working night shift...

pixeeedusty
pixeeedusty Posts: 4
in Motivation and Support
Trying hard to deal with a "non" supportive partner.... well, he THINKS he's being supportive, but his method is to try to tell me everything I'm doing wrong and how I should do things instead.
However, as much as I get annoyed with him & have HAD IT up to HERE, I can't help but think he may be right.....
I work night shift. I leave for work at 10pm & get home around 7:45-8am... depending on how late my relief is.
I have breakfast after having fed the cats & changed into my sweats, because I am usually pretty hungry.
I wait a little, then walk my 3 miles....
then I take a shower & change,....get everything (including myself, mostly) ready for work.
and around 10:30 I eat my "lunch"
I go to bed at 12-12:30 (noon-ish) and sleep until 8:30-9pm. (I find this is my amount of sleep that works for me at this point)
When I wake up, I basically go feed the cats & have a monstrous cup of tea. I don't eat anything.
I get dressed, finish getting ready & leave for work.
I eat my "dinner" at 1:30 AM. This is basically the only time I have free during my night shift to eat a meal.
At around 4AM I have a yogurt, to tide me over until I get home & can have my "actual" breakfast.
.....and then it starts all over again.
OK.... I find that a routine that I don't have to think about works best for me. Some people may find it boring, but it keeps me going if I can just KNOW that at such & such a time, I am going to do THIS. That's why I stick to what I have been doing. No, it's not working GREAT.... I have lost 6 lbs since the beginning of January. Yes, I could do better.
I guess my question is.... should I change my meal schedule around, so that it more closely resembles a normal workday routine? My DH says, "you know, it's not actually BREAKFAST time for you!",.... and "Your so-called LUNCH is too close to when you go to sleep!"
As I said,.... he may be right.
Any opinions/input??? (He says, I will listen to everyone else but him!)
Thanks!

Replies

  • rayfu75
    rayfu75 Posts: 209 Member
    I work nights. I log my meals midnight to midnight. I'll eat my breakfast (first meal for the "day") when I get home around 730am and I'll crash out for the day/night around 830am after the kids are off to school. My second meal is anywhere from 2pm to 6pm depending on if I hit the gym or not. My third meal is around 8pm or 930pm. If I'm still hungry I'll have something around 1130pm.

    It works for me and I've been able to keep off 80lbs for the last 3 1/2 years all while working nights and not getting much sleep. Hope that helps. My food diary is also open if you wanted to check it out.
  • nenshali
    nenshali Posts: 331 Member
    But 6 lbs since january isn't even that bad! There IS progress!!

    If this routine WORKS for you and the kcal number is alright, I'd stick to it! The most important thing is that you can arrange yourself with this, so that you have energy for work etc.
    And well normally your 'lunch' would be too close to sleep as it is recommended not to eat too soon before you go to sleep, but I think that working nights change all of this and as long as you can sleep and get the rest you need, it's okay.

    I have no access to your diary so I cannot say anything about what you eat or which amounts. But my dad worked night shifts for I think 40 years and if I know about one thing that is important, it's routine. And you are striving for routine, that's a good thing!
    I think your meal schedule itself is absolutely fine if it works for you.

    As long as the mails itself are both enough and not too much and you have a kcal deficit, it should continue to work.
    Good luck with it! :)
  • pixeeedusty
    pixeeedusty Posts: 4
    I think I opened up my diary for anyone who wants to see it....
    *blushing* because I know I could be eating a lot better....
    and I do KNOW I could do better, and some days I totally blow it (and some days I totally ignore my diary b/c I can't bear to imagine how many calories I actually ATE).
    But I really TRY to stay under my calorie amount (1200).
    Yesterday, I got really irritated with DH because he "bought me" avocados a few days ago. Ok, so I'm sure they are healthy.... but he yesterday, said, ARE YOU GOING TO EAT THESE? So, thinking....ok, how much could an avocado be, I said, ok, I'll add one to my salad. I have plenty of calories left over (almost 300)..... well, when I went to add it in, I found out. Not a good choice, threw me over my 1200...... oh well.
    So, anyway, I AM satisfied with 6 pounds so far.
    I will keep plugging away.
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    I have been working night shift11pm-7am for 4 years and typically eat 1-2x in a 24 hr period. I only concern myself with hitting my macro and calorie goals. If that means having a traditional breakfast type foods before I go to bed so be it. Unless you have a medical condition, your body doesn't care when or what you eat.

    Typical 24 hr period for me
    10:30pm wake up and go to work
    3-6am have 1st breakfast. time varies depending on how busy I am for that night at work.
    7am get off work and if it's a workout day, go work out or do errands
    8am - Noon. gym or errands. it varies depending on what I have planned for the day
    Noon-2pm if it was a gym day I'll shower and have 2nd breakfast
    2-3pm in bed for the next night.

    I found I have to wait at minimum 2 hrs after eating anything before I do any form of exercise otherwise I get nauseous and throw up. As for eating close to bedtime, I can immediately go to bed right after eating and be fine. I normally don't because I found 1/2 the time I will need to get up during the middle of my sleep and have to go to the bathroom hence I usually stop eating 1-2 hrs before going to bed to avoid this. I found sleep for me is very important. When I lack sleep, I over eat to help me stay awake while at work and don't bother exercising since I am too tired to do so.

    Everyone is different and you have to find what works for you.
  • markalfy361
    markalfy361 Posts: 4 Member
    Ive also had to deal with night shift situation for some time now. It can be difficult at first but like most have said a routine is the key. As far as getting more results id say switching up your exercise from time to time. I dont always stick to my diet but conteracting with more exercise helps. Good luck with your goals and stay strong!
  • nenshali
    nenshali Posts: 331 Member
    Ah yes, I don't know why I couldn't see your diary before.

    Well, I've just looked over a few of your pages.. First of all, how do you FEEL about what you eat?
    I don't know which size you are and how much weight you need to lose, but 1200 kcal is really, really little.

    I can recommend you this post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1201075-females-trying-to-lose-weight-read-this

    Avocados are totally healthy and there is NOTHING wrong with adding them to your salad! They have lots of healthy fats your body needs!! It's absolutely fine.
    I would propably suggest you to add more protein to your diet. Good for your muscles and it keeps you full.
    There are many sources; chicken, fish, yogurt, milk etc.!
    And watch your sodium intake (too much sodium can be unhealthy and besides this, it makes you more hungry and your body stores more water in, and water weight is nothing you want, right ;) )
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    I work 7pm to 7am 3 to 4 days a week. This is what I do, but I honestly dont think the times really matter, its whatever works best for you. I wake up about 3:30 in the afternoon, eat breakfast about 5 pm. At work, I have a snack around 9, lunch at midnight, another snack at 2 and then dinner at 4 in the morning. On my days off, I switch my meals to normal times of the day.

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