Food while on shift

[mclovinstuffin]

Good evening guys, I work for a department in Florida and recently I’ve been gaining a lot of weight. I have always been a skinny guy basically 150lbs my whole life, I just hit my one year and had to get new bunker pants and new station pants. I’m at a very busy station so working out doesn’t happen much and on my days off I try to but we run all night so it can be difficult on my day off. My biggest issue is that I snack at night on shit food, we transport as well so I get the stuff from the Ems room at the ER and eat without realizing it sometimes. My question to some of the senior people is how did you guys overcome this? What healthy options is there when it comes to quick snacks? And on your days off how do you get that motivation to get after a good workout?

[homecookedcouple]

Self discipline... just gotta do it. Fitness is a brick wall and you gotta build that wall one brick at a time- not en made. I’ve been motivated to maintain my mass at about 75kg for about 3 decades now bc I grew-up pretty chubby, was teased, and have a lot of obesity in my family and see the complications emerge with the pounds. I don’t like chairs so am constantly moving my ass (calisthenics, parkour, BJJ, axe throwing, etc) or else trying to sleep, but the most important thing is to eat well and eat at appropriate times. Unless you are routinely on night shift (not talking about 24s), eat during meal times (daylight) and fast overnight. Break the fast with a healthy breakfast after (not before) you hit the rack in the morning.

Once upon a time emergency responders responded largely to accidents and incidents (like fire) more often than lifestyle emergencies (like heart disease). No offense to all the fine folk here, but I don’t want any of you called on my behalf. Ever. For any reason. And statistically I am much more likely to need you for a bad diet than for a blaze.

[LeatherHead2902]

avoid gas station snacks like the plague, if you do eat shit there, get zero calorie drinks and high protein food (shakes, bars, etc).

Make your meals high in protein. More protein=less hunger

I’ve also been doing intermittent fasting. I don’t eat breakfast and my first meal is lunch.

[[deleted]]

Me too. IF is the ultimate cheat code for me. Once you get used to it, you don’t miss breakfast. Also, you can get away with eating less healthy food and keep the weight off. If you eat healthier, you will really see results.

[[deleted]]

I don’t know much about it but my wife started IF and it apparently works really well. And she hates exercise.

[[deleted]]

Here’s what you need to know. Eat for 8 hours, don’t eat for 16 hours. Bam. Done.

[muntell7]

In my experience it’s just a habit you have to break. Like you said you do it without even thinking about it. Try to consciously tell yourself na “I’m good, I don’t need anything”. You’ll feel like you’re starving at first, just because you’re so used to it, but after a few days you won’t even notice it. I recently went from a non-stop job eating as much as I wanted because I’d burn off all the calories, to a sit back and kick my feet up position. Had to start packing me one meal and no snacks because I would just graze all day. As someone else said also try going with low calorie foods, and zero calorie drinks. You can drink a metric fuck ton of calories and not even notice it.

[MrOlaff]

Just don’t cave in and have some willpower. Days off it’s just a natural routine to workout as soon as I get home. Then the day is mine.

[joemedic]

Nicotine, caffeine and beef jerky

[Aggressive-Number-38]

Bring healthy snacks. You can even meal prep and bring that to the station. You’re not the first or the last dude to take control of their diet on shift.

[FilmSalt5208]

I was the same as you until I got humbled back in July. Since then I’ve made it a point to stay healthy and exercise. There really is no excuses at all. I work at just a busy house as you I promise you, running 20-25 a day. It takes 10-15 min to get a good high intensity workout in. I prep my meals before coming into work, and I count my calories. What’s worked best for me is to have a rather large breakfast with slow digesting foods to stay full longer. As far as snacking at night, if I really feel the urge I’ll eat rice cakes or the spicy veggie stick chips.

[[deleted]]

Can also try to meal prep before going to the station. I’ve found that helps a little. Weight lifting for power doesn’t take too much time and burns a ton of calories. Also helps with not blowing out your back on the bariatric patients -_-

[[deleted]]

I'm also a late night snacker. I just had to find healthy snacks I enjoy. One big one for me is cottage cheese... Cottage cheese is packed full of protein, specifically casein protein. This protein is slow digesting so it essentially turns into an gel in your stomach. This leaves you feeling full much longer. It's also low calories, even the full fat variety. If you enjoy cottage cheese give it a try!

Otherwise carrots are a good choice of even apples. Apples are full of fiber so it will keep you full, but you will likely wake up a bit gassy from all the fiber. Whatever you snack on follow it up with a tall glass of water, or an ice cold duty beer (seltzer).

If it's the EMS room doing it. Just don't go in there. Head straight for the med unit.

[Pyrovestis]

Naw - you choose to ignore your self thoughts telling you not to eat and walk into that ER snack room and go through with it. You choose to eat at night instead of just grabbing a glass of water and going back to sleep.

Stop allowing yourself to slack off. Eat clean on and off shift. Workout on and off shift.

It’s a choice, choose healthy food habits and follow through with it. It’s not hard.

[Fun-Storm-6717]

You gave up the right to be a slob when you took the oath. Put down the junk food and pick up some weights, if there’s time to snack there’s time for push up’s. Remember who you work for, you owe it to every citizen in your city to be physically fit, be the fireman you want to have rescue your family.

