NIght Shift and tracking ??

soontobeslim2015
soontobeslim2015 Posts: 45
edited November 11 in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone I work 12 hour shift work and night shift are from 8pm to 8 am and I am currently on them now but my question is should i log my calories from when i got up this am to when i go home and go to bed tomorrow or after 12 what i eat i log for tomorrow?

Replies

  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    You could set up your diary for time periods, rather than meals. Eg: 12AM-6AM, 6AM-12PM, 12PM-6PM, 6PM-12AM. It may make it easier to log around your wonky sleep/work schedule.

    It's all about a weekly deficit, so while you transition into this, don't worry about it initially. Just get into a rythmn that works for your schedule, and eventually you'll have it down pat!
  • fitjulz40in12
    fitjulz40in12 Posts: 32 Member
    I work night shift as well 7p - 7a. I stick with the rule that if it's after midnight, then it counts to the next day. I switch back and forth with my sleeping habits as well - so it's a good rule for me to follow. I agree with the weekly deficits - some days I'm more hungry than others so I don't get too crazy if I go over 100 calories one of my days because some days I am under my calorie goals.
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    I track midnight to midnight, regardless if it's a work night or I am off.
  • LazyNightOwl
    LazyNightOwl Posts: 166 Member
    I work 6p to 6a and I track mine with breakfast when wake up at 4pm under tomorrow's date.
  • txrn123
    txrn123 Posts: 47 Member
    I do 12 and 8 hr nights as a nurse. I'm a newbie to MFP and made the mistake of forgetting about after midnight being a new day with the food log!! Whoops. Since then, I scan the food that I bring before the start of my shift so it is logged in on the correct day. I consider my "day" from when I get up around 4pm til when I get off work at 8am. Figure it is the same as when daytime workers do their logging from the time they get up in the morning til when they go to bed at night. On my off time I switch back to when I get up in the morning to when I go to bed at night.
  • Thanks
  • JenniferInCt
    JenniferInCt Posts: 431 Member
    I work all different shifts. So i just do it from the time i wake until i sleep. It seems more consistent for me bc i dont have to worry about the differences on days off or different shifts.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    Start at the easiest time of day for you to be consistent. My "day" starts at 11pm, which is when the second job starts. Why? Because that's the one that gives me consistent hours. My log (done on paper because it's more convenient for me) for today actually reads Tuesday Feb. 4th... doesn't need to make a scrap of sense to anyone else because my log is to help me lose weight.
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