Eating for a 12-hr shift?

What are you eating five times a day?

My husband does 12 hour shifts plus a 1 hour drive each way. It is a challenge to keep enough food in him but not over do it. He's lost almost 20lbs by using the 6 Week Body Makeover plan, modified a bit since my kitchen is being renovated and I can't cook. Basically he eats every 3 hours or so. Breakfast, morning snack, Lunch, afternoon snack, Dinner and sometimes an evening snack. Lean meats, lots of veggies, carbs at every meal, no sugar, low sodium, low or no fat. He may eat his breakfast meal at 3:00 in the afternoon and go from there when he is on night shift, but he sticks pretty close to the plan. I hope this helps you some.

I am by no means an expert, and I also have a sweet tooth....but let me try to help. Breakfast at 6 am: Exchange to pastry for a hard boiled egg and wheat toast (just as easy to grab on the go), breakfast at work: egg mcmuffin without cheese, lunch at work: turkey sandwich and an apple, or carrots, or celery, or green beans (NOT fries), 4 pm snack: greek yogurt, cottage cheese and fruit, apple & peanut butter, dinner: grilled chicken and wild rice, broccoli, sweet potato, etc. Tuna is also quick & easy.

I gained 15 pounds since I sit on my rear all day in an office. From what I have learned, eating several small meals of high protein and complex carbs is best, and will help you avoid the sugar low in the first place. Then you aren't as tempted to grab something on impulse because your sugar and insulin levels are staying steady.

Bump! I'll reply when I have a few minutes! I also work 12s!

Ok. I do 3 twelves too and I'll go thru a typical day!
First, the best thing I can suggest is bringing your own food! Generally, that cafeteria food is not healthy, and even just going to the cafeteria is too tempting to get crap. The days I work, I almost always plan out my day the night before. Have everything logged so I know exactly how many calories I have left!
One difference for me though is I generally eat only a couple times a day and I'm ok with that. A typical day for me looks something like this:
Breakfast: usually eat once I get to work. Any time between 7 and 9 and consists of something like a yogurt and banana or some sort of nutrigrain bar or such. Maybe even toast and PB or a bowl of cereal. I usually don't eat anything then until lunch. I may pack a snack, like a hard boiled egg, fruit, or crackers to eat around 11 if I'm hungry.

Lunch: usually around 1 or 2. This is my biggest meal. Leftovers, a turkey sandwich, tuna sandwich, salad, smart ones meal, or something of the sort. I eat that along with maybe some baked chips and fruit or veggies. Our grocery store has a salad bar and I like to go there sometimes the night before and make a nice salad with grilled chicken, egg, and veggies. I may have a snack around 5. Grapes, carrots, something easy to snack on.
Dinner: when I get home around 8 or 9. Something small, quick. Sandwich, scrambled eggs are easy, cereal.

I'm in the Navy and work 12 hr shifts as well, on monday we just switched from days 0600-1900, now it's about 1800-0745.
At my last base I mistakenly thought that I needed all of this extra food and I ate more than I should have. I stressed over when and what to eat, trying to get my calories down and to not waste the exercise I'd done for the day. Now I pretty much take grilled chicken, fruits and veggies and eat that, plus coffee-A LOT of coffee is consumed. We're all different but sometimes you just have to step back and ask 'Am I really hungry? or do I just need to walk around or do a crossword puzzle or something instead?' My eating habits have changed a lot in just over the past couple of weeks and I'm actually losing my appetite now, however, my answer to staying full on 12's is raw nuts, raw fruits and veggies. Stay away from prepackaged foods when possible.

I, too, am in healthcare and work 9-16 hour shifts...here is my new bestest friend...and yes, I know it is not the healthy alternative like carrot sticks and greek yoghurt...and bless those that can be satisfied with that, but it really is much better than a bag of Lays potato chips with a chaser of M&M's....baggies of cereal...I know, sounds lame, but it works...and I am not talking the good for you stuff like Life cereal...I am talking the good stuff...Reese's puffs, Lucky Charms, and my newest, favoritest friend Cocoa Puffs Brownies Crunch!!!
I premeasure the box of cereal into ziplock baggies of single servings. I find that when I am on the run I can grab a handful of these little devils and eat each piece slowly and by that time I am distracted into doing 14 other things....many times at the end of the day I still have 1/2 of the 110 calorie serving left...BONUS don't need to stop at Sheetz for a bag of Ruffles and a chunk of cheese just to get me home...got my brownie friends to ride with me...try it...you, too might become a kid's cereal addict....and at 110 calories and some added fiber and minerals, etc, it may not be tofu meatballs with a side of garbonzo beans, but it beats that Blizzard!!!!

I just noticed the post about the cereal...I love that ...great idea I believe that I will have to try that out:flowerforyou:

I work in the healthcare field as well, I bring lots of food with me to work. I am vegan and I believe that it really helps me stay away from all of the junk food that shows up on the ward. i pack my bag full of fruits, veggies, oatmeal, salads, nuts and seeds, dates for a sugary treat, once per rotation I will bring myself a small bag of chips or a vegan cupcake for a treat. I just make sure that I log all of my food and that I stay under my calories allowed. If most of your meals are fruits and veggies its easy to be able to eat a lot and snack more frequently. Cook your food from home and pack it to work it will make the biggest difference because you will be able to control how much fat, salt, and calories are in it...


good luck, I am sure that you will figure out what works best for you

Have you tried those Terra root chips? I got hooked on those when I was vegan, far better than regular potato (in my opinion of course).

Hi there, also in health care, shifts are one 24 hr and a 13 1/2 hr, food provided! The provided food often seems very high calorie and I found it difficult to gauge what I was eating. So now as far as I am concerned its all about the the seven "P's" Prior Planing an Preparation Prevents P**s Poor Performance" I take all my meals with me, calorie counted and logged on mfp befor I go on shift. When I cook I make extra portions of low cal food that I can freeze they are great to take on wrk days as can use microwave whilst there. Lunch meals are usually open sandwich on ryebread either all made up or ingredients packed ready to assemble. I weigh and measure all cheese and meat, salad is varied and I take low fat dressings. Use low fat hummus instead of butter. I have low fat yogurts, alpen bars and fruit for breakfast or snacks. Taking my own bottled water seems to work also I know then that I am drinking enough.

When I shop I try to plan ahead, when I am unorganised my cuboards contain the wrong foods. I am lucky that my daughter who lives at home prefers to eat healthily, its me that needs to keep a tight rein on things

Dont know if this is helpful to you, but, it helps me reaffirm what I am doing, 27lb lost alltogether with another 15lb to go before i reassess my final target weight x