Graveyard shift?
babyann79
Posts: 49 Member
Do any of you have trouble with when and how to eat when working the graveyard shift? I work 11p-730a and it's so difficult to get on a schedule/routine. Some days I get home around 8a and go straight to sleep..other days I go to sleep around 2p. My sleeping pattern varies and it's not very often I get a good amount of sleep. Any suggestions? Im interested to hear how others deal with working the graveyard shift...and please feel free to add me...Im also new to MFP and looking for friends to be accountable with!
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I work 10p to 7am. On average, I wake up at 2pm, eat a small meal shortly after. Then every 2 hours after that initial meal I eat something small. I get my 15min break at midnight, 1hr lunch at 2am, and then next 15min break at 5am. So it works out where I have something small during each break. Then as soon as I get home I sleep until 2pm and just do it all over again. I've actually been having more problems with eating on my days off than eating on days I work. lol.1
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I went from 8 hour day shifts to 4 night shifts a week and a few day shifts in between. I lost a lot of weight, (I loved it) but a year later, it all came back plus 15 more! I was soooo mad!!! I can't really give you too much advice, I just saw that no one has responded yet. I would do a bit of research or talk to a nutritionist because night shifts are really hard on the body! Good luck to you
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I work by myself midnight to 8am i eat my meal at 3am then at 5 am i have an orange or some kind of fruit. When i get home i take my son to school then i go to bed by 9 am sleep til 3 or 3:30 i usually make a smoothie then eat with my family at supper. I too have more of a problem with my eating habits on my days off. Feel free to add me if you like.0
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I work 10:45 pm to 8:45 am. I also have an hour drive minimum each way. I'm away from the house for nearly 13 miles. I eat at 3am, 10am and 8pm. I do a snack at 1am and another around 6am. I sleep from 11 or 12 noon until 7 or 8pm. I am losing about one pound per week. I walk as soon as I have my 10am meal.0
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I work random nights (like 2-3 times a month) and it is difficult to adjust my eating schedule, especially since I'm awake all day. I just add on half of my daily calories for the night time....that seems to work for me so far. If I don't eat enough on those nights, I get sharp stomach pains and I'm miserable. Then I sleep until 2-3pm the next day, (skipping my breakfast and lunch times) have a small snack then a regular dinner. It balances out...0
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I work nights. Saturday night to Tuesday night 10 hours (9pm to 7am). I go to bed 8-830am. I am up at 3-330pm. I keep to that routine. On Wednesdays I may wake up earlier, but then I go to bed around 12am and am up with everyone else for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Saturdays I take a nap before work. about 3 hours. I leave the house at 830pm, so I nap from 4pm to 7pm.
I don't worry about eating at the same time every day at all. How I do it is based on when I am awake and work from there, I try to eat in the first 2 hours of waking up for breakfast, Lunch is always after gym. Supper is sometime after that, during the days off, at the normal time as everyone else (between 430 and 630 depending on whose turn it is to cook and what is cooking), when I work supper is at 'lunch' break at work, or whenever I feel hungry (12-1am usually), and snacks throughout the night until about 3-4am (mostly because I find if I don't eat 3 to 4 hours before going to bed I don't have indigestion and have trouble sleeping).
It works into a routine, but I just shift between nights and days without worrying about eating at the same exact time everyday.0 -
yes I have that same problem: eating on my days off!! What about exercise? Do you exercise around the time you get up?0
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I dont exercise nearly enough. We have 3 boys at home so we don't have a regular exercise schedule.0
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Thanks guys for all of your feedback!!! It really helped me more than you know!! Now gotta go get ready for this "graveyard" shift...lol Have a good night everyone!0
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Boy, do I know what you mean. I work Wednesday through Sunday, 7PM to 3AM. Usually on weekdays, being a single mom, I stay up until about 7:30AM to get my son off to school, then I sleep from about 8 to 2:30 when he comes home. I'm so glad my local gym has classes in the evening, or I'd never go. It still stinks that a lot of local exercise and hiking meetups on Meetup.com are all done by super early birds. "Let's go hiking 2 hours away! We'll rendezvous at 7:30AM!" Ugh, the world is run by morning people. They took over while we were sleeping in one morning.
Working MFP with the graveyard shift is tough, too. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be counting about my "days", either; for example, if I have a snack at 1AM on Saturday morning, but I've been up working since 7PM Friday night, do I put that as a snack for Friday or Saturday?0 -
Boy, do I know what you mean. I work Wednesday through Sunday, 7PM to 3AM. Usually on weekdays, being a single mom, I stay up until about 7:30AM to get my son off to school, then I sleep from about 8 to 2:30 when he comes home. I'm so glad my local gym has classes in the evening, or I'd never go. It still stinks that a lot of local exercise and hiking meetups on Meetup.com are all done by super early birds. "Let's go hiking 2 hours away! We'll rendezvous at 7:30AM!" Ugh, the world is run by morning people. They took over while we were sleeping in one morning.
