Night Shift Work- When to eat

I work shift work so I run into this problem also...I work the 7p - 7a schedule...so usually my first night back I stay up all day to = ( So Im stuck being up for 24 hours and 1200 calories lol!

But usually I will get up around 3ish
Eat shortly after waking up
Then around 8:30 at work I eat supper
then Ill just eat a snack around 1 or so
then around 5 I eat lunch (usually cereal or a breakfast bar)
so then I can go home and go to bed but have 2 - 3 hours hours before I go to sleep

You can always add FRUIT or VEGGIES for snacks so there isnt much calories that you are counting = ) Hope this helps!

wow up 24 hours thats rough!! i will try the fruits n veggies suggestion thanx

Yes I have a 3 year old...soo he is usually with me all day my first night back! Ive gotten use to it = )

How is it working for you!?

I have no real advice for you other than just make healthy choices.. my shedule looks very simular to yours except I do not go to bed hungry, I tried once and the pain woke me up...Nor do I work from 5pm-2am without a snack...I feel faint trying to work on an empty stomach...

So Meal 1 at 7am
Sleep 8-12
Meal 2 at 1pm
Meal 3 at 5pm
Nap 6-9
Snack 11:30
Meal 4 at 2am

Recycled and repeated.. freaking Dreadful!!!!! the snack and meal at 2am I hope will soon be gone... if my shift is changed

I work 10 hour graves 7 on, 7 off...

I wake up at 300 and have a coffee and something like a power bar, granola bar etc.

I do my work out about 330 then shower about 430

It takes me a while to get ready, picking out clothes doing my makeup getting dressed doing my hair et cetera

I'm in the car by 6 to go to store to get my lunch and I'm usually at work by about 715 I don't start until 8 though so sometimes I can fit in another walk around downtown while I'm there

Then I have yogurt with granola at 8 then a snack around 10, usually baby tomatoes, my lunch is at 130am and I have some fruit or more veggies around 4, I'm off work at 6 then crawl into bed for 7

It took me a couple of weeks of playing around with eating at different times and it seems to work the best for me

The best I can suggest is just try different things and see what works best for you and your own body

I work 10pm to 6am. I eat as soon I wake up which is my breakfast between 4pm and 5pm. I eat lunch around 9pm before I get ready for work. Eat dinner @ work @ 2am and that's bout it for me. Sometimes I'll have an extra snack @ work or before I go to work or even after I get home. I workout as soon as I get home and those calories are for after I wake up.

I go back and forth between swings (2pm to 10pm) and 12 hour graves (6pm to 6am). I was having so much trouble with my diet when I first got started. My daily calorie goal is only 1240 before exercise, which really isn't all that much food! I was eating "rabbit food", still going over my calories, and then I was hungry all the time. Being hungry in the middle of a 12 hour graveyard shift is just awful!

I actually started the Bill Phillips Eating for Life diet which has actually been my saving grace! It boils down to this: 3 "meals" per day and 3 snack, protein and carbs every time you eat, protein portions are the size of YOUR palm, carb portions are the size of YOUR fist, eat as many fruits and veggies as you want, and nothing is absolutely off limits. Following this plan, I am almost always under my calories and sometimes I can't even eat all the food I'm supposed to! It's awesome!

I eat every 2-3 hours depending on how I feel. Each meal leaves me pretty satisfied and I'm not dying by the time the next meal comes around. I think it's really the carbs and protein mix. My "meals" are usually around 200-300 calories each and my snacks are around 100-200 calories each.

Here's how my day runs:

I usually have breakfast right after I get up. I usually have either one whole egg + 1 egg white over easy with a slice of multigrain toast and half an orange, OR 1/2 cup Egg Beaters with 1 cup of Wheaties and 1/2 cup of skim milk.

A couple hours later (post workout, post shower, and usually right about the time I'm heading to work) I have a protein shake made with protein powder and fruit.

A couple hours after that I have lunch at work, often something like a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and mustard on whole wheat or multigrain bread, OR a BLT wrap on a whole wheat tortilla.

Another couple hours after that I have another snack of either string cheese or hard boiled eggs whites and some fruit.

On my swing shifts I would eat dinner after I get home. On my graveyard shifts I'm still at work when I eat dinner. Dinner is my "big" meal of the day. I really mix it up for this one, but there's always some veggies, a serving of protein, and a serving of carbs.

And finally, a few hours after that (and usually within about 2-3 hours of bedtime) I have dessert. Lately it's been whole wheat crepes with french vanilla yogurt (with added protein powder) and fresh berries.

We should start a night shift group

Hi - if it's any consolation to you, I have been hungry before bedtime, and I eat a bowl of cereal, and I have not gained weight from it. It has no effect on making me fatter. Im still losing weight.

As far as I understand it, its a calorie deficit during the whole day, not necessarily at the hours you eat the food. In other words, not to be afraid of going to sleep on a full stomach, except for digestive issues.

I work from 6pm to 6am. My schedule has me working two on then two off. Then i work friday, saturday, and sunday have off monday and tuesday, then work wednesday and thursday after that i have a three day weekend. I start over with same rotation. Its very hard to stay healthy working this schedule. The way I eat is I eat on my first break at 9 then don't eat through the night. It is very hard with the fact my job is very physical. After working I get up at noon eat stay up for a couple hours then sleep for two more hours and eat before work. On my days off I eat a normal eating schedule. Its worked for me so far but it is hard to figure out healthy meal options. Any suggestions?

I typically go to bed around 1 in the afternoon. I get up around 9ish. I start work at 10. I eat breakfast at 11:40, lunch at 1:40, snack at 4:40, home around 7:15- 7:40. Eat a snack around 8 supper around 10ish then if still hungry another small snack. Can always be under calories when I choose to be. If I feel up to exercise it typically around 9am.
Kimmy