Help with Managing calories on Night Shifts please

nikkieyres

Hi

I work night shifts in a very sedentary job (I literally sit at a desk for 10 hours without any opportunity to go for a walk other than to the WC and back).

My shift pattern is 3 on 3 off and I'm struggling to stay within my calorie allowance during shift days.

On the day of my first shift, I wake at 6am with my children and then I don't go back to bed until after my shift at around 9:30am the following day. That day I then get up at 2:30pm to collect my kids from school & nursery make dinner, bathe the kids, put them to bed and then go back to work at 10pm. The next day is the same. I tend to get up around 12pm and go to bed around 8pm after my last shift.

The problem i have is that as I'm awake for such a long time when working, I end up having an extra meal (so I'll have breakfast, lunch, dinner and then have a meal during my shift).

It's hard to fit in enough food within the 1200 calories I've been allocated. In addition to any extras (milk for tea, snacks, etc).

How do other people manage their calorie intake when working shifts?