Advice for healthy eating on night shift please
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ScarlettIsSpiffing
Posts: 121 Member
:flowerforyou: Hi everyone I'm back on dreaded nightshifts this week & would welcome any advice ir tips on how to eat heathily & still survive the horror of the 12 hour shifts & daytime sleeping (which I'm rubbish at) & how to squeeze some exercise in when I feel like an extra from Dawn of the Dead, thanks 
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Lots of low calorie veggies such as celery,carrots,cucumber, green peppers etc...with a low calorie dressing or dip, or some hummus.and of course fruit. I would eat a healthy meal before going in treating at like "lunch" then have a healthy dinner during your shift with one lean healthy protien such as chicken breast, the healthy veggies meantioned above. In the morning when you get off have a protien smoothie or some type of protein bar. I would suggest getting a fitbit or some other type of pedometer and challenge yourself to get extra steps at work as a form of excercise.0
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I work nights I find that you have to plan your meals and snacks bring every thing you need. do not resort to using the snack machine for snacks. I bring almonds, string cheese and fruit. Getting used to sleeping during the day is hard but you will gey used to it. I recommend blacking out your windows. And I love my fitbit.0
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Thanks ps what's a 'fitbit'? is it an American thing cos I'm in London & I've never heard of it 0
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It is a pedometor that you can synch with my fitnesspal webisite. Keeps track of number of steps taken, how many flights of stairs,calories burned. Check it out at fitbit.comThanks ps what's a 'fitbit'? is it an American thing cos I'm in London & I've never heard of it 0 -
I have to agree with these guys, I eat a nice breakfast when I get up at 5 pm, I then take fruits and finger type veggies, greek yogurt, and a small meal of organic black bean soup, veggie soup, or a hard boiled egg to eat during the night. When I get home in the morning I try to have a light dinner abound 200 calories before I go to bed.
Exercise is a different story. I walk and hike for my exercise I walk for 2 hours in the morning of my first night shift, then about every other morning I walk 4.5 - 8 miles after work with co workers. On days off I hike on the very beautiful coastal trail. My goal is to do 20-30 miles of combined hiking and walking a week. I do not count activity done at work towards my exercise.. at least not yet. Now that I have a fitbit, it will count for me and I won't be guessing!
Good luck with the night shifts. I have to say I love them!
Carol0 -
I am on that same dreaded shift. I feel tired and lifeless most days. I continue to work out 3 days a week and am now trying to eat every 2 hours. Small portions, low fat, high protein, low carbs.0
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I take lots of finger foods, celery, cucumbers, green peppers, fruit, some hummus and Special K multi-grain crackers are my favorites. I eat "breakfast" with my hubby before work (which would normally be a dinner meal during the week.) When I get home in the morning I'll eat a small amount of cereal with strawberries before going to bed.
I hate working nights. I average about 3-4 hours sleep on those days. Been doing it for almost 3 years and still can't get used to it! Praying for a new job....0 -
I have to agree with these guys, I eat a nice breakfast when I get up at 5 pm, I then take fruits and finger type veggies, greek yogurt, and a small meal of organic black bean soup, veggie soup, or a hard boiled egg to eat during the night. When I get home in the morning I try to have a light dinner abound 200 calories before I go to bed.
Exercise is a different story. I walk and hike for my exercise I walk for 2 hours in the morning of my first night shift, then about every other morning I walk 4.5 - 8 miles after work with co workers. On days off I hike on the very beautiful coastal trail. My goal is to do 20-30 miles of combined hiking and walking a week. I do not count activity done at work towards my exercise.. at least not yet. Now that I have a fitbit, it will count for me and I won't be guessing!
Good luck with the night shifts. I have to say I love them!
Carol
Carol, thank you for the great advice & wow hats off to you for all the hiking, sounds like you must have a really beautiful view where you in the world, sadly grimy old London just doesn't have the same appeal, have to wait til 'm back up in Scotland for that, but thank you for the wise & kind words 0 -
Thanks everyone & glad to hear I'm not the only one who survives on broken sleep & the zombie look lol 0
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I have to agree with these guys, I eat a nice breakfast when I get up at 5 pm, I then take fruits and finger type veggies, greek yogurt, and a small meal of organic black bean soup, veggie soup, or a hard boiled egg to eat during the night. When I get home in the morning I try to have a light dinner abound 200 calories before I go to bed.
