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Calories and 3rd shift! Help!

Rawrbyn
Rawrbyn Posts: 109 Member
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Here's my dilemma....
I work 3rd shift. Sometimes, I only get 4-5 hours of sleep during the day. I'm trying to figure out how to do my calories.
My schedule:

Monday:
Work Midnight-8am.
Up from 8am until 6pm with my daughter.
Sleep from 6:30-10:30pm.
Tuesday:
Work Midnight-8am
Up until 10pm.
Sleep 10pm until next morning.
Wednesday:
Off work, normal day.
Thursday:
Wake up around 10am
Up with daughter until 7 or 8pm.
Sleep from 8-10:30
Friday:
Work Midnight-8am
Up until 6:30
Sleep 7-10:30
Saturday:
Work Midnight-8am
Sleep 10am-8pm
Sunday:
Work Midnight-8am
Sleep 10am-10pm

Should I keep my calories going from midnight to midnight? Or reset them when I sleep?

Replies

  • Missevanston
    Missevanston Posts: 361 Member
    I say...whatever you can be the most consistent with...if that is Monday to Monday..then that should be it...
  • Tiggerrick
    Tiggerrick Posts: 1,078 Member
    One of my MFP friends working the night shift set hers up like this:
    7am-12noon
    12noon - 5pm
    5pm to 11pm
    11pm to 7am
    Supplements

    the idea is to keep track. It all averages out in the end, but I thought this was a fairly good way for night shifters.
  • Crystal817
    Crystal817 Posts: 2,021 Member
    I work nights, 7pm-7am.

    I track my food from the time I wake up, until I go to sleep. Works the best for me. (But I also probably get a bit more sleep than you)
  • monchand
    monchand Posts: 62 Member
    I work 12 hour night shifts. So I continue to keep myself my tracking for midnight to midnight. Its the only thing that seems to help me be successful. After midnight I eat plain veggies if I get hungry. Like cucumbers,carrots, broccoli, califlower ect. so it contains little calories. Keeping the weight off for people who work nights is hard:frown:
  • rahonda28
    rahonda28 Posts: 43
    I will say this is wonderful. Knowing there are other 3rd shifters out there haveing the same issues. I work 11pm to 7ams 3 to 4 days a week and every other weekend. I sleep when i can where I can. I have found so far that keeping track midnight to midnight works best for me. Because my body sometimes need the calories at night for the work I do. I just dont go and eat hog wild I eat a chichen wrap with lots of veggies or a tuna sandwich on letuce or celery instead of bread or maybe a salad. Its all about portion sizes I still try to keep within my calorie amount and below in that 24 hour period. It just may mean I eat smaller amounts more often on days I work. I have ate oatmeal at 3 in the morning because I want something hot and filling other times its carrot sticks or yogurt. That helps set the pace for the rest of my 24 hours. If I have callories leftover maybe I can have that cookie. If Ive ate the cookies first then it also keeps me in check for the rest of the day. WHEN YOU TOTALY GO OFF ON A EATING SPREE ONE DAY YOU GET BACK ON TRACK THE NEXT DONT GIVE UP.
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