How do you eat healthy and stay fit on 12s?

[m0lasses]

Hi other newbies. I am looking for advice and ideas for healthy eating on 12 hour shifts. Do you have a favorite meal or snack that you like? Do you prep food ahead of time and freeze it? How often do you eat out at work? Any ideas are greatly appreciated, especially healthy ones. Also, any tips on how you stay fit while working as a nurse are also great. Thanks in advance.

[hardworkinmama]

I try not to ever buy food. It's expensive to do that! I make big batches of hummus & freeze it in small portions, eat lots of salads, basically just stick with whole foods (not processed, or barely processed). I wouldn't work out on days I work, only on days off, but I also have kids so my time with then is a factor too. Good luck!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I work 12-hour night shifts from 6:00pm to 6:30am. Here is a sample list of what I'd typically eat during a night shift.

6:30pm (breakfast) - soup

10:00pm (lunch) - salad or sub sandwich

2:00am (dinner) - Greek yogurt

5:30am (snack) - fresh fruit

I also sip on coffee and sparkling water before, between and after eating. Moreover, after my shift ends I visit a local 24-hour gym to get a cardio workout.