i know nights here keep me pretty active so maybe that's helping. It's my week off nights that i'm worrying about but i'll deal with that when i get to it. Best of luck. :smile:
  • audram420
    audram420 Posts: 838 Member
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    I work evenings 2-10pm and man it's hard at our hospital...I get to work there is always a couple of people eating late lunches and it makes me want to eat, then more people eat around 4 and then again at shift change...I found myself constantly eating because people around me were too. so I started bringing my own snacks and frozen dinners and pulling them out when others ate. I also tried to remind myself how much money I was saving by not going to the cafeteria and bringing my own food!!

    good luck everyone!!
  • babyworms
    babyworms Posts: 1,304 Member
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    I've returned with low-cal museli bars, diet yoghurt, and nuts. Fingers crossed that keeps me out of trouble!!

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