Weightloss tips for shift workers

mitchku1913

I am 53 yrs. old, I work the 5 pm to 5 am shift in a factory and now my weight is out of control! Does anyone have any advice for shift workers trying to lose weight? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

dn_wldn

I am a nurse and work 7a-7p. My only advice would be to meal prep the day before your work week starts. Plan every meal and don't stray from the plan.

starryeyedsnoozer

I'm a nurse too and I second what the lady above said. I take prepared food in (usually a lot of snacks because I don't have time to sit and eat a big meal). Eat regularly so you don't get too hungry. Drink lots.

runlikeagirl1985

I work rotating 12 hours shifts (2 days, 2 nights, 5 off). In addition to the great advice above, just keep in mind that your night shifts are technically the same as someone else's day, the principles are the same, eat your food, stay under your calorie goal and be persistent.

Mini_Medic

Pick your 24 hour time to be the day cut off. Whether that is midnight or not doesn't matter. Just count your food day to day or night to night 12 midnight Monday to midnight Tuesday, or 7am to 7am or 9pm to 9pm. Just do not let yourself get into the habit of logging food eaten at a weird time as the day before or you will get lazy and not see results.

Meal prep! Or figure out if your hungrier during shift or after and plan accordingly. I do better to eat very light on shift and then eat normal off the clock. I don't enjoy eating at work so I eat less. I don't like spending money on fast food during breaks either. I enjoy eating at home and going out to restaurants so I save calories for that time instead of grazing at work due to boredom or feeling tired. Calories don't have a clock so when they are eaten is irrelevant. The long term over or under consumption is what will cause you to lose or gain.

Strudders67

What do you typically eat now and at what times? Do you go straight to bed when you get home or do you do any exercise?

Equating your shift pattern to a normal day, I'd think you should be aiming to eat a breakfast before you go to work, a snack such a handful of nuts or a banana at about 8pm and then a 'lunch' at about 11pm/midnight. You'd then have your main meal after you get home. However, you could have a main meal before going to work, lunch at 10-11pm, a snack at about 2am and then a breakfast after you get home.

mitchku1913

Thank you everyone for the great advice. I think I am going to eat my main meal before work and eat healthy snacks while at work. Since I go to bed when I get home, I think this may work for me.
Thanks again.