Working MFP with the graveyard shift is tough, too. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be counting about my "days", either; for example, if I have a snack at 1AM on Saturday morning, but I've been up working since 7PM Friday night, do I put that as a snack for Friday or Saturday?
I work 6p to 6a. I have only been on MFP for two weeks but I have been logging all of my foods by normal hours. Anything after midnight goes onto the next days calories. I think all in all, as long as you are consistent, it all balances out.0 -
yes I have that same problem: eating on my days off!! What about exercise? Do you exercise around the time you get up?
I EXERCISE WHEN I GET HOME IN THE MORNING
I WORK SUN - THURS 10PM TO 6AM
THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW DAYS LATELY THAT I DID NOT GET MY WORKOUT IN BEFORE I WENT TO BED, SO I DO IT WHEN I GET UP. I ALSO TAKE WATER AEROBICS ON TUES AND THURS AT 3:45 PM SO ON THOSE DAYS I GO STRAIGHT TO BED AND SET MY ALARM TO MAKE THOSE CLASSES. SOME NIGHTS I WALK FOR 20 TO 30 MINS AROUND THE OFFICE.
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Boy, do I know what you mean. I work Wednesday through Sunday, 7PM to 3AM. Usually on weekdays, being a single mom, I stay up until about 7:30AM to get my son off to school, then I sleep from about 8 to 2:30 when he comes home. I'm so glad my local gym has classes in the evening, or I'd never go. It still stinks that a lot of local exercise and hiking meetups on Meetup.com are all done by super early birds. "Let's go hiking 2 hours away! We'll rendezvous at 7:30AM!" Ugh, the world is run by morning people. They took over while we were sleeping in one morning.
Working MFP with the graveyard shift is tough, too. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be counting about my "days", either; for example, if I have a snack at 1AM on Saturday morning, but I've been up working since 7PM Friday night, do I put that as a snack for Friday or Saturday?
I HAVE A FRIEND ON HERE PEACHNPUNKIN WHO IS A NURSE AND WORKS THE NIGHT SHIFTS
SHE HAS HER DIARY SETUP IN MILITARY TIME.. I THINK HER DIARY IS OPEN
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW MINE, I HAVE MINE SETUP BASICALY MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT :bigsmile:0 -
Boy, do I know what you mean. I work Wednesday through Sunday, 7PM to 3AM. Usually on weekdays, being a single mom, I stay up until about 7:30AM to get my son off to school, then I sleep from about 8 to 2:30 when he comes home. I'm so glad my local gym has classes in the evening, or I'd never go. It still stinks that a lot of local exercise and hiking meetups on Meetup.com are all done by super early birds. "Let's go hiking 2 hours away! We'll rendezvous at 7:30AM!" Ugh, the world is run by morning people. They took over while we were sleeping in one morning.
Working MFP with the graveyard shift is tough, too. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be counting about my "days", either; for example, if I have a snack at 1AM on Saturday morning, but I've been up working since 7PM Friday night, do I put that as a snack for Friday or Saturday?
I HAVE A FRIEND ON HERE PEACHNPUNKIN WHO IS A NURSE AND WORKS THE NIGHT SHIFTS
SHE HAS HER DIARY SETUP IN MILITARY TIME.. I THINK HER DIARY IS OPEN
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW MINE, I HAVE MINE SETUP BASICALY MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT :bigsmile:
I like the idea of setting it up midnight to midnight. That never even occurred to me.0 -
I run my diary midnight to midnight as well. (don't think I labeled it so.) I work 23:00 to 0700 (or 0730 if there is carry over) as well. It is hard to get / Keep routine but I have many alarms set on my ipod touch to keep me on schedule. unfortunately the world is run by daylight dwellers who are out to make me fail.Boy, do I know what you mean. I work Wednesday through Sunday, 7PM to 3AM. Usually on weekdays, being a single mom, I stay up until about 7:30AM to get my son off to school, then I sleep from about 8 to 2:30 when he comes home. I'm so glad my local gym has classes in the evening, or I'd never go. It still stinks that a lot of local exercise and hiking meetups on Meetup.com are all done by super early birds. "Let's go hiking 2 hours away! We'll rendezvous at 7:30AM!" Ugh, the world is run by morning people. They took over while we were sleeping in one morning.
Working MFP with the graveyard shift is tough, too. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be counting about my "days", either; for example, if I have a snack at 1AM on Saturday morning, but I've been up working since 7PM Friday night, do I put that as a snack for Friday or Saturday?