Exercise is a different story. I walk and hike for my exercise I walk for 2 hours in the morning of my first night shift, then about every other morning I walk 4.5 - 8 miles after work with co workers. On days off I hike on the very beautiful coastal trail. My goal is to do 20-30 miles of combined hiking and walking a week. I do not count activity done at work towards my exercise.. at least not yet. Now that I have a fitbit, it will count for me and I won't be guessing!
Good luck with the night shifts. I have to say I love them!
Carol
Carol, thank you for the great advice & wow hats off to you for all the hiking, sounds like you must have a really beautiful view where you in the world, sadly grimy old London just doesn't have the same appeal, have to wait til 'm back up in Scotland for that, but thank you for the wise & kind words0 -
I have to agree with these guys, I eat a nice breakfast when I get up at 5 pm, I then take fruits and finger type veggies, greek yogurt, and a small meal of organic black bean soup, veggie soup, or a hard boiled egg to eat during the night. When I get home in the morning I try to have a light dinner abound 200 calories before I go to bed.
Exercise is a different story. I walk and hike for my exercise I walk for 2 hours in the morning of my first night shift, then about every other morning I walk 4.5 - 8 miles after work with co workers. On days off I hike on the very beautiful coastal trail. My goal is to do 20-30 miles of combined hiking and walking a week. I do not count activity done at work towards my exercise.. at least not yet. Now that I have a fitbit, it will count for me and I won't be guessing!
Good luck with the night shifts. I have to say I love them!
Carol
Carol, thank you for the great advice & wow hats off to you for all the hiking, sounds like you must have a really beautiful view where you in the world, sadly grimy old London just doesn't have the same appeal, have to wait til 'm back up in Scotland for that, but thank you for the wise & kind words
I have gotten so much from the nurses I have friended on here. They are full of ambition, wonderful ideas, and really are great support. This week I have done horrible on the diet and exercise.. one of those weeks of too much wind and rain. Also greatly lacking in ambition. Everyone's ideas are awesome on here and it takes trying all different things to find what works for you!
Thanks for the kind words though! I appreciate it!0 -
I've been on night shift for 6 months and I've found that eating small meals throughout the night works the best for me. When I first started on nights, I would only eat once during the shift but I found that I was so hungry I over ate. Now I bring yogurt, mixed nuts, veggies and soup and spread it out every couple of hours. I have started feeling so much better since I've started doing this! As for exercise, I try to go to the gym or run at least once after work and then I make sure to exercise on my off days. Hope this helps and good luck!0
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I do what a lot of you do. breakfast at 5 pm(slim fast shake with banana), meal about midnight and another shake about 4 am. snack of string cheese, greek yougert and fresh fruit. my meal consists of soup, or a lean cuisine ect. For exercise I walk in the am when I get off work. I walk about 4 miles from 0730-0900- unfortunatly that means that I need some help to go to sleep in the morning after I walk. Melatonin and l-theanine to help me rest. Also I have black out curtians and sleep with a fan on for white noise. For exercise I also use my wii fit (active and active 2) and working on a mini gym in the garage for weight training and such0
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Oh and recently got my fitbit to help keep track of everything at work and through the day.0
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I have been doing shift work for 35 years.Night shift is always the worst when trying to diet....especially when you work with girls who always want to order out. I just decided one night that I would stop ordering out and started taking lots of stuff to work with me. No ordering out, no going to the vending machines. I eat my biggest meal of the day with hubby prior to going to work, then around midnight I will have "breakfast" whether it is a homemade egg mcmuffin, cereal and fruit,toast with peanut butter...whatever.Towards morning I will have a granola bar. I try to always have an apple with me to eat on the way home so that I don't raid the cupboards before going to bed.I bring some fresh veggies to nibble on as well as some dry cereal like cocoa cheerios. My greatest friend though is water!!! A month ago I purchased one of those see through double-sided glasses with the screw-on top and the permanent hard straw in it. I picked out one that has motivational phrases written all over it. I keep it filled and beside me at the nurses station all shift. I am amazed at how much more water I am drinking and how much less hungry I am. Good luck with your jouney!:drinker:0
