When to add calories working nightshift!

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Sandrad509
Sandrad509 Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
I am so confused on when to add in my calories when I work nights. Is it breakfast the next day or dinner on the current day. So confused. Can anyone give me some input please??

Replies

  • Crumleygirl
    Crumleygirl Posts: 86 Member
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    You can edit your meal titles so it fits what you consider it
  • RachM
    RachM Posts: 113 Member
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    I work 11 pm to 7 am and I go by 12 midnight to 12 midnight. I usually have a snack around 3 am, another snack at 7:30 am, I go to the gym, have breakfast before I go to sleep, wake up, eat dinner and get ready for work. everyone finds thir own way, it took me a year!
  • ajt917
    ajt917 Posts: 54
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    I work 7p-7a. I have my "lunch" at work around 1:30am, I count it as my breakfast for the next day. It works best for me count the calories midnight to midnight. Just have to figure out what works best for you!
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    11pm-7am is my work hours. I don't log my food here on MFP but a different site. I just log till I go to bed then start over on a new day when I wake up. Also because of my werid sechdule, sleeping patterns, that sorta thing I sometimes just eat once a day. I don't label it breakfast or dinner.
  • kplagakis
    kplagakis Posts: 1 Member
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    I work third shift as well. I consider my day to end when I go to bed. I generally go to bed about an hour or 2 after getting off work. I consider whatever I eat first after waking up as breakfast. I don't have great eating habits right now, so I usually then have dinner and count that as dinner. I edited my meals to add "at work" and "after work". At work would be more of like a lunch. I try not to eat after work but if I don't eat at work, then I'm usually hungry. Like everyone said, it's what works for you. I go to bed soon after work, but some people prefer to stay up and then sleep before going to work. Good luck!
  • sloanranger55
    sloanranger55 Posts: 108 Member
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    I work 8pm till 8 am I have set up my diary to read

    12am till 6am
    6am till 12pm
    12pm till 6pm
    6pm till 12am

    Then I just log my food it which slot I eat it

    Jo
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    What works for me is to have my diary on a 24 hour schedule. I have mine set up like this:
    8am-12pm
    12pm-4pm
    4pm-8pm
    8pm-12am
    12am-4am
    4am-8am

    I log my food in the time slot in which I eat it. If you'd like to look, my diary is public. 24 hours is 24 hours.
  • bluex232
    bluex232 Posts: 135 Member
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    I work 1030pm to 630am, I have mine set up Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Work (Overnights), and Snacks. I consider what ever I eat at work to be part of the day that my shift started on (so 1030pm thursday to 630am Friday goes on my Thursday log). So for me most days I sleep through "Breakfast" and sometimes "Lunch" but I wanted something that I could use on my off days when I eat regular meals as well. It seems to work really well for me.

    I have tried doing a midnight to midnight, but I don't like having calories already when I wake up. This way I can have my "lunch" and "dinner" and then if I am short on calories I can decide what to take to work. I have some days where I eat only one meal before work, then I know on those days to take a bigger meal to work.
  • IrishMinx32
    IrishMinx32 Posts: 77 Member
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    Great suggestions!!! 12 to 12 sounds like a good Idea. But it can get difficult on the days your going from working to being off or the other way around. Midnight does start a new day for me though. Good Luck.
  • njmp
    njmp Posts: 277 Member
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    I find this hard too! Though I don't work straight nights. I work a rotation, or will pick one up for overtime. I use midnight as a rule of thumb also...but that usually results in a BIG day my first night, as I'm logging everything from my shift and then my meals next day, but it evens out eventually!
    Good luck!
  • Sandrad509
    Sandrad509 Posts: 14
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    Thanks for all the tips very helpful!!
  • ChrisRN75495
    ChrisRN75495 Posts: 89
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    It doesn't matter what meal you refer to, as long as you are logging your calories accurately and that you start and end your 24 hour day consistently.

    For example, if you start your day at midnght, it must also end at midnight (24 hours later). Or if you work nights and you sleep between 8 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon, start your day either at some arbitrary time when you are asleep or when you wake up. Just as long as your "day" starts the same time each day.

    While there is some difference in metabolism based on the time of day you consume the calories and the time of day you sleep or are awake, the difference is not accounted for in the tools on this site.

    You could put everything you eat one day under "breakfast" and you would log the same number of calories (etc.) as you would if you logged breakfast under breakfast, lunch under lunch, etc.

    The important thing is to enter what you eat and how active you are, consistently and accurately.

    :bigsmile:

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