Working Midnights?

Hpmichigan · May 2012

I typically work midnights as a home health care provider 3 to 4 nights a week and am wondering how others plan their food intake and work out to accommodate their midnight schedules.

Typically, I get up at 6:30. Eat a small serving of whatever my husband made for dinner. (because isn't this supposed to be breakfast?) And start my "morning" routine of getting ready, taking the dog out , etc.

I leave for work an hour before my shift starts since it is 25 minutes away.

When I am at work I divide my sandwich into 3 equal parts and eat them throughout my shift. (1am, 3am, 5am) and take some kind of 100 calorie snack with me.

I get off work at 7 am, get home around 730, let the dog out, eat something snack like, work-out, take a shower and then fall asleep sometime between 11 and 1.

How does everyone else accommodate the crazing schedules that midnights bring?

I know its better to work out in the morning but if I get up to early to work out I am absolutely exhausted by 5am.

ttxqiu · May 2012

I wouldn't worry too much about getting up earlier to work out, especially since you need all the energy you can get! Working out at any time is better than not working out at all.

Your schedule sounds so stressful! I wish you all the best in managing it and hopefully getting off the graveyard shift into a more typical during-the-day shift.

Hpmichigan · May 2012

It is a little stressful but I absolutely love my job so its hard to complain.

amibeachcomber · May 2012

Hi..........Ahhhhhh, night shift. I've been working the night shift for the past 23 years. I'm in the medical profession and I work three 12 1/2 hour night shifts per week from 6:00pm to 6:30am. It's a challenge to work out "at the best time" and to plan your meals. What I typically do is eat every two to three hours while I'm awake......doesn't matter what time it is or what the food is either. 3am? Might be a tuna pita with romaine lettuce. It really doesn't matter. As far as the exercise goes........I cannot exercise when I get off in the morning. I've never been able to do that. I just need to go to bed. I do a light workout on the days that I worked the night before and a more strenuous one on the days that I didn't work the night before. Hope that helps. Good luck.

TeaRexParty · May 2012

I'm laid off at the moment but I've worked midnight shift for so many years I swear my internal clock is broke, lol. Making sure I ate, slept and had a pretty consistant routine as best I could helped alot, and my husband was pretty supportive if he wasn't also working nights.

I completely agree with you on the working out though. When I was getting in my exercise there's no way I could do it before work either or I'd be exhausted by the end of my shift. It always helped me unwind enough to get to sleep though if I did it when I got home.

As for the food, I don't know about you but alot of times I'd come home so tired I wouldn't eat. So then when I woke up I'd be starving. So I never tried to hold myself to any rules that it was MY morning so I had to eat breakfast sized meals. Basically I ate my bigger meals when I got up and when I was at work because I didn't want to come home, eat and then go to bed with food trying to digest or I'd get sick.

The only other suggestions I have are that I found with my crazy schedule, it was good to preplan and do alot of freezer cooking so stuff was on hand. I also used to drink these shakes I got at the healthstore called Spirutien when was in a hurry or I'd use them for a snack. They're not weight loss shakes really but had alot of nutrition and protein so I always felt better. Not saying you have to do that but having some way to boost your energy and nutrients is always a good thing.

samanthastewart · May 2012

I also work nights at a hospital! I was thinking the same as you just earlier today. My personal opinion is to space out your meals (like you're doing) and focus on meeting the nutritional goals that you have (cals, carbs, fat, protein, etc). Timing doesn't matter as much as consumption. Just try to get everything in. My biggest problem is eating while I'm at work. Most of the time I have to force myself to eat or even drink water. When it comes to exercising, there is no way I can workout when I get off.. well except for thursday mornings when I meet with my trainer. On the days that I work I try to squeeze in some kind of workout, normally weights, and the days I'm off work I do harder cardio and weights. Hardcore cardio on the days I work exhausts me also. But, when it comes to working out, listen to your body. If you try to get up early to squeeze in a workout and you are really exhausted and feel like you need more sleep.. then sleep! Adequate rest is very important.

jsagagon · May 2012

Hi there! I've been doing home care swing shift for about a year now, and had a hard time at first trying to figure out how to fit in diet and exercise. I've found that sticking to a routine keeps me on track. I work out everyday before work, and I pretty much eat the same things for BF/L/D/S. I find that if I don't get my hour at the gym before work, my energy is zapped for the rest of the day. I do Turbo Kick, Zumba, boot camp, or run on the treadmill. I always have a frozen berry+whey protein smoothie (140cal) before the gym, and then 5oz fruit-1/2c NF cottage cheese-2 slices Sara Lee Delightful's WW toast w/a drizzle of honey (290cal) after the gym. I do a lot of driving for work, so I pack a bunch of small snacks for between visits, and they are pretty much the same every day: PB sandwich w/PB2 and Sara Lee Delightful's WW (135cal), 2 clementines (90cal), apple slices (60cal), and a couple of mini Luna bar, mini Lara bars, or Special K bars (about 90-100cal ea). I get home around midnight, have a light dinner (approx 350cal), and chart the night away...

Working Midnights?

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