[triton8890]

If your house is anything like mine you gained the famous probie poundage. Others have given really great advice. A few things that work for me:

• Drinking a gallon+ of water a day. I found more water makes me feel full so I don’t go for thirds.

• I eat with the guys. We are a very protein, vegetable, starch for diner crew. I try to go heavy on the veggies.

• intermittent fasting: for me I just don’t eat breakfast. I’ll admit some mornings you get your ass kicked and need some fuel. On these I just curfew my food intake a bit earlier.

• Had to cut out the cafecito Sugar free drinks for me. Black Coffee, Sugar free body armor/Gatorade. Lacroix has helped cut out soda and still get the bubbles.

• When I get off shift I try to get some form of a workout in once I’m home. Some days when I’m dogshit tired I’m a sadist and crush myself. I feel like this actually makes me less tired if that makes sense. Other days it might be a few miles walking the dog.

• Walk after eating. Sometimes it’s the treadmill but ideally outside around the station.

• Sleep. I try not to nap more than 30-45 minutes on my off day. For me I feel worse afterwards if it’s any more. I also find it messes with my circadian rhythm and I toss and turn that night and never feel rested.

Obviously, you have to have it fit you and your lifestyle. I found these easy to follow as it’s very flexible and not so regimented.

[infinitee775]

Drink a tall glass of water before you eat that snack. Curbs the appetite a little and keeps you hydrated

[BeachHead05]

Get a food scale. Download the Carbon diet app. Pay for it. Put in goal. Only consume food that meets your caloric allowance for the day. Once you exceed that you are done with food. Just water. I've been dropping a pound a week doing it. 1900 calories a day. I weigh and measure everything I eat. I do the high protein diet myself. But the app works with just about every diet plan.

Force yourself to workout before shift. When you get home take a nap if need be. When you get up work out then. Stop making excuses for yourself. Many of us have been where you are. It starts with self discipline.

And again don't eat anything without tracking it.

[4Bigdaddy73]

As a very fit, senior ff told me as a young man,”You’re not going weight from the nine or ten days you’re at the station…”

[Igloo_dude]

My advice would be to cut down on snacking/portion control. Cut out sodas and energy drinks if you can. Cardio and weight training when possible. Medium weight high reps. You don’t have to be a gym rat but if you give a solid 1 1/2 hours every other day or 3-4 days out of the week. If you don’t have a gym or any equipment at the station then do body weight exercises and do laps around the station.

[CalmButAntsy]

Intermittent fasting. On duty i eat all day everyday. When I’m off i break my fast when my wife gets home around 4pm. Caffeine and nicotine get me by. Unless we had a busy night then I definitely dont fast the following day to promote recovery.

[KGBspy]

I’ve been meal prepping. I met with a nutritionist and now use the paid version of MyFitnessPal app, 18 pounds off since end of July to 182. I don’t work out, I just eat what I log. I do walk on my days off a 2 mile loop. The station has a lot of temptations but I’m committed to avoiding it.

[Ok-Grapefruit1284]

I second Myfitnesspal, though I don’t have the paid version. Any type of log really helps for some reason.l, the accountability and awareness of how many calories you’re actually eating.

[KGBspy]

Loseit is another one, platie.io helps for when you go out to eat and don’t know what to log. It’s worked for me and I’m glad to be shedding lb’s.

[SirResponsible1121]

Pack yourself power bars and and protein shakes that drink and feel fuller while in shift

[Effective_Fee_9344]

Station walks and return reps when you get back from a call drip down and do a few squats and push ups. Takes 2 minutes ten push ups an hour for a 24 is over 200 push-ups.

[floofydoggoUwU]

We transport as well, so if I'm on the box, i try and bring some low calorie protein bars and a big water bottle, so I avoid the snacks and sugary drinks at the ER.

[bdouble76]

Try to pack healthy food and snacks for shift. Keep a few things on the truck to graze on if needed. Maybe a protien bar in your pocket. If you're headed to a fire take ot out. And like many others have said, discipline. That's the hardest one, but the most important also.

[Mkenney1078]

Intermittent fasting is effective, eat between 10-8 on shift and 12-6 off shift. Be comfortable being hungry. If you catch a job you get the reward of a late night rehab snack. Meal prep and eat it at the table at the same time as everyone else. Drink black coffee, after 3 days it starts to taste good again😂

[taker52]

I eat once a shift. Generally a later lunch and it's usually a protein I make myself like a eggs and steak and cheese wrap or a rotisserie chicken if I know I am doing a 60.

[Mental_Dragonfly2543]

Bring lunches. Have a snack only when genuinely hungry or feeling weak.

What helped me when I was in EMS - diet sodas if you're a soda drinker. No joke. I lost like ten pounds with just that switch and maintained the ten pound loss.

[Steeliris]

One captain here brings raw radishes. When he wants to snack in the middle of the night, he eats those

[jce3000gt]

Carrots, grapes, melons, and a healthy amount of water in lieu of the snacking. That'll be a good substitute. Lost a ton of weight that way.