Working night shift while trying to loose

alessandra_matthews
alessandra_matthews Posts: 13 Member
edited December 1 in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone find it harder to lose weight while working the night shift? I work nights three days a week 12 hour shift and it messes the rest of my week sleep schedule totally up. I've been losing about 2 pounds a week for the last monthbut I noticed that the weight drops on my days off and not on the days that I work. I eat the same thing at home that I do at work so nutrition isn't the reason. Any advice from any other night shift workers out there I really got to keep the ball rolling I'm getting married in a year.

Replies

  • hhazzouri
    hhazzouri Posts: 103 Member
    edited May 2016
    Im gonna assume that you measure your weight everyday, but because of your schedule you cant always do it under the same conditions so the readings will not be accurate.
  • alessandra_matthews
    alessandra_matthews Posts: 13 Member
    I get off at 7 am I always weigh myself at that time
  • nurselinds
    nurselinds Posts: 1 Member
    I'm having the same issue. Losing weight is much slower on night shift. We sleep more than most I feel. I try to make sure I eat nothing else after "lunch"... I used to come home and have breakfast but I stopped that.
  • Ama093
    Ama093 Posts: 7 Member
    I always weigh more after night shifts. I tend to have a bit of swelling in my feet, especially if it's a busy night. Weigh yourself after you sleep post nights
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Nope. I've worked nights for 6+ years and have no issue.
  • hhazzouri
    hhazzouri Posts: 103 Member
    alessandra_matthews wrote: »
    I get off at 7 am I always weigh myself at that time

    Im not sure how your sleeping schedule is but weighing yourself at 7 after hours of sleep (dehydration) will not be the same as right after work. You might also be drinking more liquids during your work shift (coffee?). Anyway a 1% increase/decrease between days is a normal variation as long as its a downward trend.
  • edoll61
    edoll61 Posts: 22 Member
    I'm a night shifter as well and I've had my share of issues, but I'm trying to make some adjustments. The hardest part for me is adjusting my food schedule. Basically, when I get home I have a good, healthy breakfast, sleep for about 6-7 hours and have a small snack when I wake up. I consider dinner my lunch and my "lunch" at about 3 a.m. my dinner. I know it seems weird, but it makes sense to me, lol. I don't have a scale at home, so I use the one at work and weigh myself about 2 times a week. I would prefer to not even eat when I get home, but I don't always go to bed immediately as there's stuff to do around the house, so basically I skip my normal lunch in the afternoon. Keep with it. You'll see results if you keep it up.
  • alessandra_matthews
    alessandra_matthews Posts: 13 Member
    I still eat my meal during they day i wake up about 230-3 pm and have lunch then at 9pm I eat dinner at work and won't eat again until I'm off at 7am
  • JustBreathSB
    JustBreathSB Posts: 103 Member
    edited May 2016
    I have trouble losing on nights too. I work the same schedule as you 3 nights 12 hour shifts. I just try to eat healthy during my shift (which can be hard when your co workers are having potlucks and ordering pizza). If it's a weigh in day I go home and sleep then weigh myself first thing when I wake up. It's hard for me to eat at night so I usually just take snacks like a banana, yogurt, Lara bar and eat them throughout the night. I'm down 13.8lbs but it's taken me 3 months.
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,159 Member
    I've been on nights for a hundred years. I do not weigh myself after working, I'll wait until I've had a night off, slept and then check it in the morning. I know my ankles get puffy at work, I'm drinking water all night long and eating every few hours, so I feel it's more accurate when I've been on a "normal" schedule for a day. So, I don't have a specific weigh-in day of the week but this works for me. Down 111 lbs despite the never ending night shift potlucks.
  • lifeskittles
    lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
    I always retain a lot of water after working a night shift. It would be the most accurate to weigh yourself after a couple of days off after waking up when your sleep is more normalized and you havent been on your feet all day.
  • cgower36
    cgower36 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm glad I'm not the only one that struggles with the night shift. I generally weigh myself when i first wake up, so if weigh in day once a week falls on nights then it 5pm if it's on a day off it's about 8am. Always find it stays on track that way. My trouble is meal planning. I try to have breakfast when I wake up at 5pm and then dinner about 11pm. I'll always skip lunch on work days and tend to snack more between the meals. On off days I go to the gym and have Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with a couple of snacks throughout the day. So far I've lost 42lbs in 3months so it must be working in some way.
  • medic03431
    medic03431 Posts: 1 Member
    One of the reasons it is difficult to lose weight working night shift is we generally have an issue with cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone which helps regulate sugar and fat metabolism. Increased cortisol levels result in increased appetite, poor blood sugar control and increased fat storage. Unfortunately switching from night shifts to a "normal" schedule to deal with family and other things, then back to nights again makes our bodies stressed and increases our cortisol level. A good, consistent, sleep schedule is key in maintaining normal levels and easier weight management.
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