Calling all night shift workers!

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  • MadDogManor
    MadDogManor Posts: 1,454 Member
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    Life doesn't always work out as I plan :-)

    I work 11 pm to 7 am, and I can't wait to crawl into bed ASAP when I get home. It's quietest in my house in the morning, so I sleep then. Then I'm up for good around 3 pm or so.

    As for logging, I've broken my day into 4 hr increments, from 12 am - 4 am, 4 am - 8 am, etc. When I eat, I just log it in the correct time slot. It works best for me. Good luck to you.
  • ichbinich
    ichbinich Posts: 1
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    Another night shifter, checking in! Here are my two cents:

    As others have mentioned, keeping sleep as your highest priority is a really good idea. I find that when I don't sleep enough, or sleep at erratic times I am a) tired all the time and b) tend to make poor eating decisions. I work from about 11 pm to 7 am and sleep from about 9 pm - 5 pm. I decided to buy some black out curtains a few months ago and have switched all the lights to daylight bulbs and man that alone has helped a lot! When I get home, I tend to eat then relax in my darkened room a bit until I get sleepy. Staying away from sunlight is key. Then when I wake up, I dry my curtains back and enjoy the sunlight I have left then switch on my bright daylight bulbs so I have continuous light. I find it works really well, but by all means, try things out and see what works best for you.

    I've had the best luck working out as soon as I wake up -- Just jump into my running shoes and head straight out the door, but I've also done after-work work outs and everything in between. It's really up to the individual.

    As far as logging goes, I've renamed my 5 meals to: before (i work out), after (i work out), pre-work, late night and morning. But again, whatever works for you is fine. I also log all of my meals after midnight but before I go to sleep on the previous day; it just makes more sense to me that way.

    Oh also, remember to stay hydrated! It can seriously help curb cravings. I usually try to drink at least 5 or 6 16.9oz (500ml) bottles of water per day. Sometimes I make lightly sweetened caffeine free herbal tea to mix things up. It's good hot or iced. Hibiscus and peppermint are my favorite or celestial seasonings zinger teas are all good -- or really any of their fruit blends make a tasty batch of tea.
  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
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    I work 5:30 pm - 2:00 am, but am typically up early with my kids, so I try to keep a relatively normal eating schedule. I don't log my meals as "breakfast, lunch dinner" but by Numbers since sometimes my 'dinner' can be late in the evening for my lunch break at work. Seems to work better since there are times where i don't really eat a traditional breakfast.
  • jetgirl5000
    jetgirl5000 Posts: 8
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    I work 10 hour night shifts and go to the gym after work. I keep a normal type of eating routine. Even though I wake up at 1 pm, I eat "breakfast" type food and log it as breakfast and so on. When MFP flips to the new day, I just back it up and continue logging my food and exercise on what is now called "yesterday" on the diary header. It works really well. Now....when I tried to link my fitbit account with MFP, that was a whole kind of mess. It made my head hurt. I unlinked the two accounts after one day cause ther is no way that I know of to tell fitbit that my day hasn't ended yet. It's funny cause most of the time I have hit my steps goal for the day before I even go to bed. I hope they come up with a way to remedy that. Has anyone else with a fitbit figured out how to deal with that?
  • keef1972
    keef1972 Posts: 411 Member
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    I am a 12hr night guy. Feel free to message anytime. If I am working, I will be sure to message you back, and I will talk about pretty much anything.

