Waitressing/working long shifts and not snacking?

[MLK91]

I work as a waitress from 4pm to around 11pm-12am 4x a week. I wake up between 8-10am depending. One of my main problems before the whole30 was fatigue, and not feeling properly rested when waking up in the mornings. It is very difficult to time my meals so that I am not eating right before bed. I can’t eat a meal during my shift, I can have a mini meal (hard boiled egg, Rx bar, something quick and small), but since I sometimes exercise before my shift, I am still hungry and needing a full meal when I get home around 11:30pm, but I’ve read “It Starts With Food” and am concerned my schedule is impossible for resetting my hormone levels so that I wake up energized. I am an active 27 year old, I waitress and am still in school right now. I also struggle with anxiety/OCD/depression and take SSRIs which have helped me tremendously as well as regular exercise and some environmental changes. However, the “chronic stress” I’ve always blamed for the fatigue, hormone disruption, etc. Regardless, I’m looking for any advice for how to help with the timing of my meals on days that I work with the larger goal of helping my energy levels, sleep patterns, mental health, etc. 

[ultrarunnergirl]

With a really busy schedule, snacking and mini-meals may make up a few of your meals. The real answer is to rearrange your schedule to allow more time for sit down meals, but it doesn't sound like that's in the cards right now, so just do the best you can. Prioritize sleep over exercise if you have to choose.

Good luck!