Working the night shift

My advice is to give both options a try and go with whichever makes you feel the most sated and healthy.

Eat as if you were eating during the day. Eating at night doesn't automatically result in fat gain. Although we have biorhythms that increase/decrease our body temp and HR in preparation for sleep, they change according to your sleep cycle, not the hours in the day. Stick with whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins just like you would if you were working a 9-5. You can do 3 meals, 7 meals, whatever you have time for. You can snack throughout the night too, as long as they're healthy snacks and you're monitoring your caloric intake. Do you have access to a food prep area w/ a microwave, or is it just a brown bag deal?

I do have access to a microwave. This past week, I was taking Smart Ones but I know those are loaded with sodium. Those seem to have the least calories and they are easy to just throw in my bag when I'm in a hurry. So I guess eating like 6 or 7 mini meals would work? I don't eat a lot of vegetables and fruits but it's probably time I start because I'm really starting to get frustrated at not being able to drop the extra weight......

I work long hours on the weekends, so I do supplement with Healthy Choice meals, but at two a week it's not major damage (I have really low BP anyway so it's not something I really monitor). My other meals are a sandwich (ham, swiss, and green apple slices on whole grain..mmmm), chicken/fish with rice and beans or whole wheat pasta (leftovers), and an individual bag of steamfresh veggies, then maybe an apple. I generally eat 4 meals a day because I can't duck into the back room every 2 hours and snack.

That said, weight loss is a complicated thing, and just changing your diet may not be enough, but it's hard to tell without knowing what else you're doing.

Eat as if you were eating during the day. Eating at night doesn't automatically result in fat gain. Although we have biorhythms that increase/decrease our body temp and HR in preparation for sleep, they change according to your sleep cycle, not the hours in the day. Stick with whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins just like you would if you were working a 9-5. You can do 3 meals, 7 meals, whatever you have time for. You can snack throughout the night too, as long as they're healthy snacks and you're monitoring your caloric intake. Do you have access to a food prep area w/ a microwave, or is it just a brown bag deal?

I do have access to a microwave. This past week, I was taking Smart Ones but I know those are loaded with sodium. Those seem to have the least calories and they are easy to just throw in my bag when I'm in a hurry. So I guess eating like 6 or 7 mini meals would work? I don't eat a lot of vegetables and fruits but it's probably time I start because I'm really starting to get frustrated at not being able to drop the extra weight......

I work long hours on the weekends, so I do supplement with Healthy Choice meals, but at two a week it's not major damage (I have really low BP anyway so it's not something I really monitor). My other meals are a sandwich (ham, swiss, and green apple slices on whole grain..mmmm), chicken/fish with rice and beans or whole wheat pasta (leftovers), and an individual bag of steamfresh veggies, then maybe an apple. I generally eat 4 meals a day because I can't duck into the back room every 2 hours and snack.

That said, weight loss is a complicated thing, and just changing your diet may not be enough, but it's hard to tell without knowing what else you're doing.

Thanks so much for the advice! I am also working in cardio. I try to run at least 3 miles 5 times a week but it doesn't always work out like that. I do have a gym membership so cardio equipment, weights, etc, are accessible, I just need to to take advantage. I'm getting a bit bored with running on the treadmill and really don't know what weights to lift or how much I should be lifting to get the results I'm wanting. I really want to lose the 25 pounds and also tone up by next summer. Right now, it just seems like I will never get there but I know it takes dedication. Any exercise routines you suggest??

Sure thing! I'm running to the gym now, but I'll reply or PM you when I get back! :flowerforyou:

Hey! Sorry I couldn't reply last night, my internet went out. It's still being funky, the cable guy is coming tomorrow to fix it AGAIN. :grumble:

Anyhow...

There are pretty much a MILLION ways to lift, and ton's of misinformation about lifting, especially for women. Even a ton of personal trainers fail to apply any scientific backing to their plans because a) you don't have to go to school to be a PT and b) they're afraid of using science because it conflicts the beliefs of most people and they don't want to lose business.

However, I consider myself an exercise physiologist, and not a personal trainer, so I do use science. These principles will seem odd for that reason, just to let you know.

Here are some rules:
If you can lift a weight 15 times or more without going to failure (meaning you can't do another rep) it's TOO light.
Lower weights with higher reps will cause muscle growth due to lactic acid build up (the 'burn).
Lower reps with higher weight will cause an increase in strength but not size because there is no lactic acid buildup, but many muscle fibers are recruited at once.
Lifting will NOT make you bulky, and will NEVER make you look like a man unless you abuse steroids.
Doing tons of cardio is okay if you like it (I do), but it's only a means to an end--a way to burn calories so you can eat more. You don't have to do a ton of it (or any) if you don't have time, but the less you do, the less you can eat.

Okay, that said, I generally recommend a rep range of 6-10 for anyone who wants to increase strength, but not size, and emphasizing 8-10 for people who are new, because down to 6 it gets pretty heavy. You will see MILLIONS of videos/pictures of skinny 18 year-old-girls pumping 5 lb weights for 5 minutes straight on one arm, and doing absolutely nothing, because the weight is so light. You'll also see a million sources telling you to do '15 reps to tone', but toning has nothing to do with muscle definition, so when you see that, you'll know that they're misusing that term and you should probably disregard whatever muscle mag you're reading. 15 reps will build up a lot of lactic acid if you're using the right weight, and will cause growth in time.

I also recommend hitting the gym 2x a week for beginners, and either doing two full-body days if you're up to it or one upper-body and one lower-body. The upper body includes back, chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, and forearms (that's the order you'd hit them because you work largest to smallest). Legs includes quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves (inner/outer thighs are used in all standing leg exercises).

As far as sets and exercises, you'll want to do 2-3 sets for back, chest, and legs, and 1-2 sets for everything else. Pick the same amount of exercises for each area--easy! 1 set of 8-10 may not feel like a lot, but if you are lifting sufficient weight, it will be more than enough. Over 90% of your muscular changes are triggered by just one set.

Okay, now you have some homework, because I think it's important for people to be able to apply these principles to their own plans. Try and find exercises for these areas. You can show me what you found if you like. Just Google away!:flowerforyou: