Anybody work nights?

kmradley
kmradley Posts: 27 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've worked nights for a while and I know that quality sleep is a part of weight loss and overall health improvement, but for the time being, I can't change (I'm moving across the country in two months and things will be different then). Right now, I typically eat at 9pm, 2am, and 7am., and sleep from 10am to 4 or 5pm ideally... But then there's days like today where I just can't get to sleep, stop my brain and whatnot, or I have some commitment/errand to run that has to get done during a time I would normally be sleeping. Then my sleep schedule gets all out of whack and my eating schedule too.


Has anybody worked nights and been successful at weight loss? Any tips?

Replies

  • radcas11
    radcas11 Posts: 76 Member
    I feel your pain completely! I had gastric bypass almost a year (8/13/13) ago, and when I took my time off work, I was working evenings. When I came back 3 weeks later, they had moved me to graveyard. Not only did I have this whole new life of eating differently, but my schedule had been completely flipped. Of course those first few months, my calories were completely different from someone who had not had the surgery, but now I'm in maintenance phase so my calories are around 1400/day. My day pretty much starts at 11 pm so oddly enough I eat my meals backwards. I normally eat dinner about 1-2 am then have 2 little snacks before I go to the gym after work about 8 am. I eat breakfast about anywhere from 9-10:30 am then I lay down for the day. I normally get up around 1 or 2 pm and have a little snack then I eat lunch about 4 or 5 and go back to bed. Snacking in between seems to help me from bottoming out. I know some people are completely against snacking, but snacking is a major way that I get in my calories and protein for the day. I just have to make sure that I'm snacking in a smart way. I understand the sleep part too. I haven't slept the same since I went to working nights. A lot of days I only get 4-5 hours of sleep which is rough, but I've learned to handle it. Hopefully, this helps!
  • trishtrish1
    trishtrish1 Posts: 71 Member
    HELLO! Nights here too!

    I am JUST NOW starting to lose weight. I used to "eat to stay awake" then be tired during the day and mindlessly eat.

    Got scared that I am so obese I would become diabetic. I do not have any magic "only eat at these times/with these foods". But I started going as low carb as I could.

    My sleep is a joke - understand the errands part or something comes up, or people think we don't REALLY have to catch up on sleep - lol.

    But I am doing it, and YOU CAN DO IT! :) I try to keep healthy snacks around (cut up veggies, hard boiled eggs, cheese, nuts) and try to keep my favorites (chocolate, chips, etc) - OUT of the house and that has helped.

    Would love some night friends! :)

    Trish
  • Missfit35
    Missfit35 Posts: 75
    Under 4 hours of sleep is typically unhealthy. Your body functions much better with 6 or 7 if you have the extra time use it to REST. I work 2 jobs, I do 1 cardio session at 3;45AM FOR 1 hour work a 7am-4pm job with my lunch break in the gym for a 1 hour workout return home to do my second hour of cardio after 4 pm then off to a second job. Needless to say my immune system is taking a HIT and i'm sick often which is UNHEARD of for me. If you have extra time let your body rest as much as possible! And of course you can still lose the weight. What we put in our mouth is 90% of the way we look you can do it! Sleep Eat Breath Fitness...
  • kmradley
    kmradley Posts: 27 Member
    Thank you all for replying to my post. I will definitely go to my local grocery store and pick up some healthy snacks for at work and after work...that sounds like a great idea. I have a problem because I'm a waitress I'm constantly moving and since I'm on the overnight, I don't get a "lunch break" per se, I get to take my lunch whenever I want, but if business happens I don't get to stay down. Also, working at a restaurant I get half off and eat restaurant food all the time, and that's not good for me, but there are healthy choices as well. They just aren't as delicious. And my cook likes to show his love to the servers by making us sweet treats sometimes....
    I've switched from drinking pop all the time at work to water pretty well, but I still allow myself energy drinks. I don't know how I'm going to curb that one, unless I just switch to non-sugar energy drinks only.

    Alright: new goals...after this week, (just log) next week will be to log in every day and eat healthy snacks during work and after work. Woo!

    You guys are awesome.
  • trishtrish1
    trishtrish1 Posts: 71 Member
    And that is awesome that you are constantly moving - I'm at a desk -

    Hey - can you challenge your chef to try something healthy?? Find a chicken or veggie or fruit recipe that "you have heard of" - see if he can do it?

    Just a thought. :)

    Keep on keepin' on!

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