Night shift & weight loss

medtechtess
medtechtess Posts: 1 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone,

I work night/3rd shift at a hospital. I was wondering if anyone who may have similar work hours has any tips about:
1) exercise- before or after work?
2) getting in 3 adequate meals- especially the after work meal; ensuring it's not too heavy before sleeping, but satisfying enough where you don't wake up starving

Replies

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,646 Member
    It's personal preference. When I worked third shift I ate and went to sleep as soon as I got home. That way, I could wake up without an alarm clock. It did mean that everything had to happen before work, though.
  • choppie70
    choppie70 Posts: 544 Member
    My husband works overnight (9:00pm to 6am) . He exercises and stretches before he goes to work, after we eat dinner together. He brings a "lunch" with him and then he eats a breakfast when he gets home in the morning.

    If you are having problems with waking up hungry you may think about maybe shifting to smaller meals more frequently so you are not hungry. There is no rule that you have to have 3 meals. I personally eat a small breakfast (6am), a snack at 9:30, a light lunch at 11:30, a snack at 3:30, and dinner. I sometimes have an after dinner snack.
  • G33K_G1RL
    G33K_G1RL Posts: 283 Member
    I remembered watching this video which applies to your situation :

    https://youtu.be/UIbFhjB2zq0
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    A lot of it will come down to personal preference. I prefer to exercise after work, myself. As far as eating, I usually eat a meal before I go, then take a small meal and a bunch of low-cal snacks to work with me. If I have the calories left, I'll eat something before I go to bed in the morning.
  • KT_3009
    KT_3009 Posts: 1,042 Member
    A friend of mine does night shift work (9.30-6.30am) and she finds it easiest to workout at around 6pm and than will have dinner at 7.30/8pm.. She than has a 30 minute break (3am) where she has her big breakfast of the day and than when she gets home at 7.30am she'll normally have a small snack or smoothie and when she wakes up at around 3-3.30pm she will have a pre-workout snack

    Hope this helps somewhat I know each night shift can be different and also people's sleep cycles but this is how she manages her eating/exercise
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    I have similar work hours. I work 12hr over night shifts on an ambulance where a "meal break" just doesn't exist.

    When it comes to tracking, I track midnight to midnight, that way it is always consistent regardless of it I'm at work or not. It also lines up with how many calories I burn via vivosmart.

    I exercise when I get home, before I go to bed. I find if I work out before work, I am tired when I get to work. I base the intensity and length of my work out on how busy I was the night before and if I get out on time/have a late job.

    As far as meals, I make sure each has a good amount of protein and fat to keep me satisfied. I bring snacks that I can eat quickly since I don't get "breaks".
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