Do you work nights?!?

135

Replies

  • boomrain
    boomrain Posts: 74 Member
    I used to work nights and I would wake up to eat dinner with my honey, had lunch about 2am and then breakfast before I went to bed about 8:30. Also i would snack in between. It was hard and I gained like 30lbs

    Yeah I have been working nights for almost two years now and in a year and a half I gained 40 pounds, ugh!!
  • typingathome
    typingathome Posts: 100 Member
    I work 11 pm to 7 am typing medical reports at home. Add me if you like. The more friends the better!
  • boomrain
    boomrain Posts: 74 Member
    I love working nights. But they are hard for me food-wise. Although being at work is better than the alternative... I'm afraid that if I were home at night, I'd eat the whole fridge!! When I'm at work, I can only eat what I brought! I'm glad most of the restaurants around my place close early so that I can't swing by before work. :) My willpower leaves a bit to be desired at this point, although the more weight I lose and feel my body changing, the less I want foods that are going to slow the progress.
    I am not good at getting up in the afternoon to exercise (or clean house or anything else for that matter), but I'm pretty good to go in the mornings after work. I usually get a little exercise in then. And when I get a few minutes alone at work, I keep weights in my work area and I do some strength training in between calls (fortunately it's not usually busy).

    Try not to tempt yourself by having the "bad" but probably delicious foods in your house. Fill your fridge and pantry with everything that's good for you so that if you want to snack, it's good for you. Laughing Cow cheese spread on reduced fat wheat thins is soooo good I FEEL like I'm cheating, but I'm not :) try it!! Your willpower will get better, like you said, as you start to see more results.
  • Jjw1125
    Jjw1125 Posts: 17 Member
    I work a rotating 12 hour night shift. Makes it hard to eat sometimes. That's really only problem I have.
  • boomrain
    boomrain Posts: 74 Member
    I work a rotating 12 hour night shift. Makes it hard to eat sometimes. That's really only problem I have.

    Yeah and not eating can be just as bad as eating all the wrong things. I feel you!
  • neiceemary
    neiceemary Posts: 20
    I also work overnights 11-7 part time so I work 2 on 3 off 2 on 2 off...it can be hard!
  • I work from 12-9pm or later depending on my boss I consider that nights, thats why I do most of my workouts at night so I can sleep longer in the mornings.
  • boomrain
    boomrain Posts: 74 Member
    I also work overnights 11-7 part time so I work 2 on 3 off 2 on 2 off...it can be hard!
    [/quote

    Yeah that can be hard!!! The ONE thing I can appreciate about my night schedule is that I work the same one every week do I have a routine down. It makes things a tad easier.
  • boomrain
    boomrain Posts: 74 Member
    I work from 12-9pm or later depending on my boss I consider that nights, thats why I do most of my workouts at night so I can sleep longer in the mornings.

    Working out probably helps you sleep too!! :)
  • Laurielronic
    Laurielronic Posts: 61 Member
    I work Fri, Sat and Sun 7p-7a. I flip through the week. When I started I wasn't sure how to do my meals on the weekends and still not sure if I am doing it right. I seem to always go over on Monday due to the 2 or 3 am snack. I cannot go all shift without eating. I would completely pass out in the floor. Feel free to add me anyone.
  • 3:45 pm to 2 a.m. is my shift Sunday - Wednesday/Thursday. Go home get to bed around 3 a.m. maybe get up at 9:30ish a.m. so yeah i hear yeah. My hard part is actually telling myself sure I have time to work out when I'm exhausted from the moment I wake up, do daily chores, eat, and then get ready for work all over again.
  • boomrain
    boomrain Posts: 74 Member
    I work Fri, Sat and Sun 7p-7a. I flip through the week. When I started I wasn't sure how to do my meals on the weekends and still not sure if I am doing it right. I seem to always go over on Monday due to the 2 or 3 am snack. I cannot go all shift without eating. I would completely pass out in the floor. Feel free to add me anyone.

    Oh yeah, I definitely can't go the entire night without eating. I bring healthy snacks and plan what I'm going to eat ahead of time and factor that into my daily calorie intake.
  • boomrain
    boomrain Posts: 74 Member
    3:45 pm to 2 a.m. is my shift Sunday - Wednesday/Thursday. Go home get to bed around 3 a.m. maybe get up at 9:30ish a.m. so yeah i hear yeah. My hard part is actually telling myself sure I have time to work out when I'm exhausted from the moment I wake up, do daily chores, eat, and then get ready for work all over again.

    And working out when you're tired is so hard. I try to push myself but my body just can't take it when I'm exhausted like that. I know exactly what you mean.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    i used to work 11p to 7a. i loved it.
    my body still prefers to stay up all night and sleep all day.
  • Pip_squeak
    Pip_squeak Posts: 132 Member
    My body refuses to get used to night schedules.
  • boomrain
    boomrain Posts: 74 Member
    My body refuses to get used to night schedules.

