Night Shifts

chelsealjames
chelsealjames Posts: 92 Member
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
hey guys! so i work at the hospital on the weekends those horrible, 12-hour night shifts. i am really afraid of gaining weight when i do this, just becasue my body is kind of "off". i've still got all my pre-packed meals with me, but i'm still worried! any tips to make sure i don't keep from losing??

Replies

  • miznel80
    miznel80 Posts: 46 Member
    Pre packing food is a good idea. just keep doing what you're doing :) I can't even make myself workout when I have to work overnights. I work retail so this only usually happens around the holiday season. Good luck :)
  • sparker34621
    sparker34621 Posts: 3 Member
    I'm dealing with the same problem right now. I go in tonight to work three straight twelves. It's really tough because when you get tired your body actually releases enzymes that cause hunger. I usually try to eat a larger meal before I leave for work and then take healthy snacks, low in sugar to keep myself going through the night. I also try to stay busy and drink lots and lots of water. Anyway good luck to you.
  • amkam96
    amkam96 Posts: 15
    I know exactly what you mean! 12 hr overnights are hard especially when your workmates bring in all kinds of food to snack on all night long ( chips, cake, ice cream) you name it and they bring it in...I would recommend to eat a healthy but satisfying dinner before you go to work, I usually have a salad with balsamic dressing ( old cape cod dressing since its very low sodium and tasty) with protein ( steak or chicken) then I bring yogurt and fruit so that I am eating light and I drink 3-4 pitchers of water or full nalgene 32 oz bottle. Our bodies are not used to eating at night but we need to have something throughout the night so that we keep up our energy, if you are in Nursing you know how stressful it can be and you need to be alert and on top of things with these very sick patients......Also, when sleeping through the day, I usually wake up in enough time to have coffee then do my cardio before dinner and going to work....Those 2 overnights, you need to eat light and drink lots of water and do whatever you need to so that you don't eat all those fun foods your workmates bring in.....hope this helps
  • amkam96
    amkam96 Posts: 15
    I just finished my 3 12's, had a glass of wine last night, slept pretty well and now trying to get my energy to work out...On cup #3 of coffee....Are we all RN's?
  • chelsealjames
    chelsealjames Posts: 92 Member
    I know exactly what you mean! 12 hr overnights are hard especially when your workmates bring in all kinds of food to snack on all night long ( chips, cake, ice cream) you name it and they bring it in...I would recommend to eat a healthy but satisfying dinner before you go to work, I usually have a salad with balsamic dressing ( old cape cod dressing since its very low sodium and tasty) with protein ( steak or chicken) then I bring yogurt and fruit so that I am eating light and I drink 3-4 pitchers of water or full nalgene 32 oz bottle. Our bodies are not used to eating at night but we need to have something throughout the night so that we keep up our energy, if you are in Nursing you know how stressful it can be and you need to be alert and on top of things with these very sick patients......Also, when sleeping through the day, I usually wake up in enough time to have coffee then do my cardio before dinner and going to work....Those 2 overnights, you need to eat light and drink lots of water and do whatever you need to so that you don't eat all those fun foods your workmates bring in.....hope this helps

    Thank you so much! Normally, for my weight loss I try to eat every 2 1/2-3 hours, and eat all my calories. Do you think I should eat less calories or still meet my daily needs? I usually don't work out when I have to work 2 or 3 12's in a row.
  • chelsealjames
    chelsealjames Posts: 92 Member
    I just finished my 3 12's, had a glass of wine last night, slept pretty well and now trying to get my energy to work out...On cup #3 of coffee....Are we all RN's?

