We nurses are pretty notorious for being bad eaters at work. We are always in a hurry so we never have time to eat healthy. We snack all day when we are too busy to take a lunch break. We drink soda all day to keep us going throughout the day to keep us going. We have potlucks to celebrate. Then we lecture our patients about nutrition.
Up until about a year and a half ago I was probably the guiltiest. I brought junk to eat, I ordered out all the time, and I drank soda all day, not to mention happy hour after work. I then decided I was going to make a change in my life….exercise and eating well.
I started easy; I quit eating fast food and pot lucks. Pot lucks were easy, I never liked eating food other people prepared in a kitchen I have never seen, with cats walking on the counters and dirty counters and so on. But fast food was tough. I love French fries. But it got easier.
The one thing that was really tough was snacking. There always seems to be snack food sitting around anywhere I work. Chips, cookies, popcorn and baked goods. Always sitting around, especially around the holidays, calling out my name.
I have finally got past it the temptation. I have learned to bring my own healthy snacks like veggies, almonds or fruit, so when that junk starts calling me, I can go my “stash.”
It’s been a tough road, resisting the temptation, but it has worth it.