Night Shifters....

Vansy
Vansy Posts: 419 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm switching to night shift (6AM - 6PM) next week [yes, as in two days from now lol]. I'm also going back to school starting next week [yikes].

Anyway, I was curious how you other night shifters handle your eating schedule -- do you just reverse it and do all your normal meals spread out over night or do you alter it a bit. I'm completely unsure of when I should eat. On the one hand I could fast all day when I'm in school and/or sleeping; but then on my "off work" days I'll be all sorts of screwed up with trying to fast while I'm awake and doing things.

Anyway, any ideas would help. Thanks.

Replies

  • paj315
    paj315 Posts: 335 Member
    I'm assuming you mean 6pm to 6am? I work 7p-7a every Saturday and Sunday and I'm up all day Saturday before I work so it's inevitable that on Saturdays I will eat more calories than usual because I'm awake 24 hours in a row and I can't go with out eating. I'm probably also burning more calories too so I don't worry about it too much. I tend to track my food from sleep to sleep just like I would do on a regular day.
  • trudyblender
    trudyblender Posts: 24 Member
    I don't like fasting. From what I have read, it could slow your metabolism. Plus, if you're like me, then waiting too long to eat will cause you to become more tempted to cheat. When I am starving, I crave hamburgers, fries, pizza, cake...When I pace my eating every few hours and have only minor hunger pangs, I am more likely to feel satisfied eating healthy snacks.

    I would pace your eating like you would any other day, perhaps trying to eat small meals every few hours from the time you wake until 2 hours before you go to bed. Bringing snacks to eat at school or work (if you're allowed) would be helpful in this too.

    Anyhoo. Hope this helped!
  • trudyblender
    trudyblender Posts: 24 Member
    Oh, and don't over-work yourself! Healthy sleeping habits are crucial to weight loss success...and sanity ;)
  • Vansy
    Vansy Posts: 419 Member
    Oops, yeah..meant to put 6PM-6AM.

    Good idea, healthy snacks -- maybe more vegetables for snacking on my super long days (although they get boring). I'll try small meals every few hours (kind of doing that now) -- just going to be strange for the first few weeks while I adjust [physically/mentally].

    As my dad would say I'll be "burning the candle at both ends" this winter/spring. But will try to make sure I at least am getting enough sleep everyday -- I know how important that is!

    Thanks for the help guys
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    This last semester I worked Monday and Tuesday night (2130-0630) and then had school the next day. Not fun at all, but possible. Invest in a good alarm clock, though. ;)

    When I worked full time overnights, I did it every 24 hours. I would bring a lunch and 2 small snacks with me that I'd eat during my shift, go to bed right away and wake up in the evening for a small snack and head to the gym. Come home and have dinner, do it all over again.

    That being said, I was never really "into" having multiple snacks because it always felt like I couldn't have a lot for dinners, so now instead I stockpile my calories for later in the day (having a somewhat big lunch, small snack, and then a big dinner) and then I'm not hungry at all for work! No bringing dishes or tupperware containers (which always get forgotten in my car because I'm so tired :p). I can usually ride that big dinner all the way through the next day for lunch and I'm not hungry (about 16 hours). Plus, then I don't have to worry about waking up early to have breakfast before school (sleep was so precious last semester, I'd get home around 0630 and have to be up for to leave for class at 0900, the less I had to wake up early the better).

    Whichever way you choose, good luck! Overnights aren't for everyone, but there is a great message board here where we all hang out to keep each other awake. :)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820755-official-nightshift-thread?page=20

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