The 17 Day Diet (38 page)

The weird hours you have as a shift worker have a bunch of nutritional land mines—so here’s are some ways to avoid diet traps, stay true to the 17 Day Diet, keep your body in top form and still get your job done.

Avoid Junk Food

One of the things you can do to improve your energy and overall health is to eat a healthy diet, rich in vitamins and minerals. Those chocolate bars and packets of crisps in the vending machines at work may be tempting, but they’re probably doing you more harm than good, reducing your energy levels and stamina even further. Donuts and cakes may give you an instant “buzz,” but the downside is that you’ll crash, and large amounts of refined sugar can lead to extreme mood swings.

The same goes for drinks. Cut down on the cans of Coke and other fizzy drinks (even the “diet” variety) and avoid beverages with caffeine because you’ll find it harder to sleep when you get home. Instead, go for water. It’s important to keep hydrated, since dehydration can lead to headaches and fatigue.

On night shift, eat small, light meals, with lots of raw salads, fruit and veggies, as recommended on the 17 Day Diet. These will give you energy but won’t make you sleepy.

Sometimes shifts are long, so if you take sandwiches, make them whole-grain bread. Try gluten-free bread. The older you get, the more difficult gluten is to digest and it can block the bowel. A healthy bowel that is moving will give you more energy.

Follow My Sample Shift Menus

Let’s put these suggestions in concrete form. All Cycles of the 17 Day Diet are adaptable to shift work. It just takes a little bit of planning. If possible, take meals at approximately the same time each day, either midday or early evening, irrespective of whether you are on night shift. Follow the guidelines below, and you’ll get in better sync, lose weight and be more alert.

Sample Shift Menu—Afternoon Shift
(Start time between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm;
finish time between 10:00 pm and midnight)

Generally, if you work an afternoon shift, it’s best to have your main meal (dinner) in the middle of the day rather than in the middle of your shift. You’ll burn off your food better and stay more alert on your shift.

Here are some meal-planning suggestions for each Cycle.

Time of Day/Meal

8:00 to 10:00 a.m./Breakfast

1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Dinner (before shift)

7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Lunch at work break

After work/before bedtime

Accelerate Cycle

2 scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, 6 oz. yogurt

Grilled chicken breast with liberal amounts of any vegetables, steamed or raw; fresh fruit.

Tuna tossed with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a tablespoon of vinegar, served over a generous bed of lettuce; 6 oz. yogurt or other pro-biotic serving to help with digestion.

Have some fresh fruit.

Activate Cycle

½ cup oatmeal or grits, cooked; 4 egg whites, scrambled; fresh fruit

Pork sirloin chops, broiled or grilled; steamed veggies; ½ cup cooked corn; 6 oz. yogurt or other probiotic serving; fresh fruit

Shrimp salad: Cooked shrimp, 3 tablespoons chopped onion, generous bed of lettuce leaves, 1 tomato (large) and 1 tablespoon olive oil; 6 oz. yogurt or other pro-biotic serving to help with digestion.

Have a carb or two. Bananas are a good choice because they help with sleep.

Achieve Cycle

1 cup cereal, hi-fiber (i.e. Bran Buds or Fiber One); 1 cup (8 oz.) skim, 1%, or soy milk or other dairy substitute; fresh fruit

Grilled chicken; steamed vegetables such as asparagus, wax beans, broccoli, or cauliflower; fresh fruit

Pita sandwich: 1 wholewheat pita filled with chopped lettuce and tomato; 2 tablespoons crumbled fat-free feta cheese; 1 tablespoon Italian salad dressing; 10 baby carrots; 6 oz. yogurt or other pro-biotic serving to help with digestion.

Have a carb or two. Bananas are a good choice because they help with sleep.

Arrive Cycle

Stick to whole grains and protein.

Focus on protein-rich foods; they keep you alert.

Continue focusing on protein-rich foods. Munch on fresh fruit and vegetables. Don’t overload yourself on carbs. Be sure to include pro-biotic foods to help with digestion.

Have a carb or two. Bananas are a good choice because they help with sleep.

Sample Shift Menu—Night Shift
(midnight to 8:00 a.m.)

Generally, night shift workers should snack lightly during their shift, eat a moderate breakfast and have dinner before their shift starts.

