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Fatigue can make your body crave junk food heavy in processed carbs and sugars. You may feel you deserve a treat after a long night, so you'll be unlikely to reach for unhealthy foods. Make sure this is not an option. Keep your home stocked with healthy snacks for when you get off work. Healthy snacks include fruits, vegetables, and spreads like hummus. Prepare food in an easily snack-able form so you don't have to waste time preparing when you're tired from work. Cut fruits and vegetables into slices before leaving for work. You can also buy pre-cut fruits and veggies at the supermarket if you have a particularly long week. Even if you sleep in late, you should always have breakfast. Within one hour of waking up, make sure that you eat a healthy meal. This can help rev your metabolism for the coming day. Try oatmeal and fruit, or healthy proteins like hard boiled eggs. If you're exhausted from working late, the 24 hour McDonald's across from your office may seem like a well-deserved treat at 3 AM. However, part of the reason night shift workers gain weight is because of unhealthy eating habits like these. If you need a meal during your shift, prepare a meal at home before work. Make sure any meal you bring is healthy. Strive for meals rich in lean protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. You should also bring in your own snacks. This will help you avoid unhealthy vending machine foods during your shift. Metabolism tends to slow down if you wait until you're extremely hungry to eat. Due to the unusual schedule, night shift workers often end up eating when they're already famished. Not only does this have a poor effect on the body, it's a cause for post-shift overeating and can make you feel sluggish on the job. Opt for light snacks between meal times and, when it's time for your dinner break, stick to a low calorie, healthy meal. Pick filling, wholesome snacks such as nuts and fruits, not chips or cookies. Many people mistake thirst for hunger, so make sure that you stay hydrated during your shift. Dehydration can lead to food cravings and overeating, which can cause you to pack on the pounds when working a night shift. Purchase a water bottle and fill it before your shift. This will cut down on the cost of purchasing bottled water at work. Refill the bottle at a water fountain when necessary. If you're not a big water drinker, consider infusing your water with fruit to add flavor. For example, you can add a squeeze of lemon or toss a few berries into your water bottle. This may also add a small amount of calories to your drinks, cutting back on the urge to snack or overeat. Using flavor mixes or additives adds unnecessary sugar and coloring. It can be hard to maintain a regular eating schedule when you're working a night shift. However, it's vital you do so if you want to lose weight. Your body learns to expect food at certain times. If you're working a late shift, your eating habits may be erratic. If you shift your eating schedule during weekends or days off, your body never has time to fully adjust to an eating schedule. This may cause weight gain. Try to eat at specific times each day. For example, if you get up at 1:30PM, make sure to eat breakfast by 2PM. Even on weekends or days off, when you may get up earlier, strive to eat at 2PM. This can be difficult when it comes to socializing. For you, dinnertime may be around midnight, but your friends may be getting together for food at 7PM on a Saturday. Show up and have a drink or a light appetizer instead of a full meal.
Stock your home with healthy foods. Eat breakfast. Bring meals from home. Snack healthily throughout a late shift, if possible. Drink water at work. Strive to eat at the same time each day.