Night shift workers and how do you eat when you are working?

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cindycrn40
cindycrn40 Posts: 27
in Health and Weight Loss
I am just curious of those of you out there that work night shift and how you log your food and how and what times do you eat. I find people who eat big meals at work are usually over weight or struggling with weight versus the ones that one do not eat or eat small light snacks. I try to eat dinner before I go to work and do not eat carbs past midnight and stick with light snacks if I do eat like veggies, fruit, light yogurt. However, I have some nights that I am STARVING and find myself nibbling on crackers and peanut butter which is a no no (white flour nasty crackers) or starving when I get home before I go to bed. Any suggestions and I am curious about what other night shift workers do to stay skinny or trying to lose weight.

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  • Sparlingo
    Sparlingo Posts: 938 Member
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    No real answers for you yet, because I'm still on maternity leave, but I'm thinking what I'll do for my night stretches is something like this:

    Allot most of my calories to supper/breakfast (bookends the 12 hour shift). Figure out how many snacking calories that gives me for the night, and build my snacks around that. I plan to not eat all of the snacks if I'm not hungry, but to eat them if I am.

    What I plan on bringing in my lunch case (some combination of):

    - A hard boiled egg
    - slivered almonds
    - Greek yogurt
    - roasted edamame beans
    - measured out hummus, tzatziki or PB to eat with veggies or fruit
    - homemade granola (only bringing measured servings)
    - lots of veg (obviously) and fruit
    - cooked sliced chicken breast

    Basically, I'm going to concentrate on spacing out protein and fiber through the night. If I need carbs, instead of heading for the vending machine, I might put in a "dessert" snack of one all bran bar.

    Some nights I need more, and some nights I need less. So I might look at my 4-night stretches as a block and let myself eat over some nights and under on others without stressing.

    I'm putting money on protein being the key to feeling better when I eat on nights.
  • Trauma_mama
    Trauma_mama Posts: 42
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    I eat dinner at home before I come to work. Just had a snack a bowl of strawberries, I grab breakfast from the cafateria before I leave in the morning. Usually eggs and oatmeal.
  • katiedidit1
    katiedidit1 Posts: 39 Member
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    My husband works the grave yard shift. He eats a 200 to 300 cal breakfast when he gets home at about 8:30am. Then sleeps. He gets up at 7:30pm we have dinner that usually ranges from 400 to 600 cal. He packs two "snacks" like an ounce of cheese, some fruit, greek yougurt, and then a lunch which is sometimes what I had had for lunch I'll make two or he'll take a frozen left over "dinner" that I freeze. He also usually takes a three cup romaine lettuce salad with lite dressing.

    He also keeps a couple of packets of 1oz. almonds on hand so if he's hungry on his way home he'll snack on those instead of stopping at a grocery store and getting a doughnut.

    We changed our eating habits in the middle of October and he's already lost about 30lbs. (I'm so proud of him!) It can be a bit challenging but its really do able. I mean if he can do this I really think anyone can:)

    Be sure your drinking lots of water too!
    Hope this helps a little. Blessings!
  • Mutant13
    Mutant13 Posts: 2,485 Member
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    I work a 12 hour night shift.

    I eat breakfast when I wake up, another light meal and (if I've lifted that day) a protein shake, once at work I have 4 small meals three hours apart. Then when I get home I will sometimes have a piece of fruit if I am hungry before going to bed.

    A typical work "day" for me looks like this

    2pm- breakfast- veggie omelette, peanut butter with banana on wheat toast and coffee
    3pm-gym
    4 30pm- protein shake, tuna and crackers
    630pm (now at work)- an apple and 10 almonds, some trail mix
    930pm- chicken breast and veggies
    1230am- a light wrap with ham, veggies and egg, some peanut butter
    330am- thin wheat bread with PB, banana and honey
    0630am some fruit or nuts
    0730 am Asleep!
  • SmilingRn56
    SmilingRn56 Posts: 15 Member
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    I usually start counting my day when I get home from work. That's breakfast. Usually oatmeal or a 300 calorie serving of Sausage breakfast rolls (a recipe I got from Cooking Light magazine...I make a batch,,2 rolls is a serving..get 6 servings per batch)
    I drink water with that, and keep a large 1 liter glass on my nightstand and drink when I get up. I usually wake up between 230 and 4pm depending on how hectic my night was. Then I make a large "lunch" which is my dominant meal. I try to set up a crock pot before I go to sleep in the morning, so my linner (lunch/dinner)..is ready for me. Didn't do that yesterday though because I have leftovers in the fridge. I will set it up today in the morning when I go home.. have a cornish hen thawing in the fridge and have organic carrots, parsnips, and cauliflower to put with it. Probably will have a salad with that.
    Then for work I pack yogurt, cut up vegetables, almonds in a snack size bag, apple, clementines, and i also bring a Lean Cuisine Pizza in case I'm really hungry. We have a fridge with a freezer here, so I can keep stuff for emergencies. Since I just started on this site, will see how this will work out. May have to tweak it a bit.... don't know yet.
  • fotofreak01
    fotofreak01 Posts: 397 Member
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    My day starts when I wake up, it's the only way I can keep it straight in my head...lol. I work 4 10 hour shifts, on mids. On my RDO's, I go to a normal person schedule, which is weird, I know. Here's what I do:

    Days I work:
    wake up sometime between noon and 2 -- I have my coffee and breakfast here. Or within an hour of waking up.

