When you’re on duty, it’s more difficult to make healthy food choices. Often, you’re surrounded by junk food temptations, and might ask yourself “How can a cop on duty eat healthier?”
Fast food restaurants frequently offer discounted – or even complimentary – meals to cops, and these businesses may be the only ones available late at night.
Fighting these temptations and starting to eat properly during your law enforcement shift is well worth it.
Additionally, as sad as it is to admit, instances of restaurant staff refusing to serve food to police or serving police officers tainted food are on the rise.
Pack your own food
Making your own meals at home, combining a protein with a variety of veggies, is a nutritious alternative to fast food. Put your food in a plastic container that fits in the trunk of your squad car with a freezer pack.
By mixing ingredients like fresh greens, cubed turkey or chicken, eggs, avocado, and other lean, protein rich foods, you are going to supply your system with nutritious and energy-producing food that does not cause your body to “crash”.
Always remember to complement your main meal with a range of high-energy snacks such as apples, bananas, almonds, and energy bars (such as Cliff Bar or similar) that you may have every few hours to keep you going. Make water your beverage of choice (using a reusable bottle if possible).
Make Good Choices When on Duty and Eating at Restaurants
If you’re eating at a sit-down restaurant, ask for grilled meat and veggies, salad with a meat topping, or omelets. Any of these solutions will provide you with enough protein to keep you satisfied and help you build muscle. You’ll avoid feeling bloated and exhausted later if you replace fries or chips with a side salad or seasonal vegetable alternative.
Changes to fast food: When at all possible, avoid fast food. However, if you work evenings, it may be the only choice available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Ordering your burger wrapped in a few lettuce leaves instead of a bun at a burger shop is a healthier option. Instead of French fries, have fresh fruit or a side salad. Finally, make sure you drink plenty of water; if you prefer something other than water, make it black coffee or tea, instead of a soda.
Police Officers Should Avoid Empty Calories
Processed junk food, such as soda, chips, and candy, is a cheap and quick way to satisfy a craving. However, they deliver empty calories, which cause your energy levels to plummet and urge your body to accumulate fat. Don’t put dirty fuel in your police car, and don’t put it in your body either.
Even though you might not always pack your own meal, whenever possible, law enforcement officers should consume actual meals like meat, veggies, fruit, eggs, and nuts. Finding something to eat while driving may restrict your entire meal selections, but even petrol stations have some possibilities. Choose beef jerky, almonds, sunflower seeds, or hard-boiled eggs in a packet.
Supplements for a Healthy Diet, for the Cop on the Go
Recent studies by the NIH have shows that occupations like law enforcement are affected disproportionately by health issues related to the eating habits that long and unstable shifts force upon officers.
Certain dietary supplements can ease the long fasting windows that cops have to endure.
Healthy dietary supplements, such as protein powder shakes, are delicious and offer police officers an easy method of staying in shape. Protein powder shakes are a practical way to augment normal meals and snacks.
You can easily keep powder bags in your squad car; protein smoothies can be stored in a small cooler, if your patrol car has space for it.
Keep track of the calories you consume during your shift
Police officers must pay attention to proteins, fats, and hidden sugars in order to maintain a healthy diet. The number of snacks and meals consumed each day should also be kept track of. The number of calories you consume is determined by your fitness goals: losing weight or maintaining your present weight.
A daily caloric intake of 2,000 calories is the go-to number for the average person. But calorie count should be adjusted to meet the demands of the individual. An officer who is very active on the job and works out at least twice a week needs more calories than someone who is more sedentary.
A police officer who works out four to six times per week, as an example, should consume between 3,000 and 4,000 calories per day, depending on whether they want to maintain a healthy weight or gain muscle.
While eating healthy is not easy for police officers, while on duty, once you start, you will soon realize the difference it can make on your health, performance, and overall wellness. You might also discover that eating healthy at home is a lot easier, too.
Officers who keep track of what they eat and exercise on a regular basis are likely to obtain significant improvements in their overall health, in addition to improving the wellness during their activities while on duty.
Eat well, be well, and stay safe!
