Thread: Eating well whilst working shifts.

I'm back to doing shifts on my nursing placement and whilst the first 2 weeks of WW has been going well because I've been eating 3 meals and trying snack well throughout the days at regular times, 9am breakfast, 1pm lunch and 7pm dinner and it's been working well - with snacks in between.

But now I'm on shifts for the next week and I'm panicking slightly! I start shifts at 7.30am-3pm. Which means I'll be up at 5.45am ish possibly earlier, and on a late shift I'll be working 1.45pm-9.15pm so won't get back till after 10.30pm.

I've no idea what time my breaks will be but you can see my issues with eating well. I'm really scared I'll take steps back and start snacking again, because it's more convenient.

Argh, I'm dreading it! What to do?!

Hi Curvylass, i work constant night-shift just now but, i will soon be starting my training in september so im going to be in the same boat as you, usually when your early shift you get breakie around 9am then lunches are around 12ish, when your back-shift you usually get your tea around 5ish then another break around 7. Ive not done thoses sort of shifts for year we do 12.5hr shift, hope this helps you, i would just try and eat either a pkt mini breaks and ww youghurt before you head out in the morning then take some 0.5 bread to have some toast on your morning break with banana, for luch why not try a bagel. Think back shift will be tougher, i know i hated eating a dinner on a half hour break and i always waited till i got home, what year are you in i may be needing your help x

Hi, I worked the shifts you will be doing - you can achieve eating healthy on shifts but it does take some forward planning and organisation. You could bring a ww dinner in with you for you late shifts - im sure you will have use of a microwave.
You will get lots of support half the ward will be on WW I bet

I'm just ending my first year jc1976 doing general nursing and then next year I'll be branching into childrens nursing hopefully

Thanks for the meal ideas thank you guys - it is much appreciated!

I think its the breakfasts are what I'm most worried about, and those hunger pangs between breakfast and lunch...

Can you keep a tube of fruities in your pocket to take the edge off it?

Sharon

Fruities?

Keep some smoothies in the fridge, WW yoghurts, or shape yoghurts are only a point and are really thick and packed full of fruit like fools - they keep me going a while. Make some mini pittas up too yum!