    I'm still in nursing school, but I work as a tech in the float pool. Just so happens I've been working night shifts lately, and I honestly like them better. I am just so used to eating at least every 3 hours, and I don't know if I should still keep that going or not
  • amkam96
    amkam96 Posts: 15
    I would still do what your body is used to, but just make sure its light, yogurt, salad with light dressing, fruit and lots of water. Take a look around at what other people are eating at 1-2am, full meals!!! ..Half the time, I am so busy that I leave in the morning with my yogurt still in my bag.. I also will not weight myself until I have been on a normal schedule for a couple days, up during the day, working out and logging calories and drinking lots of water....You will see a lose......Good luck with Nursing school, I love what I do but it is very stressful....I have done 5 yrs in the Operating Room and now I am on a Surgical Trauma floor that keeps me exceptionally busy and quick thinking at all times...
  • amkam96
    amkam96 Posts: 15
    Hi, what kinds of snacks do you bring in for the overnight shifts?
  • robertf57
    robertf57 Posts: 560 Member
    You are doing the right things. I always plan my eating for those vulnerable times. I am on my last of 5 night shifts tonight. Have my meals in the fridge. I also bring some broccoli florets so I have something to shove in my mouth when the chips and pizza etc. show up in the break room. It's tough, but you can do it!
  • cbs1974
    cbs1974 Posts: 98 Member
    i work regular nights

    i take a salad box full of salad (very low cals) tin of tuna
    or avacado!!

    then little snacks like snack a jacks/french toast/light philidephea pots
    aplles oranges bananas pears ect ect
    loads of coffee

    i usually do about 900 cals or more in a shift !!!
    but then spend rest of time asleep !!!

    sorry about grammor

    x
  • amkam96
    amkam96 Posts: 15
    oh yes I forgot to say that a zip lock bag of cut up fresh veggies are always good...For some reason, I am always looking for a crunch at night, probably because everyone else is eating those yummy chips!!!!! Also, when I am tired, especially when I come home in the morning, I crave carbs like you wouldn't beleive, and with having a 31/2 yr old son with all his snacks in the cabinets ( cheez-its and goldfish) I need to be especially careful, I eat a healthy breakfast, raisin bran, skim milk and banana and then go to bed......One more thing that I do, because I come home and eat breakfast and then sleep, when I wake up I am having my dinner before I go to work and then the food that I eat on the overnight is like my lunch, I do this so that I am not eating an extra meal and the food I am eating on the nightshift is very light
  • amkam96
    amkam96 Posts: 15
    You must be a resident or attending? Yes, they all make a stop by our floor because they know we have those great overnight snacks...When they start the day rotation and cannot fit into any of their dressup clothes, they all wonder why!
  • chelsealjames
    chelsealjames Posts: 92 Member
    Hi, what kinds of snacks do you bring in for the overnight shifts?

    So far I have packed greek yogurt, walnuts, an apple, and celery for snacks. for my meals, i have a kale salad with lemon/balsamic dressing, with baked tilapia. i also have baked rosemary/olive oil chicken, with sauteed zucchini and 1/3 of a sweet potato for carbs.
  • sparker34621
    sparker34621 Posts: 3 Member
    I just finished my 3 12's, had a glass of wine last night, slept pretty well and now trying to get my energy to work out...On cup #3 of coffee....Are we all RN's?

    Yup
  • BryanAir
    BryanAir Posts: 434
    I think the most important thing is to continue to log your food. In my experience when working nights I was eating more to stay awake and may end up eating extra meals just because the normal time to eat rolled around. With logging that is no longer a problem.
  • mottles
    mottles Posts: 12 Member
    I find porridge great to eat around 3am usually with a handful of blueberries, fills me up and keeps me going until hometime
  • jesster64
    jesster64 Posts: 109
    I've worked night shift, 10pm to 7:30 AM for 16 years now. 8 nights on then 6 off.
    My eating is all screwed up. I can tell you i used to raid everyones candy bowl at 3AM when I needed an energy burst. I've been eating every 2 hrs for the past 4 months, turkey,chicken,fish, and i haven't touched any candy bowl in that time. No desire. When you're full, you don't need or crave that sugar rush. Plus I'm good for 2 cups of coffee a night.
  • jesster64
    jesster64 Posts: 109
    I found this site 3 days ago and was amazed at the extra calories I was consuming just by snacking. almonds, trail mix, donuts. once you see the bad numbers, calories, fat, on your chart, you feel better avoiding those foods. One good size healthy meal every 2 hrs is a lot better than snacking on garbage.
  • allimax2002
    allimax2002 Posts: 83 Member
    I'm on night shift too, 911 operator-so I am sitting for 12 hours. I've been on MFP now for a week. Logging everything has really helped. Healthy snacks, that I portion out ahead of time have kept me on track. Also on my lunch break and slow times I am trying to get up and walk around alot more. The scale is showing a 2 lb loss, so I'm gonna try to keep it up. Good luck to all yall!
  • FaithandFitness
    FaithandFitness Posts: 653 Member
    sitting on my night shift now . . .I am a compulsive weigher too, and I know that when I go home I will have about a 2lb gain on my scale until I sleep for a few hours. Even if I ate well and drank plenty of water. So don't listen to what the scale says all the time.

