Weight loss tips for a 12hr/ day nurse?

kmcat31 · May 2017

Hello!! Hoping someone can help! My hardest part of eating is while at work. I work 7am -7pm on a critical care floor so basically have to prep and bring all my meals (all three of 'em) to work. I have 2 little ones to get out in the morning so I can't eat breakfast at home, it's has to come along. I usually try and plan all my meals but breakfast is usually what stumps me as it usually has to be eaten pretty quickly (gotta get that morning med pass in). And snacks. Im very guilty of feeling like a "deserve" a candy bar if I'm having a particularly stressful day, so I need to have some easy to grab snacks. Any ideas would be appreciated. Also always looking for new friends!! Thanks!

inertiastrength · May 2017

The nice part about this is that you're on your feet most of the day and your TDEE must be glorious! haha

I don't personally eat breakfast but if I was on my feet starting at 7am I might. I bring Kirkland protein bars as a snack/part of my lunch and I make a salad with dinner leftovers from the night before (usually). I also love the idea of bringing these great 70 cal high protein wraps with a slice of processed cheese and ham from a package (super easy to weigh the night before) I just roll that up and it's pretty fast. Other "fast" things are bananas, apples etc. Fruit that's "pre-packaged" and maybe bring a snack size/lunch size box of smarties.

What is your calorie goal? These are pretty low calorie suggestions and you sound more active than me at work so YMMV

crooked_left_hook · May 2017

I premake steel cut oatmeal (I do 5 servings at a time) and throw it in the microwave with some milk and blueberries when I get to work.

mitchell_maya1705 · May 2017

I bring my breakfast to work also. I eat a banana on my way, then eat yogurt and granola. Adding the granola helps to fill me up. For snacks a great one is dried apricots, they are sweet and easily to eat well running around.

Something I have recently been doing is always having my waterbottle at my desk and filled. I have one with a straw which makes me drinks so make more because I have just drink it whenever I am bored. This way I know I am hydrated and if I am hungry I know it is real and I'm not just dehydrated.

SafioraLinnea · May 2017

Protein or granola bar for breakfast - that's what I did during clinicals in nursing school. I generally had about twenty minutes at home after working an overnight shift before I had to leave for clinical. That's not enough time for much of anything.

rsclause · May 2017

I buy single serving bags of roasted almonds at SAM's club. They make a great snack on the go.

Muana1005 · May 2017

I usually eat a little something (30g dry muesli or a shot of actimel) before I leave for work and then take a couple of boiled eggs with me to finish my breakfast off. If you're short of time there's nothing wrong with getting prebought lunches and dinners - I have lost weight on Tesco £3 meal deals twice a day!

rahlpn · May 2017

I've recently discovered Luna Protein bars. They're low cal (about 170-190) and have 12g of protein which keeps me full for a while and they're delicious. There are a ton of flavors too. I also like Quest bars. These are my go to breakfasts. Otherwise, if I have more time, I pack a combo of half a cup of low fat cottage cheese and 1 cup of frozen strawberries, let it thaw on the way to work and eat it around 9. I'm a nurse as well but I work in a clinic and never know when I'll be sitting down long enough to eat something.

NurseKristi81 · May 2017

I TOO am a 12 hour nurse working 0830- 2100, I have to eat all 3 meals at work too

You can add me as a friend if you would like as we have a lot in common:) How much are you looking to lose if you don't mind me asking ?

annacole94 · May 2017

I make overnight oats up 4 breakfasts at a time, and bring one to work for breakfast.
https://wholefully.com/8-classic-overnight-oats-recipes-you-should-try/?m

I'll also suggest protein bars for those "I NEED CHOCOLATE" moments. I get the Kirkland ones at Costco. Hit my sweet tooth, but also fill me up and don't have much sugar so it doesn't give me a crash later. They're very similar to Quest bars, but cheaper.

Pre-portion a bunch of lunch/snack items all at once on your last day off before work. Make it easy to just grab one of each (a greek yogurt, a bunch of baby carrots, a fruit, boiled eggs, etc.) and go.

Tried30UserNames · May 2017

I'd want something with a good dose of protein and fats for breakfast, and a few carbs, too. So a whole milk Greek yogurt or instant oats with cottage cheese or an egg salad sandwich or something like that would work for me.

For those times I deserve a candy bar, I'd be more likely to go for the Greek yogurt or the cottage cheese again, maybe with 1 Hershey kiss or a square of nice dark chocolate. Or if you eat them, maybe a protein bar in some sort of chocolate flavor. I figure the candy would just leave me crashing from the sugar, but the other items would give me some energy and endurance instead.

blackcars7411 · May 2017

I too am a nurse that works 7a-7p & had problems with my nutrition. I would eat good all day, but as soon as I got home, I ate the fridge. Right now what is working for me is the following:

Protein shake with at 30grams protein within 30 minutes of waking up so I drink this around 5am. I like to have to shake consumed before I get to work, or at least by the time I get to work. That is my breakfast.

2 cups coffee with 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 2 dates, 2 tablespoons of salted caramel creamer. The fat in the coconut oil keeps me full. Due to the nature of nursing It takes me til noon to consume all of it. I starting drinking it around 930 or 10. Before I do start drinking it however, I make it a point to drink at least 48oz of water. I really have to force myself to do it cuz it's so busy at work.

For lunch I usually have a salad or a frozen dinner box cuz the calories are already listed. I lunch eat this around 230 or 3.

For the rest of this shift, I eat nothing else except drink water. On the way home or when I get home I'll have a yogurt, or depending on how many calories I have left, I'll mix some Graham crackers & peanut butter in the yogurt if I'm having a sweet tooth. After that I don't eat anything else & just drink water.

It took some getting used to, but his is what works for me at the moment & I can stay within my calorie limit with is 1300. Due to self control issues, I have accepted the fact the certain foods I just cannot eat anymore & I won't keep them in the house, and I'm OK with that.

Sincerely,
Another hungry nurse....

jec228 · May 2017

some great suggestions on here! Taking an hour or two at the beginning of your week to meal prep will make all of this so much easier. some breakfast ideas...
overnight oats (or i portion regular oats + some other add ins into individual baggies and add hot water when i get to work)
pre make egg sandwiches to heat up in the microwave
egg muffins in cupcake tins and can add whatever veggies, meat, cheese you like
banana and almond butter
hard boiled eggs
or if you want to really save yourself time there are plenty of pre-packaged breakfast options that are quick (although maybe not the most filling) protein bars, nut packs, etc. and add in a piece of fruit.

I also pre wash and chop any fruits and veggies for the week and cook up most of my protein on that same day, too. or you can buy this pre cooked to save yourself time, also.

for me it's half about being prepared and half about having self-control to only eat what i brought with me and avoid the other goodies at work. You've got this!

choppie70 · May 2017

I make egg white, spinach, turkey sausage and cheddar cheese egg "muffins" on Sunday and keep them in the fridge for the week. Easy to heat up, and eat on the go.

Weight loss tips for a 12hr/ day nurse?

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