WEIGHT LOSS & WEIRD WORK SCHEDULES!

avam0129

Hello, all!
Hoping to chat about your strategies and approaches to weight loss when having abnormal work schedules.

I am an instructor of dance, currently not working in the AM/Early afternoon. I teach from 4pm to about 9pm Mon-Fri.

Specifically:
- if my first meal isn't until about 12/1pm, what should it consist of?
-what to do about NOT having the "average" dinner?!?
- is it okay if I do have a dinner after a long night of teaching, but that's not until about 10pm?
-should I be eating all my calories within two big meals during the day, and then avoiding food at night altogether?
-smart snacking ideas for someone that is constantly moving? once I'm at work, there is little to no opportunity to stop and eat.

Looking forward to discussion

malibu927

Meal timing, frequency, and what you eat are all personal preference. The only thing that matters to weight loss is a calorie deficit.

juggernaut1974

avam0129 wrote: »

- if my first meal isn't until about 12/1pm, what should it consist of?

Whatever you want/enjoy...in an appropriate quantity to fit your overall daily calorie goal

-what to do about NOT having the "average" dinner?!?

Nothing

- is it okay if I do have a dinner after a long night of teaching, but that's not until about 10pm?

Sure

-should I be eating all my calories within two big meals during the day, and then avoiding food at night altogether?

If that works better for you. There's not one universal right or wrong answer.

-smart snacking ideas for someone that is constantly moving? once I'm at work, there is little to no opportunity to stop and eat.

Again, whatever types of snacks you enjoy and fit into your overall daily goals.

Serah87

I have a weird work schedule, I just plan my meals around it. Don't make it complicated, just work around it.

SergeantSausage

avam0129 wrote: »

Hello, all!
Hoping to chat about your strategies and approaches to weight loss when having abnormal work schedules.

I am an instructor of dance, currently not working in the AM/Early afternoon. I teach from 4pm to about 9pm Mon-Fri.

Specifically:
- if my first meal isn't until about 12/1pm, what should it consist of?

It doesn't matter

-what to do about NOT having the "average" dinner?!?

Nothing

- is it okay if I do have a dinner after a long night of teaching, but that's not until about 10pm?

It doesn't matter

-should I be eating all my calories within two big meals during the day, and then avoiding food at night altogether?

It doesn't matter

-smart snacking ideas for someone that is constantly moving? once I'm at work, there is little to no opportunity to stop and eat.

Whatever you want.

Looking forward to discussion

ValerieMartini2Olives

I'm not really sure how 4-9 M-F is "weird."

avam0129

ValerieMartini2Olives wrote: »

I'm not really sure how 4-9 M-F is "weird."

I just see it as not the average 9-5 schedule that most people have. No early mornings, no lunch break, no free evenings for dinner...etc.

ValerieMartini2Olives

Lots of people on here don't do 9-5. I would think 4-9 would be absolutely easy to plan around.

GillianSmith2

I also work these type of hours and since joining mfp I learnt that it don't matter. Its just down to the calories you consume not the time you eat them. If I want to eat my calories spread throughout the day that's great, if I want a big meal once a day that's also great. I just stick to my allowed calories in any 1day.

avam0129

I appreciate all of your responses!!!

frankiesgirlie

Calories in, calories out. That's it. What you eat , when you eat means nothing. Just create a deficit. By the way, I have a different work schedule that changes EVERY DAY so your schedule seems so tame and normal. Whatever normal means.

H34v3nlySinsx3

I know exactly how you feel and am having a very similar problem. However, I'm scheduled graveyards. Basically, I can jmagine, that you just plan your means just like everyone else would only the times would be different.

Just remember, small meals more frequently.

extra_medium

Like others have been saying, it doesn't really matter as long as your calories in are less than your calories out over time. Do whatever works best for you and your schedule.

SergeantSausage

H34v3nlySinsx3 wrote: »

I know exactly how you feel and am having a very similar problem. However, I'm scheduled graveyards. Basically, I can jmagine, that you just plan your means just like everyone else would only the times would be different.

