[SweetScrumptious]

As I type this, I'm laying in bed trying to clear my mind since I just came off of nights and I'm ready for sleep

I'm considering starting the IP Diet later this summer so I'm doing all my research now before I jump into things.

I'm a nurse and my rotation has me flip-flopping between days and nights (2 weeks of days, 2 weeks of nights). Therefore, my eating schedule tends to be all over the place. I'm looking at the Phase 1 document that plans out what Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, & Snack should look like. Which is great for when I'm in my stretch of days. But what should I do for when I switch over to my nights? Coming off a night shift (11pm-7am), I tend to fall asleep anywhere from 830am-930am. I usually wake up at 1pm-3pm. I have 2 ideas on how I should follow this diet.

1) Eat breakfast for when I come home at 8am. Wake up at 2ish and have lunch. Supper at 8pm-ish before I go for my pre-shift nap. Snack when I'm at work. But this leaves me with only having 1 meal at work (possibly making me hungry) and digesting "breakfast" while I'm sleeping.

2) Eat breakfast when I wake up at 2. Lunch at 8pm-ish. Supper at work near the start of my shift. Snack when I come back from break. I plan to not eat anything when I come home; just go straight to bed.

I would probably not have my coffee at the "breakfast" time. More at the start of my shift (ie. Snack in Option 1 or Supper in Option 2).

How do these ideas sound? I'm leaning towards Option 2 more so I can have 2 meals at work and I'm not going to bed on a full stomach. Any other suggestions out there?

[ragdoll74]

This older link might help you out

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...shiftwork.html

[crazynette826]

I'm also a nurse, and was doing nights at the beginning of IP. I found that I needed to add an extra unrestricted packet on the days I work. Sometimes I added an extra salad or hard boiled egg if I was super hungry. It's important to get a packet before bed to help with hypoglycemia. Nights can suck to figure it all out, but it can be done. You'll figure out what works best for you with some trial and error.

[SweetScrumptious]

Thanks for the link! I tried searching "night" and "shift" but ended up getting a lot of results for night so couldn't find anything.

[MonicaKolesnik]

I am also an RN and I also have flipping shifts between 12hr days and 12 hour nights. I have been on IP for 8 months and it does work. You second option is what I basically to. I have breakfast when I wake up (which for me includes my first 2 cups of veggies and 2 free egg whites and some protein, then an IP pack at 6-7pm then my restricted at 10pm then my dinner with 2 cups veggies and the rest of my protein at 2am then my IP snack at 6am. If I am hungry when I get home I have an extra hard boiled egg. This works well for me change it however you need to work for you. I have lost 109lbs and am rarely hungry on my nights with this routine.
Hope it helps

[SweetScrumptious]

Thanks a bunch Monika! That helped a lot I'll give it a shot when the time comes.

[Alaskagirl92128]

I also work nights 12 hour shifts, I work 3 days in a row one week, and 4 days the next, on my last night I always just take a short nap when I get home and then go to sleep that night so I am on the same schedule as my family. On the night that I switch from days to nights I eat an extra restricted packet because I am essentially up for 24 hours straight. Sometimes work can be a little crazy and there is no guarantee that you will have time to eat. I highly recommend the ready to drink shakes. I just had my week 13 weigh in and I have lost 74 pounds! It really works, good luck!

[MY3labs]

Hi. I do a lot of overnights and would go with your second option also. I find at work I get hungry few hours in then would be ravenous before going home at 730 am if I don't eat something. So when I do them it depends on what I feel like, some days I eat snack and meal at home and then 2 packets at work but and usually have one of my cups of veggies at work also. Good luck!

[putenpie]

Hi I work overnights as well and I stick pretty close to your option two, I treat my waking hours as my days and beginning with breakfast when I wake up around 6pm and then space out my meals thereafter. I do tend to add on egg whites in the AM after work with tea before bed that helps with curbing hunger. Its doable I have been on protocol since 2/1/2013 working nights and am still losing. Took a little bit of tweaking to get to a comfortable eating schedule in relation to working nights. The other part I struggle with still is transitioning from nights to days on off days or days am awake in the daytime. Am getting better at it, water and egg whites come into play with ensuring I don't go for long periods without food.

[MonicaKolesnik]

Originally Posted by Alaskagirl92128

I also work nights 12 hour shifts, I work 3 days in a row one week, and 4 days the next, on my last night I always just take a short nap when I get home and then go to sleep that night so I am on the same schedule as my family. On the night that I switch from days to nights I eat an extra restricted packet because I am essentially up for 24 hours straight. Sometimes work can be a little crazy and there is no guarantee that you will have time to eat. I highly recommend the ready to drink shakes. I just had my week 13 weigh in and I have lost 74 pounds! It really works, good luck!

I absolutely agree about the RTD those and the restricted bars or chips help when work gets crazy. As has been said at times you can be to busy to be mixing and measuring. I cook my dinner when I get up and make my breakfast, that way you just re-heat and eat once you have time.

You will do great