Here’s a look at how to plan your diet.

Time of Day/Meal

When you wake up

6:00 to 8:00 p.m./Dinner (before shift)

3:00 to 4:00 a.m.
Lunch at work break

After shift, before sleep

Accelerate Cycle

2 scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, 6 oz. yogurt

Grilled chicken breast with liberal amounts of any vegetables, steamed or raw; fresh fruit.

Tuna tossed with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a tablespoon of vinegar, served over a generous bed of lettuce; 6 oz. yogurt or other pro-biotic serving to help with digestion.

Have some fresh fruit.

Activate Cycle

½ cup oatmeal or grits, cooked; 4 egg whites, scrambled; fresh fruit

Pork sirloin chops, broiled or grilled; steamed veggies; ½ cup cooked corn.

Shrimp salad: Cooked shrimp, 3 tablespoons chopped onion, generous bed of lettuce leaves, 1 tomato (large), and 1 tablespoon olive oil; 6 oz. yogurt or other pro-biotic serving to help with digestion.

Have a carb or two. Bananas are a good choice because they help with sleep.

Achieve Cycle

1 cup cereal, hi-fiber (i.e. Bran Buds or Fiber One); 1 cup (8 oz.) skim, 1%, or soy milk or other dairy substitute; fresh fruit

Grilled chicken; steamed vegetables such as asparagus, wax beans, broccoli, or cauliflower; fresh fruit

Pita sandwich: 1 wholewheat pita filled with chopped lettuce and tomato; 2 tablespoons crumbled fat-free feta cheese; 1 tablespoon Italian salad dressing; 10 baby carrots; 6 oz. yogurt or other pro-biotic serving to help with digestion.

Have a carb or two. Bananas are a good choice because they help with sleep.

Arrive Cycle

Egg-white omelet with spinach; one slice of whole-wheat toast with jam; ½ cup of fresh strawberries; tea, coffee or water.

Dinner: Green salad with sliced tomato, oil and vinegar dressing; ½ broiled chicken breast with lemon and herbs; ½ cup of brown rice; steamed broccoli; fresh fruit cup; seltzer with lemon or water.

Green salad with avocado and 4 oz. of steamed salmon, oil and vinegar dressing. Iced tea, seltzer with lemon or water; 6 oz. yogurt or other pro-biotic serving to help with digestion.

Have a carb or two. Bananas are a good choice because they help with sleep.

LEAN 17
:
17 Foods that Keep You Alert

M
ost of the foods on the 17 Day Diet can help you stay more alert and are perfect for shift work. Choose more of the following foods if you’re a shift worker.

Food

1.
Beef, extra lean

2.
Beets

3.
Blueberries

4.
Broccoli

5.
Carrots

6.
Chicken

7.
Citrus fruits

8.
Edamame

9.
Eggs

10.
Egg whites

11.
Hot chilies

12.
Legumes

13.
Pork

14.
Romaine lettuce

15.
Spinach

16.
Tuna

17.
Yogurt

Alertness Factor

High in iron, a mineral that improves memory, alertness and attention span.

Contains phenylalanine, an amino acid that helps relay signals from one brain cell to another.

Excellent source of antioxidants and “anthocyanins,” compounds thought to help protect brain cells from toxins, improves use of glucose in the brain, and promotes communication between brain cells.

Packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients that help protect brain tissue from toxins.

High in beta carotene and other natural substances that help protect brain tissue from toxins.

High in tyrosine, an amino acid required for the production of the alertness chemicals dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. When your brain is producing these, you think and react more quickly, and feel more motivated, attentive and mentally energetic.

Contain vitamin C and other antioxidants that help maintain sharp memory and help brain cells resist damage.

Contains phenylalanine, an amino acid that helps relay signals from one brain cell to another.

High in the B vitamin choline, which helps with memory.

High in protein, which can improve alertness by increasing levels of norepinephrine, which helps keep your brain at its sharpest.

Contains the fiery-tasting chemical capsaicin. Capsaicin stimulates circulation, aids digestion, opens your nasal passages and, even better, sends a feeling of euphoria straight to your brain.

Provide glucose to fuel the brain, and the fiber they contain slows the absorption of glucose, helping to maintain stable levels of energy and support alertness and concentration over time.