Just remember, small meals more frequently.

That doesn't matter, either.

CoffeeNCardio

H34v3nlySinsx3 wrote: »

I know exactly how you feel and am having a very similar problem. However, I'm scheduled graveyards. Basically, I can jmagine, that you just plan your means just like everyone else would only the times would be different.

Just remember, small meals more frequently.

That's a preference thing though. It is true that having smaller meals more frequently might help some individuals to be able to space out their calories in such a way that they aren't getting super hungry and thus in danger of surrendering to a binge, but it's not required for weight loss. There's people on here who did the one meal a day option (getting all their calories for 24 hours in one sitting) who were successful for the opposite reason.

It's a good method if you want/desire to spread your calories out, or if you feel you need to because it helps you, the individual, stave off cravings and binges, but you will lose weight regardless of method if you practice calories in calories out and log accurately.

ETA: I do like to do the five small meals thing during TOM when I get hormone-stupid and cravings and hunger get all weird. It helps me to know I'll be eating every two-two and a half hours. It allows me to focus on the next meal being close instead of the starbucks breakfast sandwiches being closer. So it can be an effective strategy, but by that token, I prefer 2-3 large meals a day outside of TOM because what matters then is feeling really full and satisfied.

Bex_hostie

Hi, I'm a long haul flight attendant & it would be impossible for me to have regular and 'normal' meal times. On my flying days my days can either become 9hrs longer or have already have ended and be in the next. Gets really confusing. I just make sure that doesn't matter whether it was dinner at breakfast time etc that I only have my calorie allocation per 24hrs in UK time. I don't worry too much about which meal is which as that's just impossible when in UK it's 3am and local time is 6:30pm. I've lost weight so just calorie allocation per 24hrs works! Sorry if I've not explained well

Kimegatron

Bex_hostie wrote: »

Hi, I'm a long haul flight attendant & it would be impossible for me to have regular and 'normal' meal times. On my flying days my days can either become 9hrs longer or have already have ended and be in the next. Gets really confusing. I just make sure that doesn't matter whether it was dinner at breakfast time etc that I only have my calorie allocation per 24hrs in UK time. I don't worry too much about which meal is which as that's just impossible when in UK it's 3am and local time is 6:30pm. I've lost weight so just calorie allocation per 24hrs works! Sorry if I've not explained well

I've always wondered... Since the public cannot bring food or drink into an airport(unless they eat/drink it before security), are flight attendants and pilots allowed to? Or do you have to eat the in-flight food, or go to the restaurants in the terminals?

ASKyle

Doesn't matter, calories can't tell time. What matters is what works for YOU. If you are more satisfied with 2 large meals, do that. If you are happier with 8 small meals every 3 hours, do that.

Honestly just working around a 5 hour work schedule would be way easier than an 8-5!

Kimegatron

I work 1:30pm-10pm. However, I do get 3 breaks in that shift, so I just bring my food. I never eat out.

Liftng4Lis

Meal timing is irrelevant, it's all about CICO.

mccindy72

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

Meal timing is irrelevant, it's all about CICO.

This. Just make sure you're hitting your calorie goals each day and you're golden.

srecupid

avam0129 wrote: »

Hello, all!
Hoping to chat about your strategies and approaches to weight loss when having abnormal work schedules.

I am an instructor of dance, currently not working in the AM/Early afternoon. I teach from 4pm to about 9pm Mon-Fri.

Specifically:
- if my first meal isn't until about 12/1pm, what should it consist of?
-what to do about NOT having the "average" dinner?!?
- is it okay if I do have a dinner after a long night of teaching, but that's not until about 10pm?
-should I be eating all my calories within two big meals during the day, and then avoiding food at night altogether?
-smart snacking ideas for someone that is constantly moving? once I'm at work, there is little to no opportunity to stop and eat.

Looking forward to discussion

srecupid

I work at a grocery store so I have a lot of choices for my break. My strategy is to eat my biggest meal of the day before I start