    Peace out//
  • p90xcorbett
    p90xcorbett Posts: 3 Member
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    I know this post is dated, however, I also work permanent night shift. 6p to 6a. Since we all work the zombie shift it is hard not to stress and sleep deprive eat. Any of you night shifters can add me and we can keep each other accountable.
  • BSNRN1987
    BSNRN1987 Posts: 1 Member
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    Trukngrl wrote: »
    Yay for 3rd shift. Perma-graveyarder here. I have had success changing up my food log to list it in 4hr increments, ie: 0000-0400, 0400-0800...ect. That allows me to track my food in the proper window of time, and helps with my days off when I adjust to daylight hours. I also get PLENTY of sleep, I love sleep, I can probably outsleep anyone I know. I try to make getting moving a priority, I take breaks at work and go for a brisk walk - tracked with my fitbit and mapmywalk.com. After work I head to the gym or to the walking trail and then go home shower and sleep. My standard work day is 2300-0700, however we get mandated for overtime w/o notice, so my 8 hour shift can promptly turn into a 12hr shift. Due to the ever changing schedule I always make sure to have healthy snacks that are shelf stable with me - almonds, protein bars(Quest bars) so as not to be tempted by the constant orders for take away or the barage of vending machine food calling my name. I tend to wake up between 1500/2000 depending on how late I got to bed that morning, I also have my largest meal w/my family at night before work, so I snack as the night progresses. Worst drawbacks for me are a desk job, and sometimes desiring sleep more so than working out. Control your mind and you can control your body!

    Here's to 3rd shift and dropping some late night weight.

    I do the same thing! Rather than have breakfast, lunch, dinner (which goes out the window when you work nightshift) I just use military time. I suppose you could do either 4 or 6 hour increments, depending on which works best for you.

  • nymasonpaul
    nymasonpaul Posts: 4 Member
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    Night shift worker as well. I found that I could change the standard 3 meal plus snack on the actual web site (not on the app) so that actually helps with the meal time and how many meals I eat. I don't eat 3 meals a day I eat about 5-6 pretty small but pretty darn clean and lean meals as well. So instead of breakfast lunch and dinner I have 1st Breakast; Elevensies; Lunch; Supper; Dinner and then snacks as well which hardly ever need to enter anything in that one. So I start my day of tracking when I wake up at 4pm ish
  • adtriarios
    adtriarios Posts: 4 Member
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    This thread has been inactive for a bit but has anyone considered trying switching their time zone so their "days" line up?
  • IILikeToMoveItMoveIt
    IILikeToMoveItMoveIt Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I don't work nights but I do deal with DSPS so I cycle through nights pretty regularly. Just thought to say hi instead of lurking the site as I usually do. I log "daily" but when I'm in between night and day I tend to count during sleep/wake at least 24 hrs. as I can be up for 32 hrs or longer on bad days...that is when weekly goals instead of daily counts help.
    Cheers!
  • adtriarios
    adtriarios Posts: 4 Member
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    Update - The time zone trick works!

    So I'm in NC, work 7p-7a. I wake up around 1600 and sleep around 0830-0900. I try to keep my schedule similar if not the same on my off days. I'm finding that the "America Samoa (GMT -11hrs) works best for my needs. As of right now, it's 0310 here, it's 2010 there, so it lines up well. As long as I eat first meal around 1600 (0900 Samoa time) and my last meal before 0700 (that's midnight Samoa time) , it all tracks as the same day! I would label your meals by time (i.e "1700" instead of "breakfast") to minimize confusion.
  • egrnds77
    egrnds77 Posts: 1 Member
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    Trukngrl wrote: »
    Yay for 3rd shift. Perma-graveyarder here. I have had success changing up my food log to list it in 4hr increments, ie: 0000-0400, 0400-0800...ect. That allows me to track my food in the proper window of time, and helps with my days off when I adjust to daylight hours. I also get PLENTY of sleep, I love sleep, I can probably outsleep anyone I know. I try to make getting moving a priority, I take breaks at work and go for a brisk walk - tracked with my fitbit and mapmywalk.com. After work I head to the gym or to the walking trail and then go home shower and sleep. My standard work day is 2300-0700, however we get mandated for overtime w/o notice, so my 8 hour shift can promptly turn into a 12hr shift. Due to the ever changing schedule I always make sure to have healthy snacks that are shelf stable with me - almonds, protein bars(Quest bars) so as not to be tempted by the constant orders for take away or the barage of vending machine food calling my name. I tend to wake up between 1500/2000 depending on how late I got to bed that morning, I also have my largest meal w/my family at night before work, so I snack as the night progresses. Worst drawbacks for me are a desk job, and sometimes desiring sleep more so than working out. Control your mind and you can control your body!