    Oh, and I just ate a cupcake . . .I couldn't help it. :x
  • MegJo
    MegJo Posts: 398 Member
    Working right now! I'm a dispatcher. We sit...allll day. I'm jealous that you all get to run around!

    To keep myself full I drink tea. I usually bring string cheese, turkey pepperoni for some protein, chocolate vitatops if I need a chocolate fix, and fruit like grapes.

    It is tough to get the engergy to get up and excerise especially when working 10 or 12 hour shifts. Personally I go to bed when I get off shift and wake up early enough to get a jog in.

    I agree with the others... the toughest part is saying, "no thanks" to the cookies, brownies, chips, cakes, and other stuff that comes in!
  • bbb84
    bbb84 Posts: 418 Member
    Also currently working my night shift(3weeks of midnights, 3weeks of days and 2 weeks of second shifts and random second shifts thrown into the mix on nights and days).... Public utility emergency dispatch..... I will have to agree with everyone else, the key is pre planning what you want to eat while you are on shift and having something stashed away for when the junk comes out. They are constantly feeding us crap here, donughts, mcdonalds etc.... Learning to say no and not being pressured to just take a bite or just have one is the toughest thing but you can do it!
  • allie7383
    allie7383 Posts: 865 Member
    I've been working nights (11pm-7am) for a little over 3 years now. i'm a hospital lab tech.. and for me, the biggest thing is keeping a schedule.. on my days/weekends off i tend to eat more. Also stick with the logging as someone else mentioned. i know a common question people ask is, How do I log my food when I'm going from one day to the next? What I do is start my day at midnight, and have my diary organized in 8 hour blocks, instead of the given breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Also keep up with the portioned out snacks, always a great idea!
    i've found that i have the most energy after i get up, so after work i go to bed, then get up some time before 3pm and work out first thing b/c otherwise I know I won't later.
    Saying no to the goodies is still a challenge for me sometimes, so I have to say working nights is kinda great b/c there are plenty of times during the day shift where there is cake, chips, and all that other fun stuff which I would partake in. Missing out on a lot of that can really help the weight loss journey haha!
  • chelsealjames
    chelsealjames Posts: 92 Member
    I've worked night shift, 10pm to 7:30 AM for 16 years now. 8 nights on then 6 off.
    My eating is all screwed up. I can tell you i used to raid everyones candy bowl at 3AM when I needed an energy burst. I've been eating every 2 hrs for the past 4 months, turkey,chicken,fish, and i haven't touched any candy bowl in that time. No desire. When you're full, you don't need or crave that sugar rush. Plus I'm good for 2 cups of coffee a night.

    thats what i'm trying to do, eat small meals every 2-3 hours. the last thing i want to do is get off work and go eat, then to bed! i figure if i eat around 5:30am, it may hold me over till i got to bed around 8:30
  • amkam96
    amkam96 Posts: 15
    Allie, I see that you have lost a lot of weight. I have been posting to find out how often people work out a week and what type of cardio and/or strength training. I have been on MFP for over a month and show minimal weight loss but have not been doing cardio. My husband on the other hand has been doing MFP and cardio sometimes and has lost 17lbs... I think MFP with no cardio is just maintaining my weight and I am not losing....How often are you doing cardio and for how long each day? a reply would be great...thanks
  • cbs1974
    cbs1974 Posts: 98 Member
    just to add im on nights and ive been over my cals once this week allready!!! :(

    its the 1st shift that buggers it up!

    i get up at say 11am on the monday and dont goto bed in this weeks case till 8am
    thats 21 hours of a body that needs fueling !!
    i do start from midnight as my next day !!
    its a pain in the *kitten*
This discussion has been closed.

Categories