Any settings I can change or just going to estimate?

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popo312
popo312 Posts: 78 Member
in Getting Started
Here is my issue, I work a funny schedule. I work two weeks of days and two weeks of nights. To make matters more difficult I don't stay on a night shift schedule when on nights. I got off at 7 this morning and got up at noon. I'll go to bed between 10-12 tonight. Obviously I'm not going to eat my 1800 calories in ten hours as that would be way to much for the time period. Working days MFP is easy but when I'm on the night shift rotation it's going to be a little harder approach.

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  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
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    I am not sure what settings you'd like to change...

    but it should be quite easy to fit 1800 cals into a 10hr day. You can munch on yummy, calorie dense foods like nuts, avocado, cheese, peanut butter, pizza, pasta, you'll be there in one seating :)

    If you don't want to stuff yourself like this, just rotate it. Say on night shift days you will eat 1600 but you will make up for it on the other days. What's important is not to be perfectly on spot every day, but when you look at your weekly overview, the daily average should be more or less at 1800.

    Hope this helps
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,230 Member
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    Why is 1800 too much for a 10hr period? I ate close to 1500 in under an hour yesterday.

    But to provide something useful-maybe just log by a midnight to midnight deal regardless of which schedule you're working?
  • popo312
    popo312 Posts: 78 Member
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    My thought process is that 1800 would be to much since I wouldn't be burning as much as I wouldn't be conscious burning those calories. Midnight to midnight doesn't work because it just varies on the day whether I eat lunch before or after which would add an additional meal to a day. The main thing is I thought 1800 would be to much since I wouldn't be burning as much.

    In general I have been struggling to hit the calorie number eating healthy without going sky high in fat. It's been a challenge and continues to be a work in progress. It was a lot easier eating Big Macs and fries.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,230 Member
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    Your body is burning calories 24/7-unless you are dead. You burn calories while you're sleeping. Meal timing is irrelevant - many people (myself included) eat right up til we go to sleep. That 1500 I are in an hour was the hour before I went to bed. Eat whenever it works for you. Just maintain a calorie deficit to lose.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    Not sure if this would solve your problem, but you could go to "Diary Settings" and rename the meals to something more like time periods (e.g., instead of "Breakfast", call it "Midnight to 4 AM", etc.).. You can have up to 6 named "meals". Then keep an eye on your weekly average -- as long as you're averaging in your target range, all good.
  • handyandy9x
    handyandy9x Posts: 93 Member
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    I also work shifts, presently working midnight / midnight shift, getting up at 9pm.. having breakfast then, I just log food as I eat it..
  • popo312
    popo312 Posts: 78 Member
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    OK, guess I was overthinking it. Thanks guys.

    Not sure if this would solve your problem, but you could go to "Diary Settings" and rename the meals to something more like time periods (e.g., instead of "Breakfast", call it "Midnight to 4 AM", etc.).. You can have up to 6 named "meals". Then keep an eye on your weekly average -- as long as you're averaging in your target range, all good.

    That doesn't bother me. I just log as I eat. If it says I had a fish and salad for breakfast I don't care. May look a little odd to those looking at my diary but it is what it is.
  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
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    My thought process is that 1800 would be to much since I wouldn't be burning as much as I wouldn't be conscious burning those calories. Midnight to midnight doesn't work because it just varies on the day whether I eat lunch before or after which would add an additional meal to a day. The main thing is I thought 1800 would be to much since I wouldn't be burning as much.

    In general I have been struggling to hit the calorie number eating healthy without going sky high in fat. It's been a challenge and continues to be a work in progress. It was a lot easier eating Big Macs and fries.

    Dietary fat has nothing to do with whether or not you put on fat, unless you consistently eat above your maintenace calories. make sure you hit your protein goal first (1g/lb of lean body mass or 0.8g per pound of bodyweight) and then eat whatever you want. Fat is good for hromone control and nutrient absorbtion.

    Also your body is not a machine that resets everynight. If today you eat 2000 but only burn 1500 and tomorrow you eat 1600 but burn 2100 it evens out.
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Your body is burning calories 24/7-unless you are dead. You burn calories while you're sleeping. Meal timing is irrelevant - many people (myself included) eat right up til we go to sleep. That 1500 I are in an hour was the hour before I went to bed. Eat whenever it works for you. Just maintain a calorie deficit to lose.

    Spot on. Eat when you like. It's doesn't make a difference.

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