Night shift eating.

sandeepthepenguin
sandeepthepenguin Posts: 8 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everybody!
I'm new here. I'm a nurse and will start my rotation on nights in April. I just wanted to know how to best approach this in terms of eating. (I hope to sleep from 0830-1500 or later if possible).
Thanks for your input!
:)

Replies

  • jaymek92
    jaymek92 Posts: 309 Member
    eat while you are awake. preferably not while working with patients.
  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
    Night workers group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/508-night-crawlers
  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,522 Member
    I work 11pm-9:30 am. I eat breakast at my 4am break. I either skip lunch or have an earky lunch before i sleep. I sleep 10/11am-4/5pm. I have a small snack when i get up, dinner with the family, and a snack after i work out (when kids are in bed) if i need more food.
  • Brinasacat
    Brinasacat Posts: 505 Member
    Don't do what I did! i'm also a nurse and worked 5 years on nights. I slept 8a- noon, and then 8p-10p. i had such a craving for sunlight, that I would go outside in the afternoon just to feel the sun on my body. I ate 4 meals a day, breakfast, lunch, dinner at regular time and found a forth meal around 2am. Good luck!
  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
    Official nightshift thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/536410-official-nightshift-thread
  • tldust
    tldust Posts: 103 Member
    I'm also a nurse. I work 12hr nights from 7pm-7:30am. I eat most of my calories by 2am leaving room for snacks a light bedtime snack (or everyone else's breakfast). I've never been one for breakfast food, so I actually have dinner when I get up around 4ish. Lunch around Midnight. The lightest eating closer to bedtime. I was counting my calories from 2pm-2pm. But it gets a little confusing when I switch my sleeping schedule around for a bunch of days off. I'm still working out the kinks.

    I don't advise exercising right before going to bed. It interferes with sleep. Do it when you get it up, so you'll be energized for your day.

    Try to plan out what you're going to eat for the night before it happens. Things might get busy and you might not be able to log your calories for figure out calorie value.
  • sandeepthepenguin
    sandeepthepenguin Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks for the advice guys! Also helpful to hear from fellow nurses. I was planning on going to the gym before heading to work, but that could tire me out. Since the weather will be getting warmer, it will be easier to go for walks, and get small bouts of exercise in.
  • sandeepthepenguin
    sandeepthepenguin Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks for the link 'yesthistime'! :flowerforyou:
  • sandeepthepenguin
    sandeepthepenguin Posts: 8 Member
    tldust: Did you change the type of food you were eating at night? or was it the same and just within your daily calorie limit? We "normally" get a 1 hour break, but no one ever takes it because it's always so busy, so I will have to eat something light before I go in, a "lunch" and as you mentioned, a light snack before bed. :wink:
  • ajt917
    ajt917 Posts: 54 Member
    I'm also a nurse working the night shift! I just count my calories from midnight to midnight. It is just easier for me when I got back to a day schedule on my day off. I eat "breakfast" at 2am. I find i work out best when I get off work, it totally helps me sleep better. So after a workout, I eat "lunch". I sleep from 10am-5pm. I usually just eat some fruit or other snack that has a lot of calories so that I'm eating enough since I dont really eat three meals when I work a few days in a row. If I dont work the night after, I will sleep from 10-2ish and then eat a snack when I get up and dinner with my family at a regular dinner time. You will find what works best for you, it took me awhile to figure out my workouts and making sure to eat enough!
  • sandeepthepenguin
    sandeepthepenguin Posts: 8 Member
    Everyone works differently hey! Thanks for your input ajt917! 12-12 is a good idea since I will be switching between days and nights. I like that.
  • mdstamand
    mdstamand Posts: 170 Member
    Hi, I've been working 12 hr night shifts for about 20 yrs. I work 7pm to 7am. I sleep from approx. 8 am to 2 pm. When I wake I eat breakfast. I typically eat cereal (cold or I cook oatmeal), coffee and something like a slice of toast with PB or a small muffin or maybe a banana. If I exercise it's during the time between breakfast and leaving for work. I tend to not eat a defined lunch. When I arrive at work I generally eat a piece of fruit like a banana or I'll have something like 2 or 3 fig newtons. I eat a full dinner between 9 and 10 pm and then I'll eat healthy snacks between midnight and 8 am when I go back to bed. (healthy snacks include apples, almonds, bananas, yogurt, etc.). I generally feel very good and awake during my entire shift and have no trouble falling asleep in the morning. My days off are a bigger challenge as I have to convert to a regular day routine and I eat three meals and my snacks. Usually my snack list on the food tracker is the longest of all the categories. The trick for me is the time between midnight and 8 am. I use the rule of eat a little bit but eat often, every couple of hours I eat something small. Plan your meal and snacks for work so you know what you're getting. Avoid the cafeterias and vending machines. As a nurse your cafeteria menu is probably way healthier than mine; I find the food in mine less than healthy and loaded with fat and calories. I'm also saving money now!

