odd shift patterns and eating times??

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nicmc1978
nicmc1978 Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi
I work a crazy shift pattern and trying to work out when to eat is difficult. Does it make a difference to weight loss or am i worrying too much?

I can start
MON 04.00 till 14.00
TUE off
WED 04.00-14.30
THU 14.00-00.30
FRI off
SAT 04.00-14.30
SUN off

It's all over the place and i feel my body is out of sync.

Any help would be great x

Replies

  • nicmc1978
    nicmc1978 Posts: 10 Member
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    Does no-one else work crazy hours??? I'm really struggling.
  • bouquet77
    bouquet77 Posts: 39 Member
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    Hey Nick I do earlies 7 am starts then the next day a night shift then off then early im on early all next week then 7 nights straight not sure whats gonna happen then ?????
  • auntdeedee87
    auntdeedee87 Posts: 706 Member
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    I work graveyards.
  • Stewben
    Stewben Posts: 2
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    I work second shift, so the only time I go to the gym is laaaate, and it really messes with my sleeping. The times I eat are crazy as well, so I dont eat much earlier in the day and try to say my calories till later in the day and it works pretty well so far, Im still losing consistantly.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Does it make a difference to weight loss or am i worrying too much?

    If you were to isolate meal timing as the only variable then no, it will not make a difference. Now, if a certain meal pattern or timing causes you BEHAVIORAL changes that would then impact your total consumption (or your gym performance, for example), then one could argue that meal timing matters.

    Consequently, I would base your meal timing entirely on personal preference.
  • nicmc1978
    nicmc1978 Posts: 10 Member
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    Thanks.
    I have lost 2 stone already but it has taken me a year t lose it which feels really slow compared to others. My friend managed to lose 5 stone in the same time. I was putting it down to not having a regular eating pattern.
  • rmphill
    rmphill Posts: 1
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    I work 3 12 hour nights 7p-7a and am on weight watchers. I start my points and calorie goals over at midnight. I workout on my mornings I have off but I do find it hard to work out after working all night.Sometimes I get 3 days and sometimes 4.Not as much as I would like. I agree it is hard! Good luck!
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I was putting it down to not having a regular eating pattern.

    This would only be the case if the meal pattern lead to you eating differently, which is entirely possible. The pattern/frequency/timing of the meal itself will not effect your net change in weight from a physiological standpoint.

    Thermic effect of feeding is based on macronutrient composition and caloric totals, not frequency.
  • nicmc1978
    nicmc1978 Posts: 10 Member
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    Doesn't cause behavioural changes i don't think. I still watch calories and go to gym at least 4 days a week for 2 hours a time. Perhaps missing eating something before work is the key. I couldn't face eating anything at 2.30 in the morning.
  • Ramboz
    Ramboz Posts: 2
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    I lost most of my weight will working midnight shift 2130-0730, 4 days on, 3 days off. I tried to eat consistantly through out the week. So I ate as little as possible throughout the night. Ate a small breakfast in the morning around 0630, lunch when I woke up at around 1530-1600. Ate dinner at around 1930-2000. It worked for me. IMO I think you'll be okay if you can figure out a eating schedule that is consistant throughout the week.

    Good Luck.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Doesn't cause behavioural changes i don't think.

    Then I would just eat when you feel like it, hit your daily totals and not worry about it beyond that unless you have performance issues in the gym.

    You can't compare your weight loss to someone elses and successfully draw a meaningful conclusion about it unless you know your expenditure vs intake AND you know your friends expenditure vs intake, and even then, there's hormones, estimation errors, inaccuracies in procedure/etc/etc /etc.

    I assure you it is not meal timing that is causing ANY of this.
  • nicmc1978
    nicmc1978 Posts: 10 Member
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    ok thanks Sidesteal. Prob just feeling a bit deflated. No excuses just power on lol x
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    ok thanks Sidesteal. Prob just feeling a bit deflated. No excuses just power on lol x

    I should clarify one thing: Total intake (calories and macronutrients) absolutely matter a great deal, it's just that the frequency doesn't. So in short, if you are having issues and don't feel like you're losing enough or not losing at all, then you should absolutely look at your intake and perhaps your exercise. It's just that you should be looking at it as a whole (total intake) rather than looking at what time you ate it. Hopefully this makes sense.
  • willdytryin
    willdytryin Posts: 12 Member
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    I work 4 days on and 4 days off - 2 12 hr days and 2 12 hr nights - eating proper is not much of an issue - day shifts are regularly timed intervals and nights shifts - I have breakfast when I get up usually around 3 pm and carry on - I do eat probably half my supper cals before work and the rest during - I need a hit of gas for overnight hours - so I have lots of cal's to play with.

    My big issue is working out and getting exercise - I am mentally and physically exhausted after 12 hr days - and the most I can commit to is a long walk. Its funny - I can almost get more excercise in when I am on nights - usually morning of 1st night shift and at the end of second night shift.

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