What do you eat before work?

[Mnstn]

I recently have had problems with hypoglycemia during the morning and I think its because I'm not eating enough breakfast. I ate two scrambled eggs and toast before my clinical and still felt a bit faint and hot when listening to morning report.

What do you eat before work/clinical and does it help keep up your blood sugar and energy?

[MeganTyreeRN]

No matter what you actually eat for breakfast (which sounded fine by the way), it's also about sustainability and making sure to have snacks ready for when you do feel that way. Peanut butter with crackers, nuts, cheese sticks, apples...

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

For me, it depends on what time, before work is.

I start each day with coffee. I find that my coffee is best without a super-refined sugar and wthout non-dairy creamer - I usually use soy milk. I feel like the soy creamer is a little more filling and has more nutrition and less bad stuff than non-dairy creamer. By leaving out white sugar, I feel like my body tends to crave less carbs all morning. Once I start on refined sugar, my body wants to eat more frequently.

If I have a later starting day, like a regular lecture or later start work day, I eat whole grain high fiber toast with smart balance or earth balance "butter" for my breakfast.

When I have clinicals at 6:30am, I skip toast and pack "real" food to eat at around 9am. I've learned to eat a lot of food cold, such as steel cut oats with nuts, maple syrup and cranberries or raisins. Sometimes, I make a tofu scramble, which is tofu and spices cooked to resemble scrambled eggs. I like a nice hearty, healthy breakfast. I pack it in a tupperware and bring my own spoon to clinicals or to work.

I also pack a few snacks like fruit, nuts or trail mix to eat in the morning and in the afternoon.

HTH!

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Usually a fruit smoothie with protein powder and spinach. I get my antioxidants and the protein keeps me full.

[Scarlo, ADN, BSN]

I usually have eggs and wheat toast for breakfast, but some days, I'm just not feeling breakfast. When that happens, I have a protein shake. I always have coffee and I always bring quick healthy snacks and try to eat every 3-4 hours.

[redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN]

I can't eat too much before work because I don't want to walk into something nauseating and toss my cookies. I usually have Carnation instant breakfast, greek yogurt, or a fruit smoothie. You can make "smoothie packs" by freezing yogurt in ice cube trays and bagging a couple cubes with different kinds of frozen fruit in baggies. Then all you have to do is pour out a baggie and add some orange juice or milk and blend it.

[WanderingSagehen]

As much as I can (healthy) because thats the last I will eat for 8 hours. I also drink a ton before work so that I pee in my 1st hours because thats the last break I will get too. I try to drink 1500ml per shift. Water is more important for me. I also only bring veggies and protein meals because fruit and junk food is easy to find.

[Ellekat2]

My breakfast is usually peanut butter on whole grain bread...easy to make the night before. I like to either add butter, a banana, or honey to the peanut butter to thin the peanut butter a bit. If you like the taste, you could add dried fruit such as raisins . Carnation Instant Breakfast is good with it if you have time for even more protein. I work 7A-7P and don't usually get a break unti about 4PM, so I take something with protein-cheese & crackers, hi-protein bar, beef jerky, nuts, etc., to try to eat about then so I'm not absolutely ravenous when I get home. I also try to have supper made (some soup, a salad, or a sandwich) on days I work so that I don't snack while waiting for supper and so that I have an hour or so between eating and going to bed.

[multi10]

I also get the hypoglycemic blues. On your day off, make a carrot cake or banana bread (whatever, it could be tomatoes with parmesan...). After the cake/bread has cooled, make individual portions and freeze or refrigerate the rest. It's simple. Make sure you can access what you need when you need it.

[WanderingSagehen]

Omg you are a nurse. The last thing you need is refined sugar for chronic hypoglycemia. I know carrot cake has lots of fruit and veggies but it is filled with sugar too. Unless you make a really crappy tasting carrot cake go for whole grains, proteins , vegetables, and take a nutrition class. Tomatoes are fruit also. You will go hypoglycemic if you are just taking in sugars. Ps carrots are loaded with sugar too. (by themselves they are great).... nutrition rant.... nurses we should be a better example of health, come on....

[multi10]

WanderingSageHen: "Crappy?"! Sugar (Carbohydrates): Good. Fat is good. Protein is good. Fiber is good. Preservatives are not necessary. Make/cook something in your kitchen and make several portions so you have access. It could be feta and tomato or hard-boiled eggs or tuna salad with capers and lemon, okay I'm getting hungry now talking about food.

[multi10]

To WanderingSagehen: I am 5'6". I weigh 120 lbs. I don't need to take a class on nutrition (but thank you for the suggestion). I run marathons. Being a bedside nurse today is a marathon. We are running all the time. Couple that with the intellectual demands we deal with each and every moment.

[Inori, BSN, RN]

I eat lunch for breakfast as that meal needs to be big enough to last 6-8 hrs as lunch may or may not be on time or at all. (rice, meat, veggies, orange juice). and i keep a granola bar or two in my pockets for when lunch doesn't happen, locker has instant noodles n coffee too