Weird Schedule; Am I Hurting my Weightloss?

zwoodcock
zwoodcock Posts: 15 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Yo!

So quick question that I can't seem to find a straight answer for. I'm a college student with classes Monday through Friday, at least three a day. In addition, I work a night job from 6pm to ~3/4am two to three nights a week. As a result of all that, my meal times and sleep schedule are pretty screwed. There are days when I realize at 5:30, on the way to work, that I haven't eaten at all that day... so I get as close to my calorie goal as I can with one meal (and not always a healthy one... I'm on a college-student budget, so a quick inexpensive meal is typically fast food). Then there are normal days where I manage to eat Breakfast, Lunch AND Dinner! Those days are few and far between...

My question is: Am I hurting my chances at losing optimally if I'm constantly eating at different times, or is all that stuff I read about my metabolism changing throughout the day *kitten* and/or not a real concern?

Replies

  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
    zwoodcock wrote: »
    Yo!

    So quick question that I can't seem to find a straight answer for. I'm a college student with classes Monday through Friday, at least three a day. In addition, I work a night job from 6pm to ~3/4am two to three nights a week. As a result of all that, my meal times and sleep schedule are pretty screwed. There are days when I realize at 5:30, on the way to work, that I haven't eaten at all that day... so I get as close to my calorie goal as I can with one meal (and not always a healthy one... I'm on a college-student budget, so a quick inexpensive meal is typically fast food). Then there are normal days where I manage to eat Breakfast, Lunch AND Dinner! Those days are few and far between...

    My question is: Am I hurting my chances at losing optimally if I'm constantly eating at different times, or is all that stuff I read about my metabolism changing throughout the day *kitten* and/or not a real concern?

    This. Just stay within your calories and the rest is noise
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,699 Member
    It doesn't matter when you eat. You body doesn't know what time it is. It isn't going to shut down after 7 pm or leap into action at 7 am.

    Think about it ... if that were true, if you were to fly to another time zone, would you have to eat in the middle of the night?
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    No. As long as you hit your calorie goal (even if it's one unhealthy meal) you will be fine.
  • KateSimpson17
    KateSimpson17 Posts: 282 Member
    Your body doesn't care when you eat. That crap about "breakfast being the most important meal of the day" because it "jump starts your metabolism" is totally false from a weight loss perspective except that it may help you feel full in the morning and not feel the need to snack before lunch.
    You may have some problems with needing more food to help you get through those days when you work nights and don't get much sleep, but my understanding would be that you're probably burning more calories when you're awake then when you're asleep anyway, so a c.100 calorie snack probably wouldn't hurt your efforts on those days (someone can correct me if I'm wrong)
    Ultimately, weight loss is the easy formula of CICO (calories in calories out). Eat less than you burn with bmr, tdee, and exercise and you'll be just fine!

    Side note: breakfast IS still important, especially with such a hectic schedule (trust me, been there done that) it helps you get more energy right off the bat, helps you wake up, and helps you focus on what you need to be doing instead of when your next chance to eat is.
  • zwoodcock
    zwoodcock Posts: 15 Member
    Cool. Thanks for the info!
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