what date do I put my food in if it's after midnight

viciousbronco
viciousbronco Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I work a 6 pm till 2 am shift and when I get home I sometimes have a drink or a small snack do I put it in the day I woke up calories or start a new day?? Thanks MFP peeps

Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    I log my food on the day I eat it. I've actually changed the categories in my diary from the default to time frames.
  • dtimedwards
    dtimedwards Posts: 319 Member
    My new day starts with "breakfast", not midnight. I work till 12, so when I come home and have a snack before bed, it goes on "yesterday". Same if I'm out drinking.
  • supermysza
    supermysza Posts: 167 Member
    I'd count a day as the period from sleep to sleep. So if you eat something on Sunday at 2 am I'd count it as a late meal on Saturday.
  • Dgydad
    Dgydad Posts: 104 Member
    I have been working a rotating shift schedule (week on Days, week on Swings, week on Mids, then start over again) for 26 yrs. I just go by the clock; if it's after midinight, it goes on the new day. If it's before midnight, it goes on the previous day. If you log everything faithfully, it will balance itself out..............
  • rachaelgifford
    rachaelgifford Posts: 320 Member
    I work on a sleep to sleep basis too.
  • Spooky_Scully
    Spooky_Scully Posts: 73 Member
    I'm a shift worker (a nurse) so I eat at weird times (I can be having breakfast at 7pm sometimes, hahah). I have my diary set up with the following meals:

    0000 - 0400
    0400 - 0800
    0800 - 1200
    1200 - 1600
    1600 - 2000
    2000 - 2400

    I find it has really helped me out, as I was getting all muddled trying to log my night shifts (8pm to 8am). I also tend to also look at my weekly deficit when I go from days to nights (or vice versa) as I will always have a day where I eat way over, and a day at a huge deficit, due to having to change my sleep cycle. Hope this helps :)
  • cingle87
    cingle87 Posts: 717 Member
    I count it from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep.
  • peacefrog08109
    peacefrog08109 Posts: 44 Member
    I'm also a night shift nurse and changed my diary from the default to the 0000-0400 time frame. I count from midnight to midnight to account for the days I'm on and off. I do find I have trouble though meeting my calories for my first shift on (I only work 3 days a week) since I'm asleep part of that day.
  • Xingy01
    Xingy01 Posts: 83 Member
    It doesn't really matter which day you choose. If you eat 1200 one day and 2200 the next, it's the same as eating 1700 both days. But for tracking purposes, if you're already at your limit for the day and it's early in the morning, just put it on the next day so that you will be mindful of it that day and will eat less.
  • OkamiLavande
    OkamiLavande Posts: 336 Member
    As long as you track the calories it doesn't really matter as it still falls into your weekly goals.

    I work from a sleep to sleep schedule, but for some that doesn't work, like my mother because she can sometimes be up for 36 hours and as she said, it's not fair on her diary for one day. It just depends on what you want. As long as you are honest and log it, that's all that matters.
  • viciousbronco
    viciousbronco Posts: 6 Member
    Thank you everyone I think I will go from sleep to sleep ....I really like Mfp ....all the instant help and feedback is awesome I have lost 6 lbs in 2 weeks !!! Thanks everyone

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