What To Eat Working Nights?

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Cattawall
Cattawall Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi There :smile:

Im a nurse on full time nights and I do between 3-4 nights per week 8-8. When I get up from a night shift its around 5pm and to me its "breckfast time" but naturally its "tea time".
I am struggling to work out what I should eat when I get up & what I should eat during the night.. I dont have a specific time during the night from 8pm - 8am when I eat but its usually around 3am.

Also I often find im drinking more fizzy pop / energy drinks to help me get through the night.. I have started to cut that down by taking in bottled water with cordial in. :drinker:

Can anyone give any suggestions etc.

Many Thanks! :smile:

Replies

  • neonshock
    neonshock Posts: 23 Member
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    I often look out for this question because I work nights also. The way I do it (different people do different things and this is what works for me) is to treat every day ending at 00:00. So therefore my day will work out something like @3am I will have 'breakfast' and then when I wake up at around 1pm I will have 'lunch' and then dinner at 6pm.
    I like to have a couple of snacks on-hand when I'm working too, just because, usually something like yogurt. I also have about 3 teas and at least couple of coffees! It isnt so bad at about 15cal each...
  • Cattawall
    Cattawall Posts: 12 Member
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    Yes I have heared of people starting the day from 00.00...

    The thing is I can sleep right through from when I get in & go to bed (around 9.30am) till 5/5.30pm

    So would you suggest I wake my self up around 1pm/13.00hours to have lunch?

    Sarah xx
  • seansquared
    seansquared Posts: 328 Member
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    Shift your entire schedule, not just your work schedule. This means breakfast for you is when you wake up, lunch is 4hrs later, dinner is 5hrs after that, etc.

    It also means shift your sleep schedule. After work you should be up for a few hours and then sleep for 7-9hrs. Then wake up, do your "morning routine" (even if it's at 5pm), eat "breakfast", etc.
  • TheSarahHill
    TheSarahHill Posts: 185
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    Shift your entire schedule, not just your work schedule. This means breakfast for you is when you wake up, lunch is 4hrs later, dinner is 5hrs after that, etc.

    It also means shift your sleep schedule. After work you should be up for a few hours and then sleep for 7-9hrs. Then wake up, do your "morning routine" (even if it's at 5pm), eat "breakfast", etc.

    Yep probs the best advice, just because it's 'late' doesn't mean your metablism will slow because it's not late to you it's early. - Just shift your routine. I work 2pm-10pm and my routine is 4 hours later than my partners.. :-)
  • cowlover22
    cowlover22 Posts: 309 Member
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    I would just eat my breakfast when I got up. Around 4pm. Have a snack about 10pm and eat my dinner from 1-2 am. On my days off I would eat when I get up and then eat whenever I got hungry next.
  • Cattawall
    Cattawall Posts: 12 Member
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    Shift your entire schedule, not just your work schedule. This means breakfast for you is when you wake up, lunch is 4hrs later, dinner is 5hrs after that, etc.

    It also means shift your sleep schedule. After work you should be up for a few hours and then sleep for 7-9hrs. Then wake up, do your "morning routine" (even if it's at 5pm), eat "breakfast", etc.

    I cannot stay up for a few hours after work I have tried it.. By that time im past sleepy & cant nod off thus end up being exhausted in work for a 12hour shift ahead.
  • 22Kelsey22
    22Kelsey22 Posts: 2
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    I used to work 12 hr nights and when I woke up (4 - 5pm) I had breakfast with coffee. Around 10 - 12 pm I would have my dinner (evening meal). At the 3 - 4 am mark I was hungry, but felt nauseated. I started having something around 2 am - a small baked potato with plain yogert worked well, soft boiled egg, yogert with fruit, all are easy to make and not many calories. When I got home I had cereal and went to bed. I could not eat any dinner type of food after 1 or 2 am, as it just did not work for me.

    I would not suggest waking up to eat at noon, you might be in your best sleep then.
  • Cattawall
    Cattawall Posts: 12 Member
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    I have a bad habbit of having a cheese sandwich at the 3am mark... I have changed that & im now taking in a tin of soup.. And then when I think I really dont want something hot I have cereal..

    Its just a hard one to do.. I dont think it will ever become the norm with eating! When im on my days off I stuggle to decided what routine I should have then with eating too!.
  • Cattawall
    Cattawall Posts: 12 Member
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    Would pasta be ok to eat at around 3am?
    I have been thinking about having cereal when I get up around 5.30pm, pasta around 3am and cereal when I get in.
    During the night ill take fruite & jelly pots for my snacks & juice & water instead of pop!

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