Anyone working Straight Midnights or Any other Cops

hi there
I tend to work most nights but most of my shift is sitting behind a desk so less if any movment what I would say is take a packed linch with a few rolls or a sandwitch followed byt sliced fruit as that makes it last longer and you feel more full also water helps take the hunger pains and most of them are just that

I work a midnight shift and I find it a bit challenging to eat in the evening hours. There are some pros and cons to working this shift..

pro:
-Not too many fast food places open this late.
-Forces me to pack healthy snacks.

con:
-Depending on the shift activity, it can be easy or hard to snack.

I will give a sample of my day...I'm allotted about 1700 calories.

I'll start with midnight since it's technically the beginning of the day and for this example I've been at work already.

I definitely have to look at the day as a full 24 hours because I like to eat throughout the course of the day.

So about 3am I will have a small snack, usually some nuts, maybe 1/4 cup of dry roasted (unsalted) pistachios.

I won't eat again until I get home about 8 or 830 depending on traffic. Then it's a quick breakfast, maybe some cereal (low sugar) or a serving of oatmeal with some protein powder scooped on with blueberries or strawberries.

Then sleep until about 2pm.

I get up and eat lunch...this varies depending on what's in the house but usually try to keep it around 400 calories.

About 4pm I'll snack again, something small maybe a fruit or a protein shake.

Dinner before I leave for work about 6pm. This is usually about 400-600 calories.

Then I'll snack maybe every hour or two until midnight.

Plenty of water and maybe some coffee in between.

Days off are totally different since they usually are on a normal person sleep schedule and incorporate work outs.

Hope that helps.

It took a while to strategically plan out my day but if all goes well, I'm good. Even if it's busy and I don't get to snack as I'd like at work, I know I've gotten in most of my daily calories prior to even going in.

I tote my snacks around in a lunch pail (small cooler) which I place on the passenger seat of my patrol vehicle. I seatbelt it in so it doesn't fall and usually park somewhere to snack.

I work shift work.. straight 2nds... in dispatch. It's easier for me to pack being in an office setting.

My best suggestion is just PACK everyday. It's difficult, even for me, to pack every day because you not only have to pack it all, but preparing it takes a lot of time and energy, and it's not easy to do every single day. I suggest doing what you can to make food on your days off, and prepare in bulk. That makes it a lot easier for me.

I'd invest in a large, strong tote/lunch bag. My husband has a good one he takes with him, he works as a delivery driver for UPS and eats out of his truck, so that works well for him. He's usally able to stop somewhere and businesses let him heat up food or he uses ice packs for cold stuff.

Hope you figure out something that works for you, I know that working shift work is rough on anyone, especially when trying to lose/ maintain weight loss. Good luck to ya!