    Here's to 3rd shift and dropping some late night weight.

    stay up! and keep looking towards a better you!!
  • dawnj87
    dawnj87 Posts: 98 Member
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    Night shift 7pm-7am 3 nights a week. I personally just back my days up if it flips to a new day. I have had no problems with this. On days that I don't work I just log in normally. I usually get home and to sleep no later than 10 am. I will sleep until 2:30-3:00pm and try to work out at least 30 minutes as soon as I wake up. On days I am off I work out anytime I feel.
  • jmaya26
    jmaya26 Posts: 12 Member
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    I work swing but I still have trouble getting my meals figured out. Good luck!
  • ADKdreams
    ADKdreams Posts: 8 Member
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    Trukngrl wrote: »
    Yay for 3rd shift. Perma-graveyarder here. I have had success changing up my food log to list it in 4hr increments, ie: 0000-0400, 0400-0800...ect. That allows me to track my food in the proper window of time, and helps with my days off when I adjust to daylight hours. I also get PLENTY of sleep, I love sleep, I can probably outsleep anyone I know. I try to make getting moving a priority, I take breaks at work and go for a brisk walk - tracked with my fitbit and mapmywalk.com. After work I head to the gym or to the walking trail and then go home shower and sleep. My standard work day is 2300-0700, however we get mandated for overtime w/o notice, so my 8 hour shift can promptly turn into a 12hr shift. Due to the ever changing schedule I always make sure to have healthy snacks that are shelf stable with me - almonds, protein bars(Quest bars) so as not to be tempted by the constant orders for take away or the barage of vending machine food calling my name. I tend to wake up between 1500/2000 depending on how late I got to bed that morning, I also have my largest meal w/my family at night before work, so I snack as the night progresses. Worst drawbacks for me are a desk job, and sometimes desiring sleep more so than working out. Control your mind and you can control your body!

    Here's to 3rd shift and dropping some late night weight.

    I feel your pain; I work 2300-0700 and could get mandated at any time (only for us, if could be as much as 16 hour shifts (24 hour if there is an emergency need). I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out how to utilize this again because, before working graveyard, I'd used the app and lost 50 pounds. I'm trying hard to climb back on the wagon and some of these tips should definitely be helpful!
  • hekate50s
    hekate50s Posts: 3 Member
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    I don't just work night shift(10pm to 6am), I take buses to and from work. No car. I've had a really hard time with sleep and what to eat, when and how to eat and exercise. But I'm working towards it and haven't given up!! Nice to meet you :smiley: (I'm from Massachusetts USA)
  • AgnieszkaWejna
    AgnieszkaWejna Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi guys. What do you do on your first and last day? I really struggle to accurately log my food before my first night, as I end up being awake from around 10am until 10am the next day so somehow have to make sure I don't over eat that day! Also after my last shift for example today I finished nights, I tend to eat lunch around 2-3am, so do you log this as lunch for today or still add it to yesterday's food diary?! Thanks
  • AnnamaeZing623
    AnnamaeZing623 Posts: 1 Member
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    I'm back on a graveyard shift now after 2 years on days (and yes I chose to go back!) and I am dealing with the same issue right now. I use a Fitbit as well and am wondering how to balance the two between my work and off days. Do I track from midnight to midnight like they do or track during my waking hours? I work 3 12's and a 4 hour shift. I also don't get an official lunch break at work (we are allowed breaks of course but we eat at our desks).
  • eque_price
    eque_price Posts: 32 Member
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    I work a rotating night shift. 7 total in a month. The way they go it is practically impossible to stay within my calorie range. After all these years I still find it a mystery on how to do this and not starve, which, I might add does not go well for me. I do not like being hungry.

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