1st nightshift ahead of me since deciding to acheive health!

[bigbumtoo]

Im kind of dreading it. usually i take in a coupl eof red bulls and a sweety, some nuts and then head to the canteen at about 2am for a microwave burger! tonight my plan is water, perhaps a fizzy lo-cal water too. i will still take nuts, but i think i will take in a banana and maybe some other fruit too. and of course my beloved fruity tictacs. i need to get over the psychological side of thinking i need fizzy energy juice. i know its an issue.

[Hidden]

Take way more snacks, that would be my tip. Can you make a sugar-free squash mixed with fizzy water, put it in the fridge as a treat to look forward to? Lots of fruit such as melon cubes, apple, clementine, and mix tiny bits of dark chocolate and raisins in with your nuts. Plan what time you will have which snack (have the 'good' ones e.g. apple etc first, build up to nuts/fizzy juice later). If you take more 'healthy' snacks than you're allowed for your calories, then the worst that can happen is you'll eat all your healthy snacks and go slightly over. If you use them up and end up tempted by a choc bar/red bull then you'll go way over. So I always reckon it's better to take a whole load of healthy snacks to account for all eventualities Good luck

[bigbumtoo in reply to Hidden]

I work in a hospital, i dont know what type of patients i will be dealing with or when any if i get any real break at all might happen! usually im lucky if i get to sit down or go for a wee when i need one. usually if i am sat down its because im ensuring a patient doesnt harm themselves in which case i cant just get up and go to the fridge etc. its a real tricky one. but i will definitely take in the fruit. ive not got any set up to make the fizzy squash but i will sort that out for next week. im definitely not taking money for the vending machine or any chocolate or energy juice though. so that wont even be an option!

[Hidden in reply to bigbumtoo]

Good strategy to not take any money for vending machines! Another thing I meant to say is see it as a learning curve - observe what works better than other things, what you want to remember for next time. If it doesn't go perfectly tonight then don't panic, just work out what needs improving next time. Also think of non-food methods of staying alert/energized - some stretches if that doesn't sound mad - can you listen to music while sitting with patients - learn the phonetic alphabet perhaps - or simply post on here to tell us how you're getting on?

[bigbumtoo in reply to Hidden]

i can certainly do stretches through my shift. they all usually think im a bit off key anyway so me doing lunges while i walk will only entertain them a bit more.

not allowed my own music on but i can sometimes put their radios on quietly if they want me to.

im a keen lister, so if im stuck in 1 room i will take in some blank paper and make some lists to keep my mind busy. will deffo let you all know how its going when i can

[Hidden in reply to bigbumtoo]

Yay! Lists and lunges sounds like a plan

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Wishing you luck for your night shift - you can do this! Great that you're preparing, and hope it goes well.

Lowcal

[bigbumtoo in reply to Zest]

thanks lowcal. this part of the week will be a real eyeopener. im sure by the end of my nights i will be made of steel if i can do it without my usual icecream van type supplies of goodies.

[Gottodothis]

Get some protein in there has well due to the exercises you will be doing, walking, lifting etc. My sister in law has a bottle with piece in the middle, she puts fruit in then water and leaves overnight, the fruit flavours the water.

Good luck

Wendy

[bigbumtoo in reply to Gottodothis]

ooooh i will have to look out for one of those! thankyou x

[LessToLose Restart April 2024]

I am probably a bit late now, but it sounds like you have a good plan in place and will do fine - let us know how it has gone tomorrow!

[Sharonalex]

All the very very best and will loo forward to an update from you on how it went.

[Gottodothis]

Hi, how did you get on last night?

[bigbumtoo in reply to Gottodothis]

I've finally woken up! Lol... will grab a brew and tell you all

[bigbumtoo]

Hey guys. Well I was kind of busy but I stuck to drinking water. I ever up having 1 cup of that fizzy flavored water. 2 packets of tic tacs (I have issues) but on the good side I ate a 300g tub of fresh strawberries and a go ahead blueberry crispy slice. I didn't really have time for decent food but a lot of the other nurses had covered the desk in crisps and choccy bics etc and I wasnt tempted at all. I kept my mind on my job and when I was able to sit down I kept my fingers on my phone and off the biscuits! So it was good I've another nightshift tonight. Very likely on a totally different ward but I reckon it'll go as well as last night. Thankyou so much for all your support!

[Sharonalex]

Yay.. thats brilliant!

[bigbumtoo]

Thanks Sharon. but i feel like weeping. i dont know what i was thinking. hubby offered to make tea, but he was totally uninspired by whats in the house so he bought a chippy. and i ate an entire cod and chips. didnt even think about it. im such an idiot. only a few days into this and im ballsing it up already. clown that i am.