    Good luck with your venture and welcome to the land of the night shifters.
    Mike
  • dwtimeoutt
    dwtimeoutt Posts: 107 Member
    My schedule is very similar to yours. I'm a Youth Counselor in a Residential Treatment facility for teens. I will be changing my shift on April 3rd. I spoke with my dietician today and I will wake up at 8:30-9pm and I will have my dinner, At 12:30 I will have a snack. At 3:30am I will have my lunch, at 5:30-6am I will have a snack and at 10am I will have my breakfast. I will go to bed at noon and start all over the next day. Good luck on your shifts. Mine are 4 ten hour shifts so I will switch back on my days off.
  • MereBear1985
    MereBear1985 Posts: 36 Member
    Everyone works differently hey! Thanks for your input ajt917! 12-12 is a good idea since I will be switching between days and nights. I like that.

    This is what I do. I work two nights (12 hours) one day off two days (12 hours) then 5 days off and repeat. It's just easier when you switch around a lot, then just plan your meals out before you go in to work so you know!
  • Arrica
    Arrica Posts: 166 Member
    Night shift here as well (7p-7:30a). I usually eat a 'dinner' before I go in then I eat my 'lunch' at about 1:30 am, half way through my shift. Breakfast will usually be an apple sometime in the day depending on when I go to sleep. If I go to sleep right away then I will usually eat it around 2 or so when I wake up. If I am awake with the baby I will usually eat it after i feed her breakfast and run on the treadmill so closer to 9am. I snack throughout the night on things like grapes, rice cakes, oatmeal, etc. As for recording I don't get too anal about when I do it, I just be sure I get it in the log somewhere. For me it's all about calories in vs. calories out not so much about when I eat them. The one thing is on the day after I have worked a couple shifts in a row my diary usually isn't too full because I sleep during the day for a bit then go to bed early that night so I usually don't eat as much as I probably should. Also I should say my days I work rotate sometimes I work them together and sometimes there is a split between all or some of the days.
  • sandeepthepenguin
    sandeepthepenguin Posts: 8 Member
    That's a pretty nice plan! It's good to lay out when you should eat instead of it being all willy nilly! Thanks for posting! :D
    My schedule is very similar to yours. I'm a Youth Counselor in a Residential Treatment facility for teens. I will be changing my shift on April 3rd. I spoke with my dietician today and I will wake up at 8:30-9pm and I will have my dinner, At 12:30 I will have a snack. At 3:30am I will have my lunch, at 5:30-6am I will have a snack and at 10am I will have my breakfast. I will go to bed at noon and start all over the next day. Good luck on your shifts. Mine are 4 ten hour shifts so I will switch back on my days off.
  • sandeepthepenguin
    sandeepthepenguin Posts: 8 Member
    Calories in vs calories out! Should be my moto! I l am so impressed with the calorie tracker on this! What a huge database. It's so scary to learn how many calories are in things, such as a Tim's hot chocolate..., etc.
    Night shift here as well (7p-7:30a). I usually eat a 'dinner' before I go in then I eat my 'lunch' at about 1:30 am, half way through my shift. Breakfast will usually be an apple sometime in the day depending on when I go to sleep. If I go to sleep right away then I will usually eat it around 2 or so when I wake up. If I am awake with the baby I will usually eat it after i feed her breakfast and run on the treadmill so closer to 9am. I snack throughout the night on things like grapes, rice cakes, oatmeal, etc. As for recording I don't get too anal about when I do it, I just be sure I get it in the log somewhere. For me it's all about calories in vs. calories out not so much about when I eat them. The one thing is on the day after I have worked a couple shifts in a row my diary usually isn't too full because I sleep during the day for a bit then go to bed early that night so I usually don't eat as much as I probably should. Also I should say my days I work rotate sometimes I work them together and sometimes there is a split between all or some of the days.
  • sandeepthepenguin
    sandeepthepenguin Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks Mike! Very interesting to see what you do! I'm excited to come to nights because it's always nice to see people coming to work when you are going home, ha ha.

    Thanks for the encouragement!
    Hi, I've been working 12 hr night shifts for about 20 yrs. I work 7pm to 7am. I sleep from approx. 8 am to 2 pm. When I wake I eat breakfast. I typically eat cereal (cold or I cook oatmeal), coffee and something like a slice of toast with PB or a small muffin or maybe a banana. If I exercise it's during the time between breakfast and leaving for work. I tend to not eat a defined lunch. When I arrive at work I generally eat a piece of fruit like a banana or I'll have something like 2 or 3 fig newtons. I eat a full dinner between 9 and 10 pm and then I'll eat healthy snacks between midnight and 8 am when I go back to bed. (healthy snacks include apples, almonds, bananas, yogurt, etc.). I generally feel very good and awake during my entire shift and have no trouble falling asleep in the morning. My days off are a bigger challenge as I have to convert to a regular day routine and I eat three meals and my snacks. Usually my snack list on the food tracker is the longest of all the categories. The trick for me is the time between midnight and 8 am. I use the rule of eat a little bit but eat often, every couple of hours I eat something small. Plan your meal and snacks for work so you know what you're getting. Avoid the cafeterias and vending machines. As a nurse your cafeteria menu is probably way healthier than mine; I find the food in mine less than healthy and loaded with fat and calories. I'm also saving money now!

    Good luck with your venture and welcome to the land of the night shifters.
    Mike
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