Shift changes

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stschulz
stschulz Posts: 340
in Health and Weight Loss
I am a little puzzled how work and changing shifts impacts my calorie counting
I work nights. 12 and eight hour shifts. I decided easiest would be to treat a day as what is a day for me. So I start counting with breakfast at 5 pm. Or 9 pm. works ok while I am working, 'cause I sleep most of the rest.
Problem starts after my last shift. I finished my "day" at 8 am in the morning and go to sleep. Usually some time that night I get up. Now I have used my calories from the previous "day". I sleep a little or am awake, depends how tired I am. The following day I am awake during the day. Which means I would eat something in between and breakfeast in the am.

I know, sounds stupid. But somehow that does not work well.

Maybe I should count 24 hr periods regardless whether my day is at night or not.

Any advise?

Replies

  • stschulz
    stschulz Posts: 340
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    I am a little puzzled how work and changing shifts impacts my calorie counting
    I work nights. 12 and eight hour shifts. I decided easiest would be to treat a day as what is a day for me. So I start counting with breakfast at 5 pm. Or 9 pm. works ok while I am working, 'cause I sleep most of the rest.
    Problem starts after my last shift. I finished my "day" at 8 am in the morning and go to sleep. Usually some time that night I get up. Now I have used my calories from the previous "day". I sleep a little or am awake, depends how tired I am. The following day I am awake during the day. Which means I would eat something in between and breakfeast in the am.

    I know, sounds stupid. But somehow that does not work well.

    Maybe I should count 24 hr periods regardless whether my day is at night or not.

    Any advise?
  • vldowd
    vldowd Posts: 74 Member
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    I also work rotating shifts and log my food according to my sleeping times. I usually have a cut off time for when I normally go to bed. :yawn: Such as Swing Shift is 0200 and Graves is 0800. I created an additional category for Nights for logging my food consumed during the wee hours. I usually just make a comment under food notes for odd hours worked. At times, I will work 16 hours in the same 24 hour period so the logging can get kind of wild. On my changeover days I don't worry too much if I go over a little, I usually make up for it on the following day.
  • stschulz
    stschulz Posts: 340
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    I'm glad to see I am not alone with that.
    Not worry to much about eat over is a plan. Best solution so far.
    Maybe try to get some extra exercise, but that is kinda hard too after working 4 days with 2 twelves in a row.
  • Newman4AU
    Newman4AU Posts: 35
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    I have also worked nights/ and rotated out every month. It is almost impossible to match your intake to a normal schedule. The best thing that worked for me, is to treat every day according to your sleep schedule, not a 24 hour calendar. One big key - no matter how tired and hungry- don't eat big and go to sleep.

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