Street Parking Nutrition Tips For Shift Workers
The Street Parking community is filled with shift workers. This Includes, but is not limited to - fire fighters, law enforcement, dispatch, doctors, nurses, military, flight attendants and so many more. These jobs aren’t your normal 8 hour shifts and don’t always fall during normal “business hours''. These types of jobs typically involve shifts that last longer than 10+ hours, overnight shifts, and sometimes shifts that last days or weeks at a time. We know how demanding these jobs are and how challenging it can be to stay consistent with your nutrition. From the fluctuation in schedule, to not knowing when you will get your next meal in. It can be tough to manage or even know where to start. In this blog we will dive into some tips and tricks for navigating your nutrition in this line of work.
Before we dive in, it's important to note that you should always take these tips and customize them to work for you, your line of work and your lifestyle. This is all about finding a sustainable approach to YOUR nutrition and how you can make it work for YOU. There is no one size fits all!
How your body responds to shift work
Our bodies work off of a 24-hour clock that helps with many functions of the body such as regulating our sleep cycle, hormones, digestion and much more. We are programmed to move more during the day and sleep at night. With the inconsistency of shift work schedules and/or working nights this throws off your circadian rhythm. This can make it challenging for your body to keep up, causing issues with hunger levels to be thrown off, sleep disruptions, hormone fluctuation, and a variety of other health issues.
Of course you can’t eliminate this from happening, but there are some things you can do to help support your body to function properly through nutrition, exercise, and sleep habits.
“I feel like I am a bottomless pit when I am at work”
It is normal to feel unsatisfied from your meals or constantly hungry when you are on shift. This is partially due to inconsistent sleep patterns causing your hormones to fluctuate and your hunger levels to rise, making you feel like you are never content with your meals.
The two main hormones that are impacted due to the inconsistency in sleep are Ghrelin and Leptin.
Ghrelin is often referred to as the “hunger hormone” because it facilitates the sensations of hunger and fullness. The higher your levels of ghrelin, the hungrier you get. The lower your levels, the more full you feel and the easier it is to eat fewer calories. Shift work can cause an increase in your body's production of ghrelin which can cause you to never feel full or satisfied which leads to over consumption of food.
Leptin is produced by your body's fat cells and helps regulate fat stores, appetite and metabolism. It helps tell your brain you are full. When you are not getting consistent, quality sleep your body will produce less leptin causing you to feel more hungry.
Although so much of this feels like it’s out of your control due to your job, there is so much IN your control that you can do to help manage it. Below are some helpful tips to help you navigate this challenging, real life situation to help you take back control of things.
8 of our Favorite Shift Work Pro Tips
1. Meal Prep
Taking the time to prepare some meals so you have them on hand to eat on shift or even those tired days you are coming off shift can make all the difference. We know the break room can be filled with all sorts of delicious drive-by treats. Having meals already prepared and ready to go can help make the decision process a little easier and less likely to grab those easy options. We have some great Bulk Meal Prep Tips HERE.
When preparing your meals aim to include some of the following.
Protein: Consuming a steady amount of protein throughout the day can help regulate your blood sugar and cause you to have more energy throughout your shift. It can also help you to feel more satisfied from your meals.
We recommend choosing items which are predominantly protein, not items that include trace amounts of protein. Example: it is a common thought that peanut butter is considered a source of protein, but it is actually MOSTLY a fat with a small amount of protein mixed in.
Some examples of protein:
Meat (poultry, beef, fish, game meats)
Eggs/Egg Whites
Plain Greek Yogurt
Protein Powder (though not all are created equal)
2. Pack High Fiber Foods
Slice up some of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Since these are packed with fiber and water when paired with some protein they will allow you to feel full for a lot longer.
3. Balance your plate with protein, carbs, fat and vegetables.
Taking this approach with your meals can help regulate your hunger as well as energy levels throughout the day. We know this one is tough with certain jobs and getting enough time to eat so just do your best with this.
If you need a visual, picture your plate with:
½ of it covered in a mix of starchy carbs and veggies
¼ covered by your chosen protein source
¼ containing some healthy fats!
You can read more about the Balanced Plate Method HERE.
4. Eat At Consistent Times
Try to space out your meals so you are eating at roughly the same time throughout the day or night. So if you typically eat 4-5 times per day with about 3 hours between meals, try and mimic the same schedule if you are working nights.
5. Hydration & Caffeine Consumption
Consuming enough water can allow your body to feel more alert during your shift. Typically we see an increase in caffeine to help stay awake and a decrease in water consumption. Do your best to prioritize your water intake throughout your shift by setting reminders on your phone or setting a big water bottle next to your work station.
