Working Shift Work and Daily Calories

MerBear1985
MerBear1985 Posts: 131
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I have started to notice some weird trends as I take a good look at my eating habits. I work rotating shifts so I work two 12 hour nights then a day off then two 12 hour days then a few days off. I seem to always be more hungry near the end of my shift and end up going over my calories for the day...even though I make healthy choices.

I have varied the foods that I eat and when I eat them, but still hungry. For instance, this morning I ate the following at

12:00-12:30am
- Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (More chicken than Alfredo)
- Apple
- 20g Goldfish Crackers
- Fibre 1 Oats and Chocolate Bar

4:30-5:00am:
- 1 cup grapes
- 1 cup cherries
- 2 Babybel light cheese wheels
- 100g Yogurt

You would think this would last me for a while right? Well it's now 7:15am and I have been hungry for a good 30-45min already. Like, grumbling in my tummy hungry. I have also been drinking water since I started my shift last night. The trouble is I can't get to sleep when I am hungry and if I drink more water I will be up every hour having to pee. The same thing happens to me at the end of a day shift...I work 9 to 9 so I would get up around 6:30-7am for days and not get to bed till after 10-11.

I am at my wits end and don't know what to do because some days I don't have time to get to the gym or outside, to get extra calories, and still sleep thanks to these weird shifts. Any advice would be appreciated...or am I just going to have to deal with using up my daily calories on my work shifts and having nothing left for my last meal of the day?

Thanks
Mer

Replies

  • 140lbgoal
    140lbgoal Posts: 19
    I work evening shift, 6pm-2:30am and for years I have not been able to lose weight by counting calories. I actually gained 15 on Weight Watchers in one month! I decided to forget about calories and do low carb. My first month I lost 24 pounds and now I am losing about a pound a week. I sleep better and have more energy than when I was counting calories. I now have 4 coworkers exercising with me in the employee gym during our 30 minute lunch break. We use one of our 15 minute breaks to eat our dinner which consists of vegetables, fruits and meats. I am allowed 165 carbohydrates according to MFP, but I don't even come close because I eat so well that I am not hungry. Try it, if you don't like it after a week, go back to counting calories. Good Luck!
  • MerBear1985
    MerBear1985 Posts: 131
    I work evening shift, 6pm-2:30am and for years I have not been able to lose weight by counting calories. I actually gained 15 on Weight Watchers in one month! I decided to forget about calories and do low carb. My first month I lost 24 pounds and now I am losing about a pound a week. I sleep better and have more energy than when I was counting calories. I now have 4 coworkers exercising with me in the employee gym during our 30 minute lunch break. We use one of our 15 minute breaks to eat our dinner which consists of vegetables, fruits and meats. I am allowed 165 carbohydrates according to MFP, but I don't even come close because I eat so well that I am not hungry. Try it, if you don't like it after a week, go back to counting calories. Good Luck!

    So when you say low carb, do you count the carbs or just get rid of stuff like bread, rice, pasta etc? I am pretty dependent on carbs...but at this point I will give anything a go!
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