Eating when working overnights.

Starmommy2
Starmommy2 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone. I have a question about when to eat while working overnights. I know some people say not to eat befor 7am and after 7pm. But what would be the rules be when working overnight? I work 5-5am. When I work a few days in a row I normally have my breakfast at about 2pm and have my last snack no later then 4am and in bed by 630am. But when I have some days off my first day back is tricky. I usually wake up around 8am, eat light til after I take a nap but it still seems like I eat a lot on my first day back to work. Does anyone have any ideas, input or suggestions? Thanks!

Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    The rules about eating before/after a certain time are ridiculous myths which have been scientifically debunked. Your metabolism works 24 hours a day, it doesn't "shut down" at any particular time. Eat whenever works best for you in terms of satiety, dietary adherence, personal preference and/or workout performance. As long as you maintain a caloric deficit, you'll lose weight.
  • angelique_redhead
    angelique_redhead Posts: 782 Member
    My suggestion would be 6-8 tiny meals per awake period. That way you wouldn't get overly hungry at any time hopefully. Good luck! I was always hungrier when I worked nights because I wasn't getting nearly enough sleep. *HUGS*
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    I used to work nights, here's what I did

    Shift Started at midnight - Ate a BIG meal

    Snack at about 3-4 AM

    Another light meal at 5-6 AM

    Home and in bed by 9 AM. Unless it was workout day - then i had a bar around 8, workout from 9-10, made eggs when I got home around 1030, and in bed at 11 AM.
  • edcardenas1227
    edcardenas1227 Posts: 22
    I know how difficult it is to eat on a schedule like that. I work shift work alternating sets of 4 days and 4 nights. My schedule is also 5 to 5 whether its days or nights. I usually get home around 5:30 but on school days I can't get to bed till the kids are off at school around 8:30am then its up again at 3pm when they get home. Make time to make a healthy breakfast and a healthy lunch. Find some snacks that will keep you from getting hungry and just treat your nights like you would any other regular day. Instead of seeing it as 11PM while you are working think of it as 11 in the afternoon.
  • MerBear1985
    MerBear1985 Posts: 131
    I do night shifts as well. I usually don't worry too much about that transition day because you are actually awake for longer than normal when you are working night shifts in general. Keep it to healthy food when you are hungry and it works for you. There are no rules on when to eat, just make it proper portions and healthy. Sometimes I go a bit over, and sometimes I can keep it under when I am working nights.

    If you want some ideas or support add me as a friend. I am not terrific at my food yet, but I am getting better the harder I try.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Meal timing is completely irrelevant...all that **** is myth. You burn a certain number of calories in a 24 hour period...it doesn't matter when you eat. I eat dinner every night at 8:30 to 9:00PM and go to bed right afterwards. I'm more fit than I've been in years and 40 Lbs down. meal timing is irrelevant.
  • JAEGAmom
    JAEGAmom Posts: 39
    My husband works a swing shift 7:00-7:00, switching from days to nights every few days... (Really hard to explain his schedule!) He considers his day starts at midnight, no matter what! He has his calorie goal and sticks to the midnight being the cutoff point for his count. He eats healthy food that is lower calorie! Lots of veggies, salad, whole grains, lean proteins... He has breaks throughout the night. When he works nights, he usually eats (his breakfast) dinner with us after I get off work at around 5:00ish p.m. Then he eats his "lunch" at around 11:00 p.m. Then when he gets home from work at 7:00, he comes home and eats what would be like his "dinner" and goes to bed!

    FYI... He cut his calorie intake and has lost 50 pounds in around 2- 2 1/2 months...
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    I eat all night, broken up throughout to keep me from getting ravenous and gorging myself on the tasty but terrible treats all of my coworkers like to bring in and share. It hasn't had any negative impact on my weight loss.
  • estey89
    estey89 Posts: 104 Member
    I work 8pm- 8am. I Wake up about 4-6pm I eat a breakfast/supper then i pack lots of veggies and hummus or fruit and peanut butter sometimes cheese and almonds. I drink lots of water, and so i snack and drink water through the night.. to make sure im getting in 1200-1600 calories i drink Milk Lattes with instand coffee or bring an avocado and some multigrain chips ... mmm
  • amruden
    amruden Posts: 228 Member
    I practice intermediate fasting while working 3rd shift.
    Look in to it, see if it fits your life style.
  • LongIsland27itl
    LongIsland27itl Posts: 365 Member
    Eating times are a myth. Eat at a caloric deficit while getting appropriate macros for your stats and you will lose weight, no matter what time the foodis consumed
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,656 Member
    Hello everyone. I have a question about when to eat while working overnights. I know some people say not to eat befor 7am and after 7pm. But what would be the rules be when working overnight? I work 5-5am. When I work a few days in a row I normally have my breakfast at about 2pm and have my last snack no later then 4am and in bed by 630am. But when I have some days off my first day back is tricky. I usually wake up around 8am, eat light til after I take a nap but it still seems like I eat a lot on my first day back to work. Does anyone have any ideas, input or suggestions? Thanks!

    People that say that have never usually worked shifts or they would not say that. It is a myth.

    Providing you stay within you daily allowance, you are fine.

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