Any night shifters?

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peacelovekates
peacelovekates Posts: 17
in Health and Weight Loss
any night shifters willing to share their tips and tricks on eating healthy, working out and staying on track all while sleeping through out the day? (Note I am a coordinator at a hospital on 3rd shift; 6pm-6am and spend the majority of my night behind a desk doing paperwork)
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  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    Hi. I work nights. What I do is track midnight to midnight so that all of my days are the same and match up with my fitbit burn. I use my fitbit to k ow how much I burn at work (can vary depending on how busy we are). I work ems, so we do quite a bit of physical activity at work. What I do is exercise in the AM when I get off work.
  • peacelovekates
    peacelovekates Posts: 17
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    Thank you for your answer. I too have been doing the midnight to midnight diary tracking. While my job isn't as active as yours, it's nice to know I'm not alone in the night shift struggles. Are there certain snacks you find more filling while working? I find myself starving all night (probably out of boredom)
  • Sunshine48205
    Sunshine48205 Posts: 41 Member
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    I worked 6p-6a at my hospital for 2 years I just went to days 3 days ago. But what helped me was going to the gym before work because I was to tired after work and on my days off Id go to planet fitness at like 2-3am when no ones there. I get the best workouts in then. I started bringing my own lunch and avoiding the cafe and vending machines. Working nights is tough!
  • peacelovekates
    peacelovekates Posts: 17
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    @Sunshine48205‌ thank you for your input :) were there certain foods or snacks you brought to work with you that felt more filling? Finding myself eating out of boredom and its not always healthy food
  • Sunshine48205
    Sunshine48205 Posts: 41 Member
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    I loveee sweets so to calm my cravings I bring a yoplait light yogurt to work everyday. I usually ate my dinner around 2or 3 am and didint eat anything after that. You can look at my diary for ideas. Breakfast is the largest meal dinner is always smaller. Meal prep is important. & for me, I leave my debit card and money at home because I'm weak and will go to the vending machines the first chance I get or to mcdonalds.
  • Sunshine48205
    Sunshine48205 Posts: 41 Member
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    Breakfast is pretty filling. I eat 2 eggs with tomatoes chopped and turkey (in an omlete style) then I put that on a tortilla and I eat a banana before work (around 4pm)

    I bring a tuna sandwich with mayo and my yougurt ( I eat around 9-10pm)

    my dinner is usually 4oz boneless chicken with 1/2 a can of green beans (low sodium) and uncle bens brown rice (they come in little cups so I just pop the top off and heat it up) and I eat that around 2-3am.
  • peacelovekates
    peacelovekates Posts: 17
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    @sunshine48205 I'm a little different in the aspect that my breakfast at 4pm is small, I eat snacks around 9/10, eat dinner at 12-1am and then another snack around 3. However, I completely understand leaving the debit card at home! McDonald's loves me and I it.
  • peacelovekates
    peacelovekates Posts: 17
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    Thank you! I might try to eat like you for a day and see how it goes. I appreciate your quick response and help :)
  • Sunshine48205
    Sunshine48205 Posts: 41 Member
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    ahhh yes Me and Mcdonalds are... I mean were, the best of friends. Its said that your biggest meal should be breakfast, but I dont see anything wrong with your way. You stop eating hours before you sleep so its all the same.
  • Sunshine48205
    Sunshine48205 Posts: 41 Member
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    no problem. I asked about night shift people in here before and no one replied. I'm like really? Are we that rare?!?!?!
  • peacelovekates
    peacelovekates Posts: 17
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    Do you ever find yourself starving when you get off work? If so, do you go to bed hungry?
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    Greek yogurt is a great snack, lots of protein and filling for the calories. I also find Special K cracker chips to be a respectable substitute for potato chips, way fewer calories for the volume.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    peacelovekates wrote: »
    Thank you for your answer. I too have been doing the midnight to midnight diary tracking. While my job isn't as active as yours, it's nice to know I'm not alone in the night shift struggles. Are there certain snacks you find more filling while working? I find myself starving all night (probably out of boredom)

    I absolutely love a chicken dish I've been making. I add about 200gtams (300cals or so) of fresh grilled chicken (cold), a half a can of small pre sliced olives, and about 200 grams of sliced tomatoes (medley). Altogether it is about 400 calories and keeps me full for a while.

    Other snacks I bring:
    -greek yogurt
    -pre portioned pop-chips (in case i want something salty because my partner buys a bag of chips lol)
    -cut apples
    - cheese (I prefer Cracker Barrel individually portioned cheddar or Kraft string cheese)
    - A serving of some vegetable
    - Fruit

    What I do is pack a cooler I can keep in the ambulance. I bought rubbermade lunch blox, so they stack nicely and snap together.
    peacelovekates wrote: »
    Do you ever find yourself starving when you get off work? If so, do you go to bed hungry?

    Since I work out after work, I tend to eat a small something. Otherwise I wake up ravenous.
  • Sunshine48205
    Sunshine48205 Posts: 41 Member
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    Well I dont really feel starved. Once I did and ate another yogurt then went to bed but usually I'm so sleepy that my sleepiness trumps my hunger. But really I felt ok. not starved but not full... I lost about 40lbs ....then gained it back because I fell off.
  • Sunshine48205
    Sunshine48205 Posts: 41 Member
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    thanks! I'm going to add sliced apples to my list because I'm still not meeting my calorie goal.
  • seattlerain
    seattlerain Posts: 189 Member
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    Nurse with rotating schedule! I work some nights.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    Sunshine48205 wrote: »
    thanks! I'm going to add sliced apples to my list because I'm still not meeting my calorie goal.

    Sliced apples are awesome. Precut into pieces so you don't even have to touch them (I'm grossed out by finger food at work). I prefer Fuji apples because they are sweet. Sometimes I will throw a bit of cinnamon and sugar on them if I need a sweet treat.
  • 505n8v
    505n8v Posts: 20 Member
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    My schedule is not like yours, I work 2am-10am. Meal prep is really important. On my day off, today, I'll prep what I need for the next 3days, chicken, veggies, quinoa, etc....and portioned out in containers. I carry a 75oz jug of water with me too, so I know I've had my 8 glasses for the day. I joined a planet fitness that is on the way home. So after work, I change into my workout gear and get a workout in before I get home, whether I want to or not, lol....
  • Smallc10
    Smallc10 Posts: 554 Member
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    I have to bring snacks with me on my nightshift work (midnight to 8AM) or it doesn't work for me). I bring a cup of yogurt with blueberries and walnuts mixed in, Any type of bean dip from hummus to a lemon/dill cannellini bean dip with various vegetables to dip in to it throughout the night as I get the need to munch, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter weighed out with a sliced up apple, I also bring a pre-determined amount of tortilla chips to kill any salt cravings that I get and will bring a 100 calorie guacamole once or twice a week. Basically if I bring all of my snacks and don't have any change on me then I have to eat the healthy ones that i bring. I don't eat a meal usually when I'm actually on shift, I just graze throughout the entire night and make sure my snacks fit within my goals for that day
  • Smallc10
    Smallc10 Posts: 554 Member
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    Oh and I always workout pretty much right after I wake up from night shift because the gym closes at 7:00 and I wake up around 5-5:30. I hate going in the morning because I'm too exhausted so it is prior to work or not at all.

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