Every seven days, I become nocturnal for a week, and then I switch back to the land of the living.  I’ve been doing this “crazy” work schedule (7 night shifts in a row, and then 7 days off, rinse and repeat) for almost a decade and it really works out for my lifestyle.  Who doesn’t want to have a week off every other week? 

When I’m working the night shift, I follow a strict eating schedule so: 1) I don’t blow up into the Stay Puft Marshmallow Woman and 2) see reason number 1.

My basic eating schedule when I’m working is as follows:

6:00 pm: Make dinner and eat with the family.

10:00 pm: Eat a snack shortly after I arrive at work (normally some Paleo-compliant trail mix, veggies and cottage cheese, beef jerky, a hard boiled egg, or some combination of the stuff I just listed.

1:00 am: Eat my lunch.  It’s always something I pack from home and usually some sort of leftovers or a salad with meat.  Here’s what I ate last night: 

 Rocky Sweet Basil & Parmesan Chicken Meatballs + leftover braised cabbage

3:30 am: Eat a snack.  Normally, it’s berries + full fat plain Greek yogurt or coconut milk.  I also sneak a square or two of some 85% or higher dark chocolate.

5:30 am:  Eat my last meal of the day.  Again, it’s normally leftovers (e.g. some sort of meat and veg).  Last night, I just ate what I had for breakfast prior to coming to work:

 

I try to have at least a 12-hour fast on the days I work.  Also, I pack all my meals for work or else I’m stuck eating the crap in the vending machines.  Ever since I started eating Paleo about 5 months ago, I’ve noticed a real difference in my energy level and my gut doesn’t get all wonky anymore when I am switching from day to night shift.  Coincidence? I don’t think so.

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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