Recommendations for working long hours

[wendyalane]

This is my 3rd Whole30 and I ran into these issues with my last 2. I am a Labor and Delivery Nurse and work on a very busy unit. So my typical work day I eat breakfast before I leave for work at 5:45am. Most days I do not get to eat lunch until 2-3pm (some days no lunch). It’s quiet a long stretch. And dinner when I’m home around 8-8:30.  Before whole 30, I would grab some fruit inbetween meals or sometimes what ever goodies were in the break room. I don’t have time to sit down to a dedicated snack. At night, I really don’t like eating a huge meal. After I put kids to bed, I’m in bed not long afterwards. 

During my Whole30s, I’ve cut out all snacks and limited my fruit to usually 1 serving a day. My toughest time is between breakfast and lunch with it being so far inbetween meals. I usually go though a cycle of feeling full until 10am and them I’m hungry. The hunger pangs wear off by the time I usually eat and I’m not that hungry by lunch time and it’s hard to eat all the food. 

I don’t have time or ability to sit down for a dedicated snack inbetween breakfast and lunch. So if a snack is recommended I need something I can keep in my pocket and sneak bites. 

Typical work day is as follows: 

Breakfast (5:45am): 2 eggs, turkey and squash hash and 1 avocado (I don’t like them but make myself eat them lol). 

Lunch (2-3pm): Large salad with Tessame dressings and leftover from dinner (usually chicken and veggies), 1piece of fruit. 

Dinner (8pm): Chicken, raw veggies and guac. (It’s hard to eat much at this time). 

Any recommendations to help stay full and keep energy up? (I don’t have any issues on my off days as I’m able to keep a normal schedule). 

[ladyshanny]

That is a long run between meals and there's not much tweaking that we would suggest to be able to go 8-9 hours between meals without eating at all. If you can zoom by the break room for "goodies" off Whole30 and you had been having fruit in between before Whole30, why can't you zoom by the break room and scarf a hard boiled egg or two? Samesies if you can have a banana, you could probably make a couple meatballs work. The thing with your huge gap between meals is that if you are going to try and get something in, you want to go for something that is higher density energy and is going to sustain you, so fruit or veggies isn't where it's at. Go for protein and/or fat. I would even go so far as to say keep a jar of coconut oil or coconut butter or even nut butter at the desk and use a spoon during those times when you literally have 45 seconds to get something in. At least the fat will get you further and you won't be so hungry that you surpass hungry and move into nausea or lack of appetite.

I would avoid the salad for lunch, it's just bulk that's going to take up space in your stomach when what you're really after is higher density foods. Cooked veggies, proteins and fats. 

[wendyalane]

Thanks for the suggestions! I guess when I was trying to think of something compliant, I imagined a mini meal (thus reasons for not being able to spend more than a couple minutes eating) but boiled eggs or mini meatballs/turkey bites would work! 

I’ll increase the amount of my meal for lunch and forgo the salad. 

Would it be wise to eat the salad at dinner since it would be a lighter option before bed? 

Thanks again for the suggestions! I’ve struggled with this balance for 10 years working long hours. 

[ladyshanny]

4 minutes ago, wendyalane said:

Thanks for the suggestions! I guess when I was trying to think of something compliant, I imagined a mini meal (thus reasons for not being able to spend more than a couple minutes eating) but boiled eggs or mini meatballs/turkey bites would work! 

I’ll increase the amount of my meal for lunch and forgo the salad. 

Would it be wise to eat the salad at dinner since it would be a lighter option before bed? 

Thanks again for the suggestions! I’ve struggled with this balance for 10 years working long hours. 

NORMALLY we would recommend that people try and have a mini-meal which may take longer, but we also know that people have unique circumstances and thus it is sometimes necessary to do the best you can to fuel your life.  

You could try the salad at dinner but large amounts of raw veggies/salad greens can be bloating.  Try it out. If you don't feel well or sleep well you might try something a bit easier to digest since your digestive system should be ramping down/turning off around bedtime.