Night Shift

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nicolegildernick
nicolegildernick Posts: 1 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hello,
I am pretty new to the site....been using it for a little over a week. So far it has been SO eye opening to how bad my eating habits were! I work night shift 3 nights a week....I find it a little hard to keep on track at work, especially on my first night after being off. Does anyone else also work night shift? Any suggestions to stay within my calorie range? Thanks!

Replies

  • ghosthackexe
    ghosthackexe Posts: 181 Member
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    Best thing I've found to help out a busy schedule is cooking ahead of time meaning sitting down one day and cooking for most of the week that way all you have to do is throw it in platicware and grab it as you go out the door has helped me stay on top of things a lot specially when I'm away from home

    Also welcome to MFP and good luck on your new lifestyle ^_^
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    I worked night shift for years and always reset my "day" for counting at midnight. I always found coming off nights was my difficult time because I would stay up most of the day to switch over and would eat insanely that day. I didn't worry about it though because my switch back to nights made up the difference because I had slept the night before and then most of that day. So, one high day, one low day. They cancel each other out. I hope that helps. If not, maybe someone else has some ideas for you.
  • lmhbuss
    lmhbuss Posts: 282 Member
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    Nurse? I ask because I work at a hospital and I've noticed that most of the night shift nurses eat delivery of some sort almost every night. That combined with stress, lack of sleep from flipping schedules etc...and yeah, many struggle with their weight. I work the swing shift (3pm-11:30pm) so not exactly the same situation..but I've found that pre-planning has saved my toosh. On the days that you don't work, cook extra to have leftovers, plan your meals and snacks for those 3 days and have them packed and ready to go in the "morning" when you get up to leave. I pre-pack salads, pasta's, boiled eggs, string cheese, deli meats and cheeses..you get the idea. Then, if I want to run down to the cafeteria for a little something extra when it's open...it's easier to grab a treat that I can fit into my day.
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
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    I changed all of my meals to times and log everything for the day I woke up in, this way I won't over eat after midnight and be sad bc I'm over when I wake up. It's helped. I still eat out some but I do bring more meals which has definitely helped!
  • ladonnabeard7
    ladonnabeard7 Posts: 13 Member
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    I work has a 911 operator and I also work night shift I work from 7pm to 7am. I started this journey about 3 weeks ago and really enjoying it. All the people that I have met over the past few weeks are really motivating and inspirational. Good luck on your journey and if you want to add me as a friend feel free...good luck!!!
  • abbyoncloud9
    abbyoncloud9 Posts: 48 Member
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    I've worked night shift for about 6 years now and only now have been successful with weight loss. The difference really is just planning ahead. I make a casserole, measure the calories in the whole thing, and then divide it into 8 sections. When I go to work, I log everything in my lunch box. I know when I'm at work I can eat any of the snacks I've packed and not go over my calorie limit. The time thing: I log from the time I wake up til when I go to bed. Feel free to add me if you need some night shift friends!
  • velvet_violence
    velvet_violence Posts: 51
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    I work nights and just recently linked starting the shift to an increase in weight. I've read that working nights is one bad variable even if it doesn't come all down to snacking, which is one of many things I struggled with. My position just before that was rather active so it was a big adjustment to a slower pace as is par for the course in my job. I am also a student so last term protein bars became my best friend. Trying to get out of that habit due to the cost and general sugar overload they get me. Lately I have been batch cooking and just squiring away huge amounts of raw produce to eat as needed. I'm also looking for friends if anyone wants to add a night owl!
  • lizwizCYLS
    lizwizCYLS Posts: 39 Member
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    I've been working straight midnights (19:00 -> 07:00) since August of 1989 (25 years this summer) & have flipped my schedule by 12 hours....my breakfast is 19:00 hrs (7 pm); my lunch is midnight & my supper is 09:30 hrs (9:30 am) & my sleep is usually 10:30 am 'til 17:30 (5:30 pm) ->18:00 hrs (6 pm) so I'm still getting 7 hours sleep....I always try to stay with that pattern even on my days off but if I do have family or recreational activities that interfere I find it's best to 'stay up past my bedtime' & if possible get a late start for that next shift or cut out the goofing off the next day & pull 08:00 hrs (8 am) to 18:00 hrs (6 pm) for a 10 hour catch up....works for me just to be opposite to dayshift while as much as possible retaining the dayshift pattern & sequence of activities
    BTW I never use Red Bull or Jolt soft drinks to stay awake....if you MUST have a boost (& who doesn't sometimes) I use only 5hr Energy (which has low caffeine & B vitamins with ginseng) OR Emergen-C (which has vitamins, electrolytes & antioxidants) OR Rhodiola 500mg but other than that it sounds like you've got a solid plan....
    I sometimes have to use Herbal Supplements to get to sleep &/or stay asleep....I cannot take Valerian (it's very psychoactive for me & causes very disturbing daymares) however the natural factors Tranquil Sleep caplets with enteric coating do not upset my stomach & not only let me drift off within 20 minutes but I wake up refreshed & with no dough headed groggy after effects
    When I am also pulling 15-18 hr shifts I've found snacking MUST BE protein or I'm off on a binge of carbs....1 of the best for me is 23 almonds (the RDA for that item) which keeps me out of my favourite high unhealthy fat cheddar or gouda cheeses....garlic hummus on celery works too or even just a big spoonful of natural unsalted nut butter (I like cashew) & a recent favourite is light cheez whiz smeared on romaine lettuce leave or broccoli stalked sliced thin cooked slightly & used like potatoe chips in low 3% sour cream dip….
    One of the best ways I’ve found for staying ontrack for calories etc is to log whatever I’m thinking about eating FIRST then see what that does to my daily totals….If I don’t like what I see it makes making healthier choices OR skipping the snack all together….found that out the day I was going to have a PB&J sandwich for a snack & discovered that’d use up 430 calories of the 434 I had left for the day….took 3 natural factors PGX capsules instead eh!
  • jenn_zimm
    jenn_zimm Posts: 57 Member
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    I changed all of my meals to times and log everything for the day I woke up in, this way I won't over eat after midnight and be sad bc I'm over when I wake up. It's helped. I still eat out some but I do bring more meals which has definitely helped!

