Working the night shift

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I am due to start working a night shift at work on 4 on 4 off basis. How do I work my weight loss plan around my my new shift pattern.

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  • Aimscapes
    Aimscapes Posts: 14 Member
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    I do the same, I try as much as possible to have my 'bi' meals around 10pm which is when I start my shift.. healthy snacks during the night, go to sleep in the morning to wake up at around 14/1500hrs for another big lunch with more snacks until the evening.

    By snacks, I mean healthy, veggie based snacks that will keep me going. :)
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Basically the exact same way as days. I work 9:30pm-7:30am. This is how I fill out the diary. My diary is rolling but it balances the same.
    So i go into work on the calendar date of June 2. After I wake up the first meal I eat gets logged under "lunch".

    June 2nd Lunch 9pm
    June 2nd Dinner 12am
    June 2nd Snack 3am
    June 2nd Snack 2 (sometimes) 5-6am

    *The end of my shift = the end of my day. If I eat anything after 8am it gets logged as the breakfast on that calendar day. Sometimes I have a little something before or after my morning workout.

    June 3rd Breakfast (sometimes) 8:30am

    To me sleeping is what resets my day, Not midnight.

    Now some people find it is easier by just renaming all their meals. So they rename them Meal 1 /Meal 2 /Meal 3. That might be easier for you.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    You could eat more on days you work and less on days you do not work.
    Instead of looking at daily calories, consider your weekly average.
  • jenniferdonnelle
    jenniferdonnelle Posts: 5 Member
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    I find that having breakfast before work, at 2200, lunch around 0300, and dinner around 1000 works for me. I use sleep to start/end my day, as far as meals go. MFP allows you to log meals in advance. So when I wake up and have breakfast at 2200 on Sunday night I log it as breakfast on Monday. I find that helpful in keeping track of meals so I don't overeat or have a second breakfast.