Night shift workers, logging "dinner" and eating enough calories?

randilyn2013
randilyn2013 Posts: 40 Member
edited November 19 in Food and Nutrition
I work in a hospital 2-3 nights a week and am always struggling to reach my calorie minimums when I work. Along with that, the question of logging my post midnight meals on the previous day or the upcoming day. I'm keto so I'm rarely hungry and try to maintain 1200 cals minimum and don't usually count my exercise calories.

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    You are keto and have a hard time eating 1200 calories?

    interesting.

    Are you using a food scale to weigh your food?

    Because if you are really finding it hard to eat 1200 and don't count exercise calories chances are you will crash and burn from lack of nutrition...

    as for when to log it your body doesn't know it's past midnight really...so log it where you want and whatever makes the most sense.
  • RhiAndy11
    RhiAndy11 Posts: 72 Member
    i work night shifts at a hospital too. i tend to eat before i go to work and then try my best not to eat until after atleast 2am. i call it breakfast or snack. depends what i eat. and then dinner in the evening before work. so i just stick to midnight-midnight but as said previously...doesnt really matter what you log it as...as long as you log all your calories
  • randilyn2013
    randilyn2013 Posts: 40 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    You are keto and have a hard time eating 1200 calories?

    Just when I'm working 12 hour shifts in a row is it hard to reach my calories. I might be awake 3 or 4 hours before going in and rarely have a full 30 minutes for lunch and definitely don't wanna cook before bed @ 7am. I do weigh and measure my food +/- an almond here and there. Since I've been doing it a while I've found I can add more vegetables and still stay in ketosis with ~30 net carbs. I'm barely 5'2" so my calorie range is pretty low to start with but I average 1500 cals usually.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    randilyn2013 wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    You are keto and have a hard time eating 1200 calories?

    Just when I'm working 12 hour shifts in a row is it hard to reach my calories. I might be awake 3 or 4 hours before going in and rarely have a full 30 minutes for lunch and definitely don't wanna cook before bed @ 7am. I do weigh and measure my food +/- an almond here and there. Since I've been doing it a while I've found I can add more vegetables and still stay in ketosis with ~30 net carbs. I'm barely 5'2" so my calorie range is pretty low to start with but I average 1500 cals usually.

    My husband is a shift worker and does 12 hour day and night shifts and there is never an issue with getting in enough calories.

    For example why not cook food at 7am...bacon and eggs or with cheese...and adding heavy cream to coffee

    if you are averaging 1500 a day that is a different story as well...that means on your off days you are getting in a good 1700-1900 calories...but the fact you aren't counting exercise calories is troublesome.

    And why add veggies if you are having issues getting in calories you need more fats and proteins to get those calories up...

    as well at 5 ft 2 my sister maintains on about 2200-2400 a day...with exercise.
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
    Maybe change to weekly logging? That eliminates the need to even think about which day to log in, and if you're finding it difficult to get enough calories on a workday, you can make up for it the night before.

  • LittleBlackRabbit
    LittleBlackRabbit Posts: 4 Member
    Night/evening shift worker at a hospital as well.

    I eat before and after work. I bring a cup of Greek Yogurt and two 3/4 cups of different fruit each day. If there's down time- I stuff my face.

    Usually I place the log as the previous day. As I log days based on my wake cycle.

    Do you pre-plan or pre-assemble meals? Or do you find food to eat as you go?
  • randilyn2013
    randilyn2013 Posts: 40 Member

    [/quote]
    For example why not cook food at 7am...bacon and eggs or with cheese...and adding heavy cream to coffee

    if you are averaging 1500 a day that is a different story as well...that means on your off days you are getting in a good 1700-1900 calories...but the fact you aren't counting exercise calories is troublesome.

    And why add veggies if you are having issues getting in calories you need more fats and proteins to get those calories up...

    as well at 5 ft 2 my sister maintains on about 2200-2400 a day...with exercise.[/quote]

    I just assumed it wasn't good for digestion to eat right before bed. For my diet as a whole I enjoy the variety of vegetables and occasionally some berries. With carb restrictions it's only a couple cups a day. I'll probably just start adding some almonds or hemp hearts to my meal before work and see how that goes.

    My exercise calories generally come from getting my 10k steps a day and mfp tries to give me 1000+ calories. I've tried adjusting my activity level to combat that but it's still so many calories for just walking.
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