Nursing Extender Working Night Shift Hours

mjmoran58
mjmoran58 Posts: 2
in Introduce Yourself
Hello! I am new to this site. I was wondering if anyone else is struggling with adjusting their calories/exercises with an uncommon work schedule. I work 7PM to 7AM. Should I start my calorie counting from the start of my shift and continue on as if that is my breakfast time? Will I need to adjust again during my off days? Just a little confused as to how I should be successfully doing this. I would appreciate any help or suggestions on this issue. Thanks. :)

Replies

  • cocolicious2
    cocolicious2 Posts: 72 Member
    I am also a nurse and that is what shift I work also. I have been trying to figure this out to. I tend to go by a 24-hr time clock starting at midnight. So for me I wake up about 4pm and get ready for work. I call breakfast what I eat before work, usually around 6pm-ish. I try to eat a snack around 10pm and then I dont usually eat until the next day. I eat lunch at work around 2am and a log that as my lunch on here. I kind of miss a meal because of the 12-hour shifts so you need to still eat enough calories with the other meals. This is how I do it for now. I will keep tabs of this post to see if there is a better answer.

    exp.
    1-16-13
    lunch at 0200
    snack at 0500
    home to sleep 0800
    breakfast at 1800
    snack/dinner at 2200

    Hope this helps
  • EsaP1
    EsaP1 Posts: 8 Member
    I am also a nurse, working night shift. I have found that tracking everything from midnight to midnight works best for me. What I mean is, say Monday when I get up, I'll start tracking and continue until midnight. I will complete my entries for Monday and anything I eat or drink at work will count for Tuesday. Hope this helps.
  • iryshjones
    iryshjones Posts: 79 Member
    i work 12hrs too. i don't differentiate btwn the days. If I am working nights I start counting in the morning like any other day. On my first night shift my calories can be a little high because i am usually up part of the day but i just make a note. same for coming off nights - my calories are lower because I sleep half the day away :) it all works out at the end of the week. Don't over think it ... just log each day as it is. I found it helps to eat backwards on nights. I eat my big meal (dinner) first then lunch then breakfast near the end of the shift since I go to bed soon after I get home I dont want anything big to eat that close to sleeping.and work is busier at the start of nights so I need more fuel then. I have my usual snacks in btwn meals. I try to walk on my lunch breaks - we get 2 1 hr breaks. and sometimes I will walk before I get ready for work , anywhere btwn 30-60 mins depending on how motivated I am. I save the intense stuff for days off. I hope you find some of this useful - I think I got a little carried away :)
  • EsaP1
    EsaP1 Posts: 8 Member
    Also an easy way to track walking during your shift, invest in a pedometer. I work on a 30-bed surgical unit and usually average 9,000-12,000 steps a night. That's 4-6.5 miles.

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