I HAVE A FRIEND ON HERE PEACHNPUNKIN WHO IS A NURSE AND WORKS THE NIGHT SHIFTS
SHE HAS HER DIARY SETUP IN MILITARY TIME.. I THINK HER DIARY IS OPEN
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW MINE, I HAVE MINE SETUP BASICALY MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT :bigsmile:
I like the idea of setting it up midnight to midnight. That never even occurred to me.0 -
I AM SO SLEEPY :yawn:
THE WATER IS ONLY HELPING A LITTLE :bigsmile:0 -
I also work 11:00 pm to 7:30 am and have worked the night shift for 20 years now and to be honest you never get used to it...i havent anyway. I schedule my meals every two hours. So i eat at 10:30 pm, 1:00 am, 3:30am, 6:00 am, then workout right after work at 7:30 am, have my post workout drink at about 8:30, and squeeze one last meal in at around 9:30. Then i try to get up around 5:00 pm have some oatmeal and whey, do cardio and i usually try to get an hour or two nap before i get up and start all over again. On weekends I just reverse all the times.0
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I like the idea of setting it up from midnight to midnight. I'm gonna try that!Boy, do I know what you mean. I work Wednesday through Sunday, 7PM to 3AM. Usually on weekdays, being a single mom, I stay up until about 7:30AM to get my son off to school, then I sleep from about 8 to 2:30 when he comes home. I'm so glad my local gym has classes in the evening, or I'd never go. It still stinks that a lot of local exercise and hiking meetups on Meetup.com are all done by super early birds. "Let's go hiking 2 hours away! We'll rendezvous at 7:30AM!" Ugh, the world is run by morning people. They took over while we were sleeping in one morning.
Working MFP with the graveyard shift is tough, too. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be counting about my "days", either; for example, if I have a snack at 1AM on Saturday morning, but I've been up working since 7PM Friday night, do I put that as a snack for Friday or Saturday?
I HAVE A FRIEND ON HERE PEACHNPUNKIN WHO IS A NURSE AND WORKS THE NIGHT SHIFTS
SHE HAS HER DIARY SETUP IN MILITARY TIME.. I THINK HER DIARY IS OPEN
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW MINE, I HAVE MINE SETUP BASICALY MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT :bigsmile:0 -
My fiance is a security guard and is frequently working graveyards. Basically he just eats smaller meals every 3-4 hours and/or as his break allots. If he gets home at 7-8AM, he'll have breakfast with us.0
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I find that working out when I get off at 730 is better than working out later. gym is less crowdedyes I have that same problem: eating on my days off!! What about exercise? Do you exercise around the time you get up?
I EXERCISE WHEN I GET HOME IN THE MORNING
I WORK SUN - THURS 10PM TO 6AM
THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW DAYS LATELY THAT I DID NOT GET MY WORKOUT IN BEFORE I WENT TO BED, SO I DO IT WHEN I GET UP. I ALSO TAKE WATER AEROBICS ON TUES AND THURS AT 3:45 PM SO ON THOSE DAYS I GO STRAIGHT TO BED AND SET MY ALARM TO MAKE THOSE CLASSES. SOME NIGHTS I WALK FOR 20 TO 30 MINS AROUND THE OFFICE. 0 -
I work 7 pm to 7 am. I call a day midnight to midnight. So I simply plan my meals that way. Works for me whether I am at work or off. Also I dont believe the myth that eating before bed makes you fat so I dont worry about that. If I am hungry I eat, and I track it!0
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Yes you never get use to it! I like how you schedule meals every two hours..I started to do that but then slacked off. I 'm going to start it again. It keeps me from binging when I get home when I do the every 2 hour meal (of course with the right foods/snacks)I also work 11:00 pm to 7:30 am and have worked the night shift for 20 years now and to be honest you never get used to it...i havent anyway. I schedule my meals every two hours. So i eat at 10:30 pm, 1:00 am, 3:30am, 6:00 am, then workout right after work at 7:30 am, have my post workout drink at about 8:30, and squeeze one last meal in at around 9:30. Then i try to get up around 5:00 pm have some oatmeal and whey, do cardio and i usually try to get an hour or two nap before i get up and start all over again. On weekends I just reverse all the times.0 -
I'm a nurse so I work 12s. 7-7 I love night shift because it allows me the opportunity to workout when i do 3 in a row and I'd rather wake up @ 5pm than 5am.
I do get strange cravings at night but I bring a lot of clean foods... veggies and dip (a healthy dip), fruits, yogurt... and honestly I feel and look my best after doing nights...
when I do days I look like a walking corpse.
as far as the diary goes or counting... I stopped logging all my foods in- I don't need that feature of MFP anymore lol0 -
I used to work night shifts as a nurse's aid last year and luckily would have them grouped together for the most part. For the four days that I worked I really just tried to completely reverse myself and eat as normally as possible. I would sleep from 8:30am when I got home to about 4:00p then get up and eat "breakfast" and then have a snack right before I left. I would make something for "dinner" to bring with me and eat around 2am.