Limiting your caffeine intake during the later half of your shift can help set you up for better sleep later that day.
6. Workouts
Getting in your workouts can be tough especially if you are not getting enough quality sleep. Try to lean into some more simple options we offer to “move” as you wake up or possibly as you are getting off your shift. Here are some options:
7. Sleep Routine
Getting enough sleep or quality sleep isn’t always in your control, but implementing a simple sleep routine can help improve the quality of the sleep you are actually getting.
Sleep Routine Options
Spend 10+ minutes doing any of the following:
Street Parking Maintenance
Meditating - try an app like HeadSpace or Calm
Journaling
Reading
Turn off or put away all technology one hour before bed
Drink some herbal tea, hot water, or magnesium while you sit in silence for 10 minutes before bed.
Take a relaxing bath or shower.
8. Stress Management Routine
We know with shift work there also comes an increase in stress both physically and mentally. Implementing a simple stress management routine can make all the difference.
Stress Management Routine Options
Spend 5 to 10 minutes doing any of the following:
Going for a walk outside without distractions.
Street Parking Maintenance
Doing a body scan. Find a quiet place without interrup- tions and take a deep breath. Then, work your way from your head to your toes: check in with how your body
is feeling, note any tension you are holding, and scan your emotions. Notice how body sensations can change your mood.Breathwork. This doesn’t have to be a specific breathing technique. Just slow down and tune into your breathing for 5+ consecutive minutes.
Doing something creative: draw, doodle, color, paint, dance, or even play with play-doh.
Journaling.
Meditating. Apps such as HeadSpace or Calm can help.
Part of this is going to be YOU learning about your body and tuning into things. The goal is for YOU to trust your instincts.
What if your spouse or partner is a shift worker?
Holding the household down solo can bring its own challenges. From keeping up with the kiddos (if you have any) cooking, cleaning and all the other daily chores. It can be overwhelming at times to keep up with everything. Here are some tips that allow me to find success when I am flying solo.
Meal Prep:
Regardless if my husband’s shifts fall during the weekdays or weekends, I prepare simple meals to have on hand before he goes on duty. This allows me to have easy meals I can heat in less than 2 minutes. This is usually some type of protein, carb and veggies. Then I throw some easy fats on top like nuts or avocados.
Lean into more simple, quick options when building your meals to cut down on your cook time. This might be pre-cut or frozen veggies, rotisserie chicken, frozen rice,
Using a crockpot or instant pot where you can throw all the ingredients in the pot in the morning so dinner is ready when you get home can make the evening hustle so much easier.
Make extra for dinner. If you are cooking dinner try to make a little extra for your lunch or dinner the following day.
Here are a few of my favorite recipes from Members Only:
Reduce your to-do list: I find this to be SUPER helpful as a parent. Since I work full time trying to do it ALL alone just doesn't work. I find picking 2-3 things that NEED to get done and making them my priority is far more productive than a list of 10 things I can’t get to.
Acknowledge all that you're doing. This is one I am still working on. It is A LOT to keep up with the household duties, work, kiddos (if you have them) and everything else alone. Taking a step back every once in a while to give yourself a pat on the back can go a long way! Just remember what a great job you’re doing!
Tips from other fellow Street Parking members who have shift jobs
“Always have a back up plan. Just in case you don’t have an opportunity to food shop. I try to keep snacks that I can grab and make the “best” meal. I try to bring things that don’t need to be reheated since the odds that I can sit and eat a full meal uninterrupted are not likely. Try to have something prepped that you’ll be able to eat when you get home. I keep it simple and don’t over complicate meals for work.” - Steph Ani
“Night shift nurse...I try to just space my meals/snacks out every 2-3 hours. Obviously sleep is the biggest factor between days on/off but when I’m awake, I just try to eat something every few hours! Even if it’s a quick sneak of a protein bar or shake. My hubby is also in the fire dept and works 24/48. He is very routine/scheduled in his 3 meals a day. It works for him. We both pack our meals for work.” - Rebecca Ballantine
“It’s not really a hack. But my main thing when I go into a string of 6 12 hour shifts is just to be vigilant about having every. single. meal. prepped and ready. It’s stressful but I know that if it’s not prepped and ready that I won’t do it between shifts and that’s a recipe for disaster. So, for example Wed I’m starting 5 shifts. So tomorrow I will be prepping 20 meals for myself and my hubby will be doing his as well.” - Gretta Lane Starnes