What day do I count the calories on?

Tabbiatha

Hi ,

Right now my eating habits are all crazy with insomnia; So now I need to know if I eat after midnight, do I count those calories for the day I am still awake, or do I count them on the new day? I'm only getting a usual four hours sleep a day, and this can be broken into two hour shifts.

schro151

Don't count days by the hours, but by when you sleep. The time between when you wake up and when you finally go to sleep should count as one day. I used to work the night shift, so I know all about having to figure out when to calculate things. Good luck with maintaining your diet!

chgudnitz

It doesn't matter. If you're over 100 on Thursday and under 100 on Friday, you're still the same. Just count it somewhere.

Lyadeia

Why aren't you getting enough sleep? I would see if you could work on getting more sleep before worrying about all this other stuff.

But for logging calories, if I am still awake on the same day that I logged other calories, even if the clock says it is the next day, I put it in on the same day and count the next day as when I get up from my bed again.

I have to do this daily since I work third shift. Like right now, I went in to work on Thursday night, getting off on Friday morning. Lunch was before going in to work, dinner will be technically the next day, but I count it as the same day since I am still awake for the same 16 hours, even if it is different calendar days.

Gosh, after re-reading that, it sounds confusing. I hope you aren't confused. :bigsmile:

sbusarah

Generally you would want to start at midnight. However, if you find using another 24 hour time period would work for example 6 am to 6am then go for it. The important thing is that you chart what you eat for each 24 hours. That's my take on it anyway...

angdan31

I've worked night shift for over 20 years. The other posters are correct. Just pick a 24 hour period and stick with it. If it makes more sense to you to go from midnight to midnight, do it. If it makes sense for you go 6 am to 6 am, do that. You might be putting your calories into different time slots on your days off due to your changing sleep schedule but you can still get an accurate count. I never worry about putting my calories in specific time slots anyway. I've got it broken down into four 6 hour time slots but I don't always follow that. I just try to eat something every 2-3 hours and log the calories as I eat them. As long as you're logging your calories you'll get there.

Tabbiatha

Thank you everyone.. I just wanted to confirm what I was doing..

AmandaR910

As long as you're consistent I don't think it matters.