Many of us work long hours or shifts, which makes it hard to eat in a healthy and consistent way.
We know that working odd hours throws off the body’s natural body clock, may change eating habits, and is bad for health. This makes shift workers more likely to gain weight and get chronic diseases.
So, we came up with 7 tips to help you stay healthy even if you work odd hours or shifts.
1. Plan your meals
If you work nights, you should try to eat your main meal before going to work. This will make you feel full at work and keep you from snacking while you’re there. If you’re going to sleep when you get home, just eat a small meal because it can be hard to fall asleep when your stomach is full.
2. Prepare your meals in advance
If you spend part of your day off preparing meals, you will always have nutritious options available to you. Invest in lunchboxes so that you can easily transport and store your food.
3. Make the freezer your friend
When you don’t have time to cook, you can cook in bulk and freeze extra portions of healthy food. Shepherd’s pie, lasagne, chicken casserole, beef casserole, and spaghetti Bolognaise are all dinners that can be made in large quantities and frozen, then heated up when you are busy.
4. Bring your own snack
Bring your own snacks to keep your energy up so you don’t have to use vending machines or buy snacks that are high in sugar and fat. Healthy nutrients can be found in snacks like fruit, vegetable sticks with hummus, yoghurt, and rice cakes. Choose carbohydrate sources with a lot of fiber, like whole-grain breads and pastas. Carbohydrates with a lot of fiber give you energy more slowly, so you feel fuller for longer during your shift.
5. Keep hydrated
Bring a bottle of water with you to work and leave it at your desk. You can add fruit to water to make it taste better without adding calories.
6. Moderate caffeine intake
Caffeinated drinks can help you stay awake, but too much can keep you from sleeping, make you nervous or angry, and upset your stomach. To cut down on caffeine, switch to decaffeinated tea, coffee, or herbal teas.
7. Take active breaks
Stretch while you’re taking a break. Climb a flight of stairs or take a quick walk. Being active at work will give you the energy to finish your shift, improve your mood, and help you sleep better.
As a shift worker, it's not always easy to make and keep healthy eating habits. To start, pick one or two key nutrition shifts to work on.
