Any other shift workers confused how to enter food??

maybemarina
maybemarina Posts: 24 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I work 7 pm to 3 am... my BodyMedia armband records activity in a 24-hour period from midnight to midnight, but I do not know how to property record my food with MFP! Should I just log the food I eat from when I wake up til when I go to sleep again, or should I log everything in the same period as the BodyMedia logs the exercise? I am so confused! I don't want inaccurate results as far as how many calories I really burn..

Replies

  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    I work nights as well, 11pm-7am. I simply log midnight to midnight. It's what works for me.
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,159 Member
    I work 7P to 7A. I log calories midnight to midnight since MFP resets at that time and it's just easier. Also, I changed the meal titles to 6 hour blocks, 12 - 6, 6-12 etc, rather than try to figure out if my meal break, usually around 1 or 2 is breakfast or dinner or whatever.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I work 8:45pm to 7am. I log from when I wake up around 4pm to when I go to bed around 9am in the same day. I've done this for 5 years now and it works just fine. If it really bugs you, you can change your time zone in the different apps or gadgets to something that mimics a "normal" first shift day.
  • tami101
    tami101 Posts: 617 Member
    I work 9pm to 8am and midnight to midnight works best for me. I also changed the names of my meals to time blocks like another poster said above. You just have to figure out which way works best for you. =)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I log from when I wake up until I go to sleep. It really doesn make a difference, it all evens out. The key is to be consistent.
  • hhayes06
    hhayes06 Posts: 189 Member
    I log from the time I wake til the time I go to bed for each day, wether I am working or not. I also log my exercise that way. Some days are short and others are long since I flip my sleep around but it all evens out at the end of the week. Play around with it for the next week and see what keeps things straight for you. 24 hours is 24 hours no matter what time you are awake.
  • sloanranger55
    sloanranger55 Posts: 108 Member
    Hiya I work night shift and log

    12 am till 8am
    breakfast
    dinner
    tea
    8pm till 12 am
    snacks and drinks.

    I log in the appropriate time slot what i eat or drink

    good luck x
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    I work 8:30pm-8:30am. 24 hours is 24 hours no matter how you look at it. I have my food diary split up into time segments and Ilog my food into the time slot that I ate it, being sure to not go over my goal for the 24 hour time period.
    8am-12pm
    12pm-4pm
    4pm-8pm
    8pm-12am
    12am-4am
    4am-8am

    Or whatever works for you. No need to complicate it. My diary is always open but I currently have the flu so don't judge.
  • delonda1
    delonda1 Posts: 525 Member
    I work 8:30pm-8:30am. 24 hours is 24 hours no matter how you look at it. I have my food diary split up into time segments and Ilog my food into the time slot that I ate it, being sure to not go over my goal for the 24 hour time period.
    8am-12pm
    12pm-4pm
    4pm-8pm
    8pm-12am
    12am-4am
    4am-8am

    Or whatever works for you. No need to complicate it. My diary is always open but I currently have the flu so don't judge.


    exactly how i break mine up.
  • RooBug88
    RooBug88 Posts: 55 Member
    I work 10p-7am and I generally just log midnight to midnight, because that's what works for me. I also try to "pre-log" as much as I can, and I'm seeing steady results. As long as you are consistent in however you log and you're staying under your target intake and burning calories through some kind of activity, you will likely see results. Just figure out what works for you and stick to it, consistency is key! Good luck! Feel free to add me, I'm online daily and I'm up at all those crazy hours of the night for some late night/early morning encouragement!
  • Labrae90
    Labrae90 Posts: 36
    I work 10p - 6a and I do the midnight to midnight also.

    I seem to feel comfortable eating my breakfast at 1:30am when I take my lunch break. I do have a snack before bedtime (nothing heavy) to hold me over til I wake up which is usually around 2pm. ((sometimes 3, just depends))

    Then I hit up my lunch around 4pm and then I eat my dinner around 8 or 9 pm.

    But from what I seen, everyone above me has the right idea... :)
    I've worked nights my whole life.... and I have played around with my food journal now... so maybe once you find something you like, sticking to it won't be a problem at all.

    Good luck!
  • Sjenny5891
    Sjenny5891 Posts: 717 Member
    I work 10p to 6:30a. I log my day from 10p to 10p because if I don't complete my day before I go to work or bed I will forget. My pedomoter runs from 12a to 12a also (unfortunately runs with my clock so no changing it there)

    I just run that as my exercise for the day. Like the previous poster said, it evens out in the long run..... and if I log it short it doesn't hurt too much.
  • maybemarina
    maybemarina Posts: 24 Member
    .... My pedomoter runs from 12a to 12a also (unfortunately runs with my clock so no changing it there) ......

    That's what my main concern is; my BodyMedia armband measures a 24-hr cycle from midnight to midnight, so when I get my workout in sometimes at 10pm, and sometimes at 2am, depending on the shift I'm working that day.. on one day it shows I didn't burn ANY calories working out, and the next that I burned 2x as much when it was actually just during different hours in "MY" day... so I'm afraid the calorie logging isn't accurate. I don't log the exercise w/ MFY, the armband does it automatically for me.

    I guess I'll just have to see how it all averages out over a few weeks' time. Thanks for your suggestions and input, everyone!

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