The struggle of working third shift, dieting, and sleeping!

Mya10_89

Does anyone works third shift? I need to have a balance for meal planning when I am up for the day at school and go to work at night. This is a struggle because sometime I am up for 24 hours straight and I don't know how to calculate my calories during this time. Usually it's a reset button after you sleep! Does anyone work third shift and have advice on creating a balance for dieting??

ANYTHING WILL HELP! Thanks.

Keep pushing on MFP!

Hildy_J

I have no real advice, sorry - perhaps just give yourself a 24-hour calorie allowance? You know, midnight to midnight?

I do have sympathy... That sounds HARD. xx

whisker84

I've worked third shift for three years and gained 20 pounds (that I really, really didn't need). I'm almost ready to rotate out, which is awesome. I worked with a nutritionist for a while to figure out strategies, and I've found a few things that help me, personally.

On the first day of my week, I'm often up 24 hours as well. But on the good weeks I make it up on the last day, because I'll come home and sleep, then get up for a few hours before going back to bed and getting up in the morning (if that makes sense). So, on that last day I end up eating very little and I think it balances out the longer day, so I don't worry too much about it. Just make reasonable choices and count your calories on that day, then see if being over balances out in the week -- it probably does.

It helps to eat clean, whole foods during my work week in particular, and if possible set aside a meal time during your shift to avoid snacking all night. I sometimes work 14 hour shifts, 8 PM - 9 AM or later. On my good days, I'm up around 4 PM and eat something around 5-6 PM before leaving. I try to eat again around 12-1 AM, and then at 5-6 AM. It seems like I'm always eating at work, but it's a long shift!

I've found that the absolute worst thing I can do -- and the way I gained when starting overnights -- is trying not to eat all night then eating a big meal when I come off the shift at 9 AM, right before bed. Eating at 5 AM has helped, so I can often skip food right before sleeping, but when I do eat before bed I keep it under 400 calories

It's a major challenge for sure. Working nights messes up the metabolism of people who are healthy to start, according to researchers. But I've learned that being prepared and expecting/permitting yourself to eat throughout the night works out far, far better than trying not to eat and overeating in the morning or grazing the unhealthy crap that always seems to be abundant!

Hope this helps!

whisker84

Here's a link to one of the scary articles, if you haven't read them.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130603114146.htm

"Results show that peak glucose levels were 16 percent higher during one night of simulated shift work, compared with one day of a simulated daytime work schedule. Compared with the daytime protocol, insulin levels during the night shift protocol were 40 to 50 percent higher at 80 minutes and 90 minutes after a meal........It is surprising that just a single night shift can significantly impair glucose tolerance and increase insulin levels,"

mrshudson813

I work early morning. I usually go to work at 2AM and get home around noon. I'm usually never up for 24 hours straight, but I almost always push the 20 hour mark. For me, I reset my eating after I sleep (more than a nap). If I get up at 12:30AM for work, I start my calories for the day, even if I just had dinner at 8:00PM. Usually I am STARVING because as you probably know, lack of sleep always makes you crave food! So, good luck in your journey and hopefully it all works out for you! I feel your pain!

kristieshannon

I work night shift too. The key for me is planning ahead, and packing all my food-both meals and snacks. I work 7pm-7:30am. I eat what I track as "lunch" prior to leaving for work, around 5pm. I bring a snack I usually eat around 9pm, then eat "dinner" around midnight or 1am. I pack breakfast as well, which I eat around 5:30am. When I get home I'm ready to go straight to bed, don't need to plan time to eat plus my meal has had a chance to digest prior to laying down.

TardisMom

I set my meals as before work, after work, and at work instead of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and when I am up 24 stints or longer I will sometimes log some of my calories as the next day if I know that day I will be sleeping for more hours and therefore eating less. I keep my calories as a weekly goal instead of a daily one and I find as long as I am under for the week I still lose weight.

lauren3101

Does anyone works third shift? I need to have a balance for meal planning when I am up for the day at school and go to work at night. This is a struggle because sometime I am up for 24 hours straight and I don't know how to calculate my calories during this time. Usually it's a reset button after you sleep! Does anyone work third shift and have advice on creating a balance for dieting??

ANYTHING WILL HELP! Thanks.

Keep pushing on MFP!

I don't work these shifts, but they sound hard!

If it was me, I would break up your calories as and when you need them. Ultimately, all you need to lose weight is a weekly deficit, so I would look at it as a weekly calorie amount rather than daily, as your days obviously vary so much. So, for days that you are up for 24 hours, eat more. For normal days, eat less.

Someone on my friends list does kind of like alternate day fasting, so one day he will eat at TDEE, the next TDEE - 40%. This gives him an overall weekly deficit of - 20% to lose 1lb a week. This might be good for you, as on your 24 hour days you can pre plan to eat at TDEE, so you get more calories.

Hope this helps.