Working Nights on the Plan - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

joz · 06-09-2009, 06:00 AM

Hi, I mentioned this is another thread. I am sure I am not the only one working nights (grave yards) on the plan. I really struggle with getting 3 meals in doing this. How does anyone else handle that?

I have started to eat a bar and drink a HSN before bed and calling it breakfast. That seems to be the only way I can get all 3 in.

I am the floor manager at night and there are times when I am busy and my relief is walking in.

Thanks for the information,
Jo

Dolly · 06-09-2009, 06:15 AM

I have the opposite problem. The longer I'm awake, the more often I get genuinely hungry. I've never not been hungry with the empty belly feeling and the stomach growling while on this diet. You would think that would indicate a high metabolism, but not so.

I ate my dinner at 3am this morning and even now it's growling. Sometimes I think all the water, despite the temporary full feeling, actually stretches my stomach.

I've never heard anyone else mention this so I think I'm unique in this regard.

Dolly · 06-09-2009, 06:26 AM

Lori,

I don't know how you can work nine hours without eating. I get very shaky and my handwriting becomes almost undecipherable. No wonder you're starved on the way home!!

As I posted before, I've resorted to using my replacement bars as [I]snacks[I]. Not their intended purpose at all, but it's either that or my blood sugar plummeting too low. Co-worker have even remarked to me that they can tell when I need to eat so I don't think I'm being too easy on myself.

I really don't want to do the hypoglycemic menu since this only happens when I work and expend all that energy. This is something I'm definitely going to discuss with a counselor this week.

Dolly · 06-09-2009, 06:32 AM

Actually, I take back what I said about never being hungry. Days 3-6 of pre-conditioning I felt pretty full and sort of hungover/high or something. Sadly, it didn't last.

Lori123321 · 06-09-2009, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by little edie

Actually, I take back what I said about never being hungry. Days 3-6 of pre-conditioning I felt pretty full and sort of hungover/high or something. Sadly, it didn't last.

I know what you mean about preconditioning. I don't eat alot normally but what I did eat was full of salt, carbs and other bad stuff. So having to eat all that food at every meal was a struggle. In fact I was nauseated most of the time.

Joz, I feel your pain. When you are busy, you just don't have time to eat like you are supposed to. And this diet involves a lot of prep work. How many HNS are you drinking? Do you work 3 or 5 nights a week? If you are doing 3 then using a meal replacement bar would work since we can have them 3 times a week. If you do 5 then I would suggest making a few of the pancakes at once and put them in ziplock bags so all you have to do is nuke them on the other two days. Mind you, I have not made them yet so I have no idea how they taste.

Typical work day for me. Tend to fill up water 32 oz water bottle several times during the night since I cut out the caffine, it is what keeps me awake. The painfully full bladder that is!

Wake up at 4:30 pm
5 pm-eat lunch menu ie, chicken breast, broccoli
5:30 leave for work and eat blueberries and hns on the road or make a smoothy with hns and fruit of choice
7 pm- get report and run a** off
10 pm-hns
12 am- break for dinner, another chicken breast or ground turkey, squash (love it raw so I can eat like a finger snack food. I am weird, I know)
3 am- hns
4-5 am- meal replacement bar between running a** of to get ready for the day shift
7:30 am- drive home after report hns
9 am- breakfast, toast, egg/cheese are my quick breakfast staple. Fry one egg in pam and then top with slice of cheese. Takes 5 min while the toast is in toaster and then eat like an open face sandwich. The french toast is good but you still need another 1/2 protein serving.
9:30 am- fall unconscious

Just started to do the meal replacement bar and it made a difference. My counselor recommended it. Was feeling really shaky, weak and tired. My stomach was noisy too. Always felt embarrassed when it did it during report. Decided to do my hns between meals so that I am not going too long without something. Just add it to the water when it is down to a certain level and jug it if I am real busy. Hope this helps. Dang this was a long one!

Lori123321 · 06-09-2009, 08:22 AM

Oh, the other thing that I have to do for my own sanity is after 6 am, I start a new day. That way I can judge water, meals, and other stuff better. Guess that gives me 4 meals in one day when I work but the alternative is being so hungry I drive in to Burger King on the way home.

Dolly · 06-09-2009, 09:14 AM

Substitute radishes for squash and we eat the exact same things at almost identical times! I also restart my day around 7am for food journaling, pill taking, etc.

Since I added the fourth meal of the replacement bar my loss has stopped cold. I refuse to believe that 170 calorie bar is the culprit!!!

Are we allowed to eat the creamy HNS on the same day as the others? I haven't even tasted the creamies I bought since I thought it would prevent me from consuming the others.

