Third Shift Weight Gain

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  • Timkoetta
    Timkoetta Posts: 70 Member
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    Using MFP I noticed that when I switched to night shift (7p-7a) I stopped losing weight even though I was still eating healthy and working out more! I broke out of it shortly after I noticed it by doing things to increase my metabolism. Keeping a steady schedule helps me with sleep. For example on my days off I still sleep during the day while my son is in school and I stay up at night. I eat more often and I try to eat foods that increase my metabolism and keep me full (lots of protein and fiber). I pack my lunch instead of eating the junk food available at night. I have also added a lot more weight training. Hopefully it helps you. :flowerforyou:
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    Hey, you just gotta keep your goal in your mind.. anything possible even on third shift.
    I worked graveyard 5 nights a week and I went to the gym 6 days a week after work.
    It's hard because you never really "sleep" you just nap. But I worked out a pretty
    Good diet and exercise plan. Add me if ya still need advice :)

    yep same here. all of my weight loss has come while working 3rd shift 5 nights a week. I go to the gym after work 4x a week. I work weekends and where I work it's usually not that busy that I am able to get away from my desk and go walk outside for 20-30 mins. Above all else sleep is key. For me it's minimum 6 straight hours. Tried the broken up sleep, it just doesn't work for me. When I am well rested, I have energy during my shift, I don't over eat to stay awake and can hit the gym after work. If my sleep suffers, I graze on food non-stop to stay awake which adds up and I go over my calorie intake, I don't even bother with the gym since I'll be too tired.
  • nooo_47
    nooo_47 Posts: 14
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    It is very difficult to loose weight when working the night shift and I have been struggling with it for several years. Working the night shift we are prone to many health problems like obesity, high cholesteral, diabetes, heart issues, etc.... so we have to work harder and need to be more aware of the foods that we eat to loose the weight. Eating meals is a struggle for me and not eating so many carbs with diet mountain dew for the caffeine
  • Timkoetta
    Timkoetta Posts: 70 Member
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    I switch every three months from day shift to night shift. I work 12 hour days and I have an hour and half drive each day for work. SLEEP is one of the most important things and one of the hardest things on night shift. I manage pretty well, very rarely do I not get the sleep I need on night shift. It was not always this way, I used to be miserable on night shift. I have done this for over 6 years now and finally I got it right.

    Few things that work for me:

    1. Keeping the same schedule and routine. If you work nights, stay up at night even when you are off and sleep during the day. It helps your body to have the same schedule everyday.

    2. Exercise. I sleep much better when I exercise and I try to do it when I wake up in the evening.

    3. Alteril. It works great for me. Its not addicting and I have had side effects with it. I do not take it everyday but if I am restless when I get home I take it. I usually take it a lot the first month to help my body adjust to the new schedule.

    Of course to get good sleep during the day I have my room completely blacked out and even though I have central air I use a window unit in my room because the noise helps to drown out any day time noises and I like it cold when I sleep. I live in Florida though, an AC may not work for everyone, try a fan that is not too quiet but not too loud that you can't fall asleep.

    :smile:
  • starsen730
    starsen730 Posts: 1
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    Ha a brand new member to this site. and this is the first tihing I find. (ment to be). I also work 3rd shift and have gained weight. I sleep
    when I first get home so that I can get up and be with the family when they get home from work and school. Have been working 3rd for about a year now. I dont want to eat meals not at home or work.(But I do make myself) am carefull of foods I take to work. Buy heathly foods for the house for "mybreakfast" eat dinner with family. When I trac my calories for each meal and snacks i'm below 1200 daily. not going crazy on weekends. Doing lots of walking on this shift. Whats up !! Any clue?
  • Timkoetta
    Timkoetta Posts: 70 Member
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    I have watched the studies on this over the years because my husband has both worked third shift and I have been a serious night owl all my life.

    what I've come to learn is that you need to stay on the same schedule or close to it, even on your days off (I know easier said than done! ;) ) also eat your meals based on when you are awake. not based on when everyone else eats their breakfast, lunch and dinner.