    I do this exact thing! Night shift nurse here. My diary is set up in 6 hour blocks...12a-6a, 6a-12p, 12p-6p, and 6p-12a. Works awesome for me! :)
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    When I did straight overnight shifts ( I work splits now) , I would pre-plan and pre-log my food. I didn't always stick to the plan, but it helped me immensely in staying in my calorie goals.
  • trishtrish1
    trishtrish1 Posts: 71 Member
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    I work nights too - and find I am most successful when I set up my meals/snacks in advance.

    I am lucky enough to work from home (typing) and so I put a couple bowls in the fridge and in them are some precut celery, a couple cutie oranges, couple hard boiled eggs, things like that. My meals are pretty messed up day/night, but I am doing the best I can. :)

    Good luck - message me nightshifters if you want to keep in touch - would be nice to text/email someone in the same boat from time to time.

    Have a good one!
  • Spooky_Scully
    Spooky_Scully Posts: 73 Member
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    I'm a shift worker (a nurse) so I eat at weird times, and can range between starving and nauseated during a night shift depending on my sleep during the day, ahha. I come from a family of shift workers, so I have picked up things here and there and found a system that works for me. 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. (I work an alternating 4 weeks of days, 2 weeks of nights - 5 shifts a week).

    I also find that what suits me the best is to shift my whole routine down. So I have what I would normally have for b-fast (eggs, toast etc) at 7pm, lunch (sandwich, etc) at midnight and a dinner type meal (usually a soup as our ward is freezing!!) at 4am. Granted, I tend to have a larger 'breakfast' and smaller 'dinner' than normal, because it feels a tad weird eating a full meal at 4am.

    Other than that, I keep some high-protein snacks on hand, drink a fair amount of coffee and make sure I drink about 2lt of water. I try not to have too much salt as I always retain water and get puffy on nights (not sure why, but its a pain!). I try to go for a quick jog before sleeping in the morning, and do a full work out before work starts to energise me for the shift :)

    Hope this helps! :blushing:

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