Looking for night shift buddies!!

LittleMissAlx

Hey all!

I've been on MFP for a while now. Never really hit my target weight (although close!) and have kind of been coasting along not really worrying about it. However, in the last couple of weeks I've started a new job, which means that I only work night times, and I'm worried that instead of maintaining a weight I'm happy ish with, I'm going to start putting it back on!!

Typically I work 12 shifts a month, lasting approx 13hours from 7pm ish until 8am ish. I'm a vet, so the work is all over the place and some nights there is loads of down time and other nights we run around like lunatics! So it makes it really hard from a consistency point of view!

I'm looking from some friends who might have some advice having been in a similar situation on how to balance the eating, sleeping and exercise that comes with an inconsistent routine and unsociable working hours!

Help!

Thanks!
Alex xx

beetle_stomper

I'm also nocturnal, add me! Best advice I got; live, eat and work out like any diurnal person, just account for the lack of daylight and remember that meal prep/pre-logging makes it SOO much easier to stick to your calorie goals.

KerrieCC

i work 2am - 10am which is a bit different to you but can still add me if you want i split sleep so i have a social life. i typically sleep 2-4 hrs during the day and then 3-5hs at night before work

Twallace101

I work from 7pm to 7am. I do my exercising after work. I try to have a little something to eat prior to exercising. I eat meal before I go to work and about halfway through shift. I drink protein shakes for snacks at work.

merryward13

I'm a nurse. I work 3-4 12's a week. 7p-7a. I usually meal prep for the week on Saturdays. Keep shakes and protein bars handy. I work out any day I'm not working. Usually in the evening. MFP helps keep me accountable for what I'm eating.

laurenwhodat

Hello fellow nightshifters! I'm an ER nurse and I work 7p-7a. I honestly use my messed up hours as an excuse to eat poorly and be lazy so having some accountability from fellow nightshifters would be awesome!! I am just getting back into exercising regularly and eating better! Trying to make it stick this time!

lauramtaylor15

I work night shift. 10pm-6:30am. I workout during the evening. I eat before work, bring something light to eat while at work. I listen to my body. If I feel hungry I eat.

RNamd23

I work night shift. Still trying to find a healthy routine. I sleep at the weirdest times. Feel free to add me for support

jillianmarie20

I just finished a set of 5 night shifts, I'm an acute care and residential care nurse feel free to add! I always seem to snack too much on night shift lol

dlr96

I work night too 11pm to 7am feel free to add me

Tarataboo35

Hi, I am also a night shift worker I work late night shifts then x2 full nights 10pm-8am I tend to have a dinner meal before I go to work and I have like others here protein shakes (homemade smoothies with protein) and to reset myself after my last night shift before rest days I have a short sleep and an early night (to reset myself) and this is when I want junk food as i spend the day like a zombie lol so find it hard to stay consistent. I can appreciate what you said about different night shifts and on quieter night shifts I want to eat everything! (so i find a protein packed yogurt with fruit works, or cereal) fell free to add me, that applies to anyone here...Tips, help and support would be appreciated : ) x

LittleMissAlx

Nice to meet you all!
I've been doing the whole high protein thing - lunch before I leave, dinner really late evening, yoghurt and fruit as breakfast before I get home. It's working out about maintenance calories so I probably should be stricter when I'm not working if I want to lose a few lbs!
Some nights where there's not much going on it's hard to keep moving, and my steps have been down on my fitbit, but on the plus side I used to get home from work craving a glass of wine, and somehow that feels wrong first thing in the morning so my alcohol consumption has dropped dramatically - don't miss it at all.
Need to find a balance between eating and maybe some exercises I could do at work, but then I'm hoping this will make me happier (my old job just wore me down) and healthier.

MadDogManor

I used to work night shift, until I moved last year. There was an "official night shift thread" under chit chat then, not sure if it's still going. Many of the same folks there, posting all night.