    Pack lunches/meals/snacks just like others trying to lose weight have to do. doesn't matter what shift you are fast food is an overindulged habitual convenience and you have to change that.

    THIS^ My meals are not even called breakfast, lunch, and dinner anymore. Now it is 12am-4am, 4am-8am....etc. :wink:
  • Timkoetta
    Timkoetta Posts: 70 Member
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    Ha a brand new member to this site. and this is the first tihing I find. (ment to be). I also work 3rd shift and have gained weight. I sleep
    when I first get home so that I can get up and be with the family when they get home from work and school. Have been working 3rd for about a year now. I dont want to eat meals not at home or work.(But I do make myself) am carefull of foods I take to work. Buy heathly foods for the house for "mybreakfast" eat dinner with family. When I trac my calories for each meal and snacks i'm below 1200 daily. not going crazy on weekends. Doing lots of walking on this shift. Whats up !! Any clue?

    I think our bodies naturally have a slower metabolism at night so it makes it extra hard. What worked for me is doing everything I could to increase my metabolism.
  • RachM
    RachM Posts: 113 Member
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    I've been working 11-7 for over a year now. I find that if I can squeeze in 30 min of exercise on my breaks it helps a lot. Even if it's just a walk. Lately I've been doing the 30 day shred, it's quiet wherei work at night so I just find a quiet area and take my break and workout. I also plan my meals a day in advance, that ways know where my calories are going, and I can plan accordingly.
  • alexias9
    alexias9 Posts: 12 Member
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    when i worked at walmart on 3rds, i went from a size 8 to a size 3 in a year. when i was first shift at the hospital, i jumped up to size 16/18--biggest ive ever been in my life. after year and half i went back to 3rds. ive been on 3rds year and half now and slowly burning off the weight. it's hard dropping pounds but i have gone up 50 lbs in weights from all the hard work i have to do as cna. visiting the cafe was making it difficult to lose the "thunder thighs" and love handles. since i quit going there for lunch it's slowly going away. i have to agree with others, having a set schedule is a big importance for 3rd shifters. i have insomnia so the shift is great for me. i was going to bed right after work, waking up 3-4 hours later to run errands, etc. going back to sleep around 6pm then up at 10pm for work. since ive started going to the gym, i'm trying to get into the habit of going right after work since it's on my way home. then i dont have to use extra gas to go later. plus with it being summer and i'm remodeling a house, if i dont go then, i end up getting busy with everything else to get up there before bedtime. i find when i'm hungry in between meals, i mix scoop of protein powder in my coffee, cocoa, yogurt, etc, it fills me up so i wont beable to eat bad snacks in between.
  • ssilvey726
    ssilvey726 Posts: 107 Member
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    I know it's hard, but the best thing to do is get a routine while at work, and then kind of play it by ear at home. Sleep is the one challenge we really go through, because it's never constant. I'll let you know what I TRY (sometimes it doesn't work) to do.

    I work four 10-hour shifts, Sunday through Thursday nights. While at work, I try to eat a "lunch" about 2 hours in, then a snack 3 hours after that, and my dinner, 3 hours after that. I generally know what I'll be having, so I budget that while at work I'll be eating around 1100 calories over the course of the 10 hours.

    That leaves me about 500-600 calories to play around with in the time that I am at home. I usually break that up into little segments. I'll have a breakfast bar (140 calories) when I first wake up. Then half an hour later, I'll eat a banana. Then later, I'll have a granola bar. It's all about managing the random time you're up and about at home. Good luck! You can do it!

