Crazy Work Hours

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McManda89
McManda89 Posts: 27
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello Everyone!

I have decided that it's time for a lifestyle change, and while I love the calorie tracker and exercise tracker, I was just wondering if ya'll could give me some advice on how to chart?

See, I usually have some weird work hours and often my days start at about 1pm and end somewhere around 3am the next day. Some days they last even until 8am the next day (Which would be why I sleep until about 1pm). How do you guys track your meals and such if you have a night-life? Because technically my breakfast is usually non-existent, my lunch is at 5pm - 6pm, and my dinner is at 12am - 1am. Sometimes I have a snack at 8pm - 9pm.

With that being said, according to MFP I would be having a meal VERY early in the morning and not eating again until 5pm that night.... Also, with a schedule like this, what would you guys recommend I do as far as exercise? I can't exercise until I get home so again around 12am - 1am... and again it would look like I exercise really early then nothing until 5pm :c

In my mind of course this is all one day. If it were a normal schedule I suppose it'd look something like this:

Get up at 7am. (1pm for me)
Go to work at 8am (2pm for me)
Have lunch at 12pm (6pm for me)
Get off work at 5pm (11pm for me)
Eat Supper at 6pm (12am for me)
Exercise at 7pm (1am for me)
Go to bed at 9pm (3am for me)

I know I should really be eating breakfast but often (like so many people) I am just rushing to work and don't have time to prepare myself a well-balanced meal, and I'd rather go without than go to McDonalds and grab a dripping-with-grease sausage biscuit.

If any one has some advice on how you would chart this kind of schedule please let me know. I want to be able to keep track of my calories and all that but I'm finding it difficult :c

Replies

  • cleback
    cleback Posts: 261 Member
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    I'd just track it when you can, in the category of your fancy. I'm a nurse, so I can totally relate on the crazy hours. All in all, it will even out in 24 hours. Just keep it consistent.


    PS I just got home from work, ate, and logged it as yesterday's intake.
  • McManda89
    McManda89 Posts: 27
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    Ohhh I see now you can log previous days as well!

    I work in an assisted living care facility. I'm not a nurse but a lot of people use this job in transition to CNA or LPN while still in school.
  • McManda89
    McManda89 Posts: 27
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    I suppose that does make sense, calories are calories no matter what time of day! Thanks for your input. c:
  • hhayes06
    hhayes06 Posts: 189 Member
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    I work midnights and I log from the time I get up to the time I go to bed as one day. I get up around 930pm and go to bed the next day around 130pm. Some people log midnight to midnight and that works for them. I also exercise first thing when I wake up so that goes on the same day as my food would. You can also change your diary settings to reflect time frames, instead of it being labeled breakfast, lunch and dinner have it labeled 00-04, 04-08, 08-1200, 1200-1600, 1600-2000, 2000-00. Your diary is for you, not for everyone else so as long as it makes sense to you then don't worry about how it looks to other people. Try logging a few different ways until you figure out what works best for you.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    24 hours is 24 hours. Doesn't matter 1 iota. You can change the names of the meals so the suit you better, if you want.

    this - as long as you are consistent with what time period you have as your 'day' it doesnt matter. you can change the names of the meals in your diary so that it is easier to remember (add times with them for example)
  • Bubblevixen
    Bubblevixen Posts: 78 Member
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    I use Protein shakes for when i don't feel like eating or when my work schedule interferes with my mealtimes. No guarantee it'll work for you but it's sure working for me :D

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