How do you regulate when you eat when you are an overnight worker?

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RR0817
RR0817 Posts: 38 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! So at least three nights a week I work 7pm to 7am, I bring my dinner with me to work and numerous healthy snacks. My question is how is it do you keep yourself on a regular schedule with eating when you are working opposite of what someone with a normal 9-5 schedule? I find myself being hungry all throughout the night. I've got the willpower to resist going to the vending machines, or hitting the late night cafeteria run. Is there any advice anyone could give on how to regulate eating/snacking since my body is running when it should be resting. I'm trying to curb the urge to hit a vending machine.

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  • Roaringgael
    Roaringgael Posts: 339 Member
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    I work nights but I don't get hungry at night. Opposite to you. I sleep during the day get up eat a meal, eat another meal before going to work (I start much later than you at 2200) and I drink plenty of water.
    I don't eat overnight as it gives me indigestion , sometimes I have a snack. late in the morning before knocking off. I guess i'm not much help other than eat well before you go to work.
  • sdxt
    sdxt Posts: 1 Member
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    Intermittent fasting?
  • Vegplotter
    Vegplotter Posts: 265 Member
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    You are doing tremendously well to diet while you are working nights.
    Working night shifts is really bad for your health and these days your employer (especially if it's a biggish organisation) should be offering you support in things like diet. Ask if they have a fitness programme for shift workers. Your employer has a legal duty of care towards you and your co-workers. (At least in the UK they do) So if there isn't anything available at work, ask your boss to help you start something. I'm no expert but I think one of the pieces of advice for shift workers is that there should be 48/72hrs off between changes of shift patterns. That allows your sleep and body system to get back to normal.
    Alternatively get another job. (But I know that's a big ask.)
    Happy to friend if you need encouragement.
  • Losewtforlife4him
    Losewtforlife4him Posts: 422 Member
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    Calculate most of your calories for during the night. It doesn't matter when you eat your daily calories as long as you eat them and don't go over your daily limit. I also work 7p-7am but not full time. I work 2 nights a week sometimes and 1 others, and some weeks none so it would be trickier I'm sure for you. I really think our metabolism changes at night too and we can feel hungrier. I like to take Greek yogurt, a 60 calorie wrap with pb & j or turkey and laughing cow light Swiss, or a salad, 2 cups skinny pop (Walmart brand), a bag of a few almonds, a 90 calorie bar, and that's about it. Sometimes I take all of that and eat it throughout my shift depending on how busy I am which is pretty busy. I then come home and try to go right to bed or if hungry, will eat a banana or bar with pb and then when I wake up, have my coffee and usually I'm not terribly hungry and may eat oatmeal for my dinner before work. Then start over again. Does that make sense? Not sure this helps.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    It makes no difference as far as weight loss goes as to what time you eat your calories.
    You could eat all of your calorie allotment during your night shift and still lose weight.
    I work odd shifts too. Meal timing has nothing to do with weight loss, weight loss comes down to calories. If your hungry at night, eat at night
  • Losewtforlife4him
    Losewtforlife4him Posts: 422 Member
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    zoeysasha37 wrote: »
    It makes no difference as far as weight loss goes as to what time you eat your calories.
    You could eat all of your calorie allotment during your night shift and still lose weight.
    I work odd shifts too. Meal timing has nothing to do with weight loss, weight loss comes down to calories. If your hungry at night, eat at night

    Yep. This

  • RR0817
    RR0817 Posts: 38 Member
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    I'm losing the weight, it's just I feel like I'm eating all day. I am a morning person that works overnight. So on my days off I'm up early as usual and then I stay up all day I eat all day and then all night. That's what I am trying to regulate.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    edited May 2016
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    You do not have to eat if you do not feel like eating.
    You can look at a daily average over the course of the week.
  • RR0817
    RR0817 Posts: 38 Member
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    I don't just eat to eat. I eat when I'm hungry.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    One of my previous responses to a similar question : I strictly work nights. What I did was changed my meals from breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks to 0000-0600, 0600-1200, 1200-1800, 1800-0000, so that all my days are 24hrs regardless of when I go to sleep, wake up or work. It seems to work well for me and the 24hrs match up with my Fitbit burn.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I suggest you divide 1/3 of your daily calories into a dozen or so small portions and be able to take some during your work shift and some during your home shift. Keep 2/3 of your daily calories in meals away from work or, as you say, a dinner you carry to work. Shift work sucks.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    And throw away those big jeans. There shall be no going back.

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