    I've lost 14 pounds in about 30 days doing it this way. If you stick with a plan and watch what you eat, you'll be fine!
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    I've been working 11-7 for over a year now. I find that if I can squeeze in 30 min of exercise on my breaks it helps a lot. Even if it's just a walk. Lately I've been doing the 30 day shred, it's quiet wherei work at night so I just find a quiet area and take my break and workout. I also plan my meals a day in advance, that ways know where my calories are going, and I can plan accordingly.

    I agree with fitness breaks. I take them as I can at my work. The hours suck in terms of a social life especially since I work weekends but it's nice that because of those hours I can sneak way for a walk or 2.
  • missjoci
    missjoci Posts: 412 Member
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    I find that I can't lose weight, no matter how much I exercise, with the night shift (if that's what you mean by 3rd shift). Extremely frustrating. Having a messed up sleep schedule definitely makes weight loss harder.
  • BELIEVETOPSTOKOPS
    BELIEVETOPSTOKOPS Posts: 47 Member
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    Hi...I work from 12:15a.m. to 9:30a.m.....the hardest part for me is the sleeping during my work week. I go back to sleep normal on my days off. My eating isn't a real big problem but the sleeping is. I think that is part of my problem with not losing weight easy. I have been stuck at the same spot weightwise for a long time....
  • fatchiick
    fatchiick Posts: 105
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    I am so happy about this thread because I really thought I might be making working the night shift a little more difficult in my head than it actually is.. and to find out its not just me.. I mean like the person who said they get sick if they don't eat.. ditto, the ones who said they try and try and can't lose, ditto... I sleep regular on my days off too... I mean working nights has taken a toll on my body.. that's why I'm off, now... id have to take medicine just to get through the night..having an extremely physical job in a warehouse where I'm packaging, unpackaging, and shelving up to 40,50+ pound items and working with boxes and things larger than I am many times, just constantly moving.... I'm kinda happy my dept went to crap when I went on leave... its not even the work.. my work ethic is what it is.. its the shift that shift is horrid on your body... those saying don't eat bf lunch and dinner when everyone else does eat on your own schedule I think most of us do. it just coincides with the typical B,L,D... I eat when I'm hungry...
  • cliprunner
    cliprunner Posts: 19
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    I am a CNA and float to the different wings all night. I was wondering all the walking I do am I able to count that as exersice?
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    Most people would suggest upping your activity level.
  • missdkendall
    missdkendall Posts: 1
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    I work third shift as well. I go to the gym everyday when I get off (5am) My question is this... Which day do you log your exercise? I mean it is technically "Monday Morning", however I haven't gone to bed yet "Sunday Night" Any ideas?
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    I work third shift as well. I go to the gym everyday when I get off (5am) My question is this... Which day do you log your exercise? I mean it is technically "Monday Morning", however I haven't gone to bed yet "Sunday Night" Any ideas?

    I log it on the day it falls. I track midnight to midnight.
  • gabe_irun4coffee
    gabe_irun4coffee Posts: 232 Member
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    Hi, I've worked the night shift for the better part of 19yrs I love it. I'm on an alternative work schedule which is 12hr shifts and out of 2 weeks I work 7 days and am off 7 days (unless I work overtime). I try to get at least a 30 - 45 min workout in every night. I log my food and exercise from the day I wake up til I go to bed. It usually works out that I wake up and eat dinner, lunch at work then a light breakfast before I go to bed. Sounds crazy but it keeps me eating less for dinner. Good luck! Just remember its mind over matter. If you don't mind it don't matter! :-) Feel free to add could always use more night shift friends
  • Reetzy52
    Reetzy52 Posts: 5
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    Hi - I've recently retired after 40 years of hospital nursing - about 15 years on nights - 12 hour shifts. Because of relocating to Florida, the last 3 years were back on night shift. No easy solutions - but I found what worked for me was similar to the last post. Dinner before work - lunch around midnight - snack at 4a and breakfast before I slept. Many nights no time to eat - and those always derailed my best plans. My weight gain more related to age and I am reversing the trend! Good luck to all you shift workers.

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