I also keep my RBs at work to prevent me from making them an everyday habit. They are way too tasty and I don't even like candy.

joz · 06-10-2009, 05:55 AM

Hi, well what I do is sort of the same. I restart my day clock at 0600 when I get home from work. 3 days a week I will have a bar and ther others I have eggs & a piece of toast. Something along those lines. Then I go to bed and get up around 1600. I will usually eat a lunch of some type and then dinner at work around 0100. I do drink the 5 HNS's a day. That helps me. I can honestly say I have not been hungry. I drink a ton of water and I think that helps.

I will admit that the last 2 weeks have been really bad for me. I have not gained weight but I have not lost weight either. I have only been getting in 1 meal a day. That would be lunch. The problem is that I have not been to the grocery store so my planning stinks. I get my HNS in but that is about it. My goal is to stop this behavior and get back on the plan. Eating a salad and some chicken a day is not helping. I bet I am in starvation mode.

Well with that said, I am off work for a few days and have no excuses.

Thanks for the advice!
Jo

Dolly · 06-14-2009, 08:30 AM

Last night was a flippin' horrible night at work. I ate applesauce oatmeal cake at 5am because it was the first chance I had to eat all night.

Now it'll be another three days until I'm back in ketosis and I was hoping this would be another week with a big loss.

Oh well, tonight I'm going to prepare my meals for the next three days so I should be good from here on.

joz · 06-17-2009, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by little edie

Last night was a flippin' horrible night at work. I ate applesauce oatmeal cake at 5am because it was the first chance I had to eat all night.

Now it'll be another three days until I'm back in ketosis and I was hoping this would be another week with a big loss.

Oh well, tonight I'm going to prepare my meals for the next three days so I should be good from here on.

I hate nights like...grrr. I had a 5.5 drop 2 weeks ago but have been .5 since then. I know it is my fault, not sticking to plan.

Lori123321 · 06-17-2009, 03:45 PM

Hello fellow vampires,
I hear you on those nights from hades! When I am running late and have nothing prepared (when I was working that is) I would drive thru Weny's or

and get one of the salads. I asked my friends down in the cafeteria for some fat free dressing and kept a box of melba toast in my locker. Or before I figured out to do that, would take a few saltines and brush off the salt. Not really OP but better then the croutons they put with the salad. One time when I forgot my dinner completely, they made a special request meal with a grilled chicken breast and steamed fresh broccoli, rounded that out with a few Melba toast and I was good to go.
Of course that didn't help when the day docs came through the door with fresh doughnuts from the local bakery.
Glad you have a few nights off Joz. This will give you time to shop and plan out some meals. I have a harder time staying OP since I have been off. Being sick didn't help. Broke down and had a can of chicken noodle soup. Took me all day to eat it but also had some crackers. Didn't brush off the salt or anything. Man, they were good. Back OP now. Had buffalo burger last night. It was fantastic! Mixed it with garlic and onion powder and put on a slice of cheddar cheese. Toasted a slice of diet bread and put some mustard on there. Yumm!

joz · 06-18-2009, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lori123321

Hello fellow vampires,
I hear you on those nights from hades! When I am running late and have nothing prepared (when I was working that is) I would drive thru Weny's or

and get one of the salads. I asked my friends down in the cafeteria for some fat free dressing and kept a box of melba toast in my locker. Or before I figured out to do that, would take a few saltines and brush off the salt. Not really OP but better then the croutons they put with the salad. One time when I forgot my dinner completely, they made a special request meal with a grilled chicken breast and steamed fresh broccoli, rounded that out with a few Melba toast and I was good to go.
Of course that didn't help when the day docs came through the door with fresh doughnuts from the local bakery.
Glad you have a few nights off Joz. This will give you time to shop and plan out some meals. I have a harder time staying OP since I have been off. Being sick didn't help. Broke down and had a can of chicken noodle soup. Took me all day to eat it but also had some crackers. Didn't brush off the salt or anything. Man, they were good. Back OP now. Had buffalo burger last night. It was fantastic! Mixed it with garlic and onion powder and put on a slice of cheddar cheese. Toasted a slice of diet bread and put some mustard on there. Yumm!

I am glad you are feeling better. Being sick sucks. I had a really bad cold about a month ago and also did the chicken soup thing. I just could hard;y swallow. What do you do.

That burger sounds really good I will have to try that. My biggest problem right now is the fact I am just not prepared like I usually am for work. My best friend has been here from out of town and I really think she is a HUGE feeder for me. She got angry when I wanted to eat 3 times a day instead of once. I told her, you do not have to eat, but I do.

I am so ready for a few nights off, wow am I tired. I usually do not struggle with sleep but today has been terrible.

Jo

Dolly · 06-18-2009, 01:15 PM

Jo,

I hope you catch up on your sleep if that's ever possible.

Lori,

It must have make you feel good to have your son think of you.

One thing I'll have to say is that I'm never hungry during the day if I happen to wake up early. I think I've been on nights so long my body knows to shut down during the day.