    I don't think they can!! Our bodies have this...natural clock. I could never live in Alaska!! But it's even harder if you do nights like I do, for 3 nights and then go back to a regular schedule for 4 days, just to go back to nights for 3.
  • Pip_squeak
    Pip_squeak Posts: 132 Member
    @boomrain - The good thing is that I'm on nights for about a month and then switch back to days. So maybe this month of nights I'll get used to it.
  • boomrain
    boomrain Posts: 74 Member
    @boomrain - The good thing is that I'm on nights for about a month and then switch back to days. So maybe this month of nights I'll get used to it.

    Mmm...I wouldn't bank on that!! But I wish you all the best!!! :)
  • pinkprincess1952
    pinkprincess1952 Posts: 194 Member
    Well back for another night at the hospital... Patient sitting tonight, so no exercise :( any one got any ideas what I can do to burn calories while sitting?
  • I normally work 15:30-0:00, though I'm working 8:00-16:30 every other 2 weeks for two weeks at a time this summer, which is doing less-than-fantastic things to my sleep schedule. But, I'm also in college, so during the school year I have even harder time trying to carve out time for work outs or cooking decent healthy meals. I've actually found over the last few weeks that I prefer working nights in terms of exercise-- I'm a runner, so being able to run around 9 or 10 is nice because it's cooler! That said, does anyone have a favorite 24-hour gym? Once fall rolls around, a gym is going to be pretty much my only option for getting my runs in, no matter how much I dislike treadmills!
  • RUNN3Rmom
    RUNN3Rmom Posts: 441
    I'm an evening shift worker! Blah! I work 4-12... I would say most of us on the night work are in public safety or nursing? Am I right?!
  • pinkprincess1952
    pinkprincess1952 Posts: 194 Member
    My body refuses to get used to night schedules.

    How long you been working nights?
  • pinkprincess1952
    pinkprincess1952 Posts: 194 Member
    I'm an evening shift worker! Blah! I work 4-12... I would say most of us on the night work are in public safety or nursing? Am I right?!

    Im in Nursing
  • lorijh72
    lorijh72 Posts: 118 Member
    Hi there I'm Lori, nightshifter here 7p-7:30a 3 days a week but my norm is 5, I pick up a lot. Anyone interested in adding me please feel free dedication and support here but in return looking for support and dedication as well , hope to talk to ya soon! XoXo
  • nmhanna
    nmhanna Posts: 5
    Nites 4 10 hour shifts plus OT when avaiable. Do most people keep track from midnight to midnight or start the day when you wake up?
  • I work nights too and my husband is not a night worker so i have a hard time too. Working these kind of hours is when I started to realy put on the weight. I used to be active more during the day but now i sleep during the best parts of the day. I have been on these hours for 6 years now.
    I get home and some times have a very small breakfast with my husband but i go to bed right after their is my problem too. so I try not to eat when i get home i have a big glass of water then to bed so when i get up i have a smal breakfast and coffee trying black i am so used to creamer and sugar boy its hard.
  • babsbrack
    babsbrack Posts: 20
    My shifts vary but i work 9pm-7am and 5pm-3am and 3pm-1am, my shifts are on a cycle so i work nights most weeks, i return to work on Monday and it will be my first shift back after hols on mfp so im wondering how i will go. Not looking forward to nights either not sure when to reset my calorie intake.... is what i eat at night from the next days total???

    feel free to add me :) and best of luck
  • laxwyo
    laxwyo Posts: 192 Member
    I work 7 night shifts and 7 day shifts In a month. Not too bad, but the boredom is killing me right now. Coffee is my friend.
  • herownkindofwonderfull
    herownkindofwonderfull Posts: 307 Member
    I work nights and it is definitely hard

    I work sun - thurs nights 10pm to 6am

    Heyyy we have the same schedule! ;)
  • herownkindofwonderfull
    herownkindofwonderfull Posts: 307 Member
    You guys will have to give me some of your food secrets for the nights and how you manage that with sleeping. I think I have a decent routine and eating schedule going on now, but I would like to learn how everyone else does it too!!


    Here is how I work it...

    I work 10pm-6am....

    3/4pm: Wake up
    4/5pm: Breakfast
    7/8pm: After Gym Snack
    10/11pm: Lunch
    1/2am: mid-work snack
    4/5am: Dinner
    6/7am: pre-bed protein
    7/8am: Sleep

    Keeps your metabolism up and I bring my food to work with me to make sure I eat healthy (which can be hard, because there is a full kitchen with all kinds of goodies that we are allowed to eat whenever - part of why I gained this weight in the first place!)

    ;P

    PS: tinfoil on the windows and/or an eye mask will be your BEST FRIEND. Make sure you sleep in a super dark environment. Better sleep means better weight loss... and keeps you healthy (melatonin levels up, etc.)