I also tried to bring healthy snacks so I wouldn't swipe the little ice cream cups and gingerales all night long haha. I sometimes needed a piece of toast and peanut butter before heading back to bed the next morning but overall I tried to just eat how I would if I were working a day shift. I know that some of the nurses had a lot of trouble with this and wouldn't eat...which I don't even understand how they could just not eat but apparently they would go home and overeat before going to sleep and then have all sorts of issues.
Edit: If I only was working an 8 hr shift I would try and wake up closer to two and go to the gym and then nap again to go back to work at 11p...not sure if this is helpful?
I guess my only real advice is avoid snacking on junk which the night time seems to make me want to do and just prepare by bringing meals and healthy snacks. Overall it doesn't matter when you eat, just that you make smart choices and stay within your deficit if you are trying to lose. That whole no eating after 8pm or whatever obviously can't apply to night workers!0 -
Yes the problem is snacking at night lol but I have started bringing healthier snacks! Thanks for the advice!I used to work night shifts as a nurse's aid last year and luckily would have them grouped together for the most part. For the four days that I worked I really just tried to completely reverse myself and eat as normally as possible. I would sleep from 8:30am when I got home to about 4:00p then get up and eat "breakfast" and then have a snack right before I left. I would make something for "dinner" to bring with me and eat around 2am.
I also tried to bring healthy snacks so I wouldn't swipe the little ice cream cups and gingerales all night long haha. I sometimes needed a piece of toast and peanut butter before heading back to bed the next morning but overall I tried to just eat how I would if I were working a day shift. I know that some of the nurses had a lot of trouble with this and wouldn't eat...which I don't even understand how they could just not eat but apparently they would go home and overeat before going to sleep and then have all sorts of issues.
Edit: If I only was working an 8 hr shift I would try and wake up closer to two and go to the gym and then nap again to go back to work at 11p...not sure if this is helpful?
I guess my only real advice is avoid snacking on junk which the night time seems to make me want to do and just prepare by bringing meals and healthy snacks. Overall it doesn't matter when you eat, just that you make smart choices and stay within your deficit if you are trying to lose. That whole no eating after 8pm or whatever obviously can't apply to night workers!0 -
I work 11p-7a off Tuesday and Wed. With no breaks. So I start my eating day at around 8am with breakfast consisting of approx 400 calories and 300 mg of sodium, I skip lunch except on my days off, love sleep even more then food. Lol..then eat supper around 8-9pm before going to work and take snacks (nuts, fruit, vegis and a yogurt) to eat while at work, usually finish snacking by 3-4am. Work til 7am and then start the day all over again. It's def. Hard on the body but a lot easier on the stress and mind not having to deal with management. Now if they could only learn to leave us alone. lol...0
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I work 11p-7a off Tuesday and Wed. With no breaks. So I start my eating day at around 8am with breakfast consisting of approx 400 calories and 300 mg of sodium, I skip lunch except on my days off, love sleep even more then food. Lol..then eat supper around 8-9pm before going to work and take snacks (nuts, fruit, vegis and a yogurt) to eat while at work, usually finish snacking by 3-4am. Work til 7am and then start the day all over again. It's def. Hard on the body but a lot easier on the stress and mind not having to deal with management. Now if they could only learn to leave us alone. lol...
CHECKOUT THIS THREAD
THE OFFICIAL NIGHTSHIFT THREAD
THAT IS WHERE THE SHIFT WORKERS ARE :bigsmile:0 -
I'm so glad I don't have to do the graveyard shift anymore. It's evil! I do wish I had access to MFP though years ago when I did do it, it wouldn't have been such a drag getting through it (I worked in a call centre so it wasn't always busy & it's a struggle to sit on your butt for 8.5hrs).
I use to sleep straight away & get up about 2-3pm - eat & then not eat until I was at work but I always ate the bad things. I never use to exercise really, maybe a walk here & there but nothing too major.0 -
I just found this thread and am glad there are others out there that are having trouble. I usually use my job as an excuse but not anymore. I eat my meals from midnight to midnight. Some days I only have 2 meals before midnight and am under my calories where as other days I have 4 meals and am over my calories. In the end it is how many calories within the week, remember that you need a weekly deficit of 3500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat. With that said, up until now I have been having great difficulty with my eating habits, but it is just that...habit!. I have vowed to change my lifestyle and over the past 3 months have been working hard to do so. I have lost 19 pounds so far (though my husband has lost 40 (normal job with normal hours)). So here goes my new life. I hope other nightshift people will get some help out of this and other posts on MFP. Good luck to you all.0
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