My biggest concern about working nights is not about feeling tired and lack of social life- well a bit about the social aspect- but really, it is about how to stay healthy. When do I eat and when do I work out?
From my second month working as a nurse, my workouts have been as consistent as my showing up to work. My workouts give me a sense of energy that stumps even my highest levels of exhaustion. In 3 years I've missed less than five days of work outs on days of work, because it is something I have taken seriously, and I like how it sets the tone of my day.
Now as I embark into the new world of the night shift life I must incorporate those workouts into this new life too.
While I am still figuring out the whole gym schedule and working out thing. I've decided to manage my health around my new time zone by tackling one aspect at a time in hope to eventually configurate a new healthy nocturnal #NurseD.
The first thing I work on tackling is my nutrition. Therefore, for my first week of night shift, instead of napping ( i know, priorities...), I food prepped. I figured if I have healthy, wholesome and nutritious food ready and available, I will make healthy food choices. My plan was to incorporate a protein, a vegetable and a healthy carb into my biggest meal; the pre shift dinner that continues into the shift- (slow eater problems).
How night shift dinner is prepped:
I fill half of each dinner prep with a leafy vegetable; spinach, lettuce, arugula, Kale. Sometimes another colorful vegetable such as pepper, cucumber tomato is added for some extra taste, crunch, and color. A pretty salad is always more appetizing to eat.
For protein; choices of roasted chicken, salmon, or boiled eggs. I usually try to use proteins that taste good cold so that I can eat it during shift when there is a moment of breathing time.
My healthy carb option is usually something that adds a healthy and natural color to my plate, but that is also filling. This week's options included; roasted beets, roasted sweet potato, roasted butternut squash, roasted eggplant, and some cooked quinoa with sautéed red onion.
The order at which I plate my options also helps create a larger portion of the veggies and proteins, with less space in the bowl for the carbs. With a moderate sized Pyrex bowl as my choice of tupperware, I place my lettuce and raw veggies first, then the protein, and with whatever space is left I put the healthy carbs and sometimes sprinkle some nuts or seeds as a bonus crunch.
For mid shift snacks, I find finger fruit it vegetables to be the best. When my apple is cut before the shift it is more likely to get eaten than when I bring it whole. Cherries, grapes, baby carrots and cut up mango slices are great too.
For an early breakfast that satiates but does not over fill the tired, but hungry stomach before that post night shift sleep, I pack a kind bar or some loose nuts or dried fruit. I can also have some homemade granola with nuts and flax seeds as another breakfast option.
... On that note, clock is ticking as I finish writing this post, and it's almost time to pull out that chocolate almond, salted Kind bar and call it a day... Or night, or breakfast, or dinner... Whichever it, the sun is beginning to rise, the NYC pidgeons are about to begin their chirping, and sleep is sounding like a sweet gift to my tired, 5ft, green clad, curly headed body.
Check✅
First night shift, almost survived in one piece.