    Couple hours later -- IF I am hungry, I'll eat something. I'm typically not but will eat a yogurt anyway simply because they are yummy and I have a hard time getting my calories in on some days.

    Go to work about 9pm -- I always take a gigantic salad to work with me. And whatever else I feel like eating that night. I will eat my main meal usually within 2 hours of work. I also have healthy snack foods with me because I dispatch and boredom makes me eat. I will again eat something about 3 am. The sandwich or whatever else I brought with me.

    Off work 7am -- I go home, chill for 30 minutes and then go to bed.

    On these days, I count my meals as the following day. For example, if it is Monday night, all my calories go on Tuesday because I like the day to be correct when I finish logging.

    On my RDO's, I eat like all those normal day walkers do...lol. It seems really confusing, but it is the only way I have been able to make sense of it myself. I guess, working day shift for so many years, my day always started after I woke up? Not sure. Anyway, I hope this helps. After reading it, I'm not sure it will...lol. I have been looking for fellow night shifters so feel free to add me.
  • wcasie
    wcasie Posts: 299 Member
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    I am a traditionalist... whenever I eat my first meal, that is breakfast. I usually stick to a nightshift routine even on my nights off. The earliest I usually get up is noon. So I count mine as breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks no matter what time. It is easier to keep track of 3 meals rather than times for me since they almost always change. how ever if i am working, my 7 am last meal or "dinner" is on tuesday night/wednesday morning. So no matter what my day runs wake up to bed time no matter what time that is. wow that is confusing lol i hope it makes sense to you!
  • KaseyWolf
    KaseyWolf Posts: 122 Member
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    I found three sites that helped me make some adjustments

    http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/nutrition-tips-for-night-shift-workers.aspx

    http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Workplace-wellness/Nutrition-Tips-for-Shift-Workers

    http://www.askfitnesscoach.com/working-the-night-shift-exercise-might-help-you-adjust/
  • lovingrn
    lovingrn Posts: 27 Member
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    I track my Caloric Intake from Midnight to Midnight. You can see on my diary how my meals are spaced out. Work nights I eat Work lunch, Work breakfast, and Dinner. Days off I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

    Work lunch-0100
    Work breakfast-0500
    Breakfast
    Lunch
    Dinner
    Snacks
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
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    Prepare all your meals beforehand or use meal replacements if you do not have time...log it all as usual. As long as the food fits your macros and calorie allowance that is all that matters.
  • cindycrn40
    cindycrn40 Posts: 27
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    Good Job! Mutant13! I wish I could right to sleep when I get home. Part of my problem is not getting enought sleep!
  • cindycrn40
    cindycrn40 Posts: 27
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    Thanks KaseyWolf! I have been looking everywhere for night shift worker help! I hear it slows are metabolism down! :-(
  • Auds48
    Auds48 Posts: 1
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    Hi worked night shift for 5 years I ate my lunch during the night small snack and had my breakfast when I went home in morning with kids getting up for school and had our family dinner together about 6 so as your still having our 3 meals a day
  • KaseyWolf
    KaseyWolf Posts: 122 Member
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    I have really tried to pack my lunch, include "munchie" foods to help me keep going without snacking on bad things. One of my favs is "chip and dip" where I make a mixture of homemade salsa (or the natural store brand without additives) and add either 1/4 cup of greek yogurt or even canned salmon. Then pack also carrot chips and celery to munch on my dip with. I add grapes, measure out some almonds at times. Recently I made my own instant hot chocolate mix that is unsweetened, made primarily from dark chocolate cocoa.

    Living alone, I need to work hard at making sure I make prepared rather than grab on the way foods. I find I do much better, feel much better when I do.
  • KaseyWolf
    KaseyWolf Posts: 122 Member
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    Prepare all your meals beforehand or use meal replacements if you do not have time...log it all as usual. As long as the food fits your macros and calorie allowance that is all that matters.
    I think so too. Overall weight loss happens from a 3500 cal deficit a week. I count my 24 hrs basically 6am to the next 6am. So, when I pack my meals for work, that counts on the day I go in, even if I eat after midnight. As long as you have a consistent way of doing it and logging it...who is to say it is wrong or right? Whichever works best for you and that you are able to keep up with and see what you actually are doing.

    I think the biggest set back is the munching we do when we are tired, trying to stay awake, make it through the night. You grab that pack of saltines, or graham crackers, etc...and forget to log it in.

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