Hi,
This is my first post as I am new to the site. I have a back injury that I have been dealing with since Feb '08 from a car accident. I am also a RN and work the night shift. I am struggling with working the night shift and eating healthy/exercising. Anyone out there who has found a balance? I am desperate to lose weight and did lose 40+ lbs while I was off work with my back injury. But I have gained about 20lbs of the weight back since going back to work. During my time off I led a "normal" life with regular sleep & eating habits (3 meals a day plus snacks). With working the nights, my sleep schedule is totally out of whack & I am always exhausted & fighting cravings (unfortunately the cravings are winning.......LOL). I am always too tired to exercise. Any suggestions?
The weight is taking a toll on my body & self esteem. I need HELP
Is it at all possible to get off nights? I know that may not be an option, but if you were feeling better and having success when you were off and living "normal" hours, you may need to do it for your health.
To be honest, once I started exercising, I have been falling asleep easier and sleeping MUCH better.
I go to bed as soon as I get home from work (around 8am). I usually sleep until 4 or so, get up, eat something, go work out, do whatever I have to do around the house, and then go to work. If I know I'm going to have a particular busy night (nights when I know ahead of time that we will be very understaffed), I don't work out at all beforehand, because I know I'll be getting plenty of exercise =)
It takes time to adjust to nights. My best advice for adjusting is to NOT get off of your sleep schedule on days off (if possible). Melatonin helps a little bit. Get a fan to create some white noise (and help keep you cool), black-out curtains, etc.
As for cravings...AVOID THE VENDING MACHINES AT ALL COSTS! If I forget a snack at work, I usually will eat the graham crackers we have in the nourishment room, heh. The diet ginger ale we have in there is good too for when I want something fizzy and cold.
I worked nights as a nurse also.I was sick more that I had been in my whole life.It just didnt work for me.I took a job in a different department to get on day shift.Very good move for me physically and mentally.Yes, a slight pay cut but beneficial in the long run.
I feel your pain. I'm doing mids this week for the first time in over a year, and I'm not handling it well, either. For me, it's not so much the nighttime cravings, but other times when I should probably be sleeping. I bring all of my food in with me since the cafeteria is closed, anyway, so I'm doing OK here, but I'm eating at odd times and strange foods at home, so I'm eating more. Plus, I have trouble counting my calories because of the day changeover while I'm on shift. I hope I'm doing OK, and I'm thankful it's only a few days.
Thanks for the advice! I guess I'll have to try & force myself to get some exercise in before work. I switched to perm nights because of my back injury (believe it or not, it is a little less physical on nights in my dept than on day shift). I sleep in naps only right now so if exercising helps with that, maybe everything else will fall in line. I have avoided the vending machines so far PLUS I have totally given up drinking soft drinks. I've been drinking water only & I have to say it's not as hard as I thought it would be!
RMatS: I also have trouble keeping track of the calories. Anyone out there have any suggestions?
I used to work 11pm to 7am, starting on Sunday nights and off for the weekend on Friday morning.
I also had hubby and 2 high school boys at home.
I did all the normal stuff we all do, just on a bassackwards schedule. When I got home from work I did the stuff anyone working days would do, picked up the house, laundry, etc. Put together everything for supper so it was easier to fix later.
I went to bed about noon and slept until 6. I was able to spend the evening with the family before leaving about 10:30 to head to work.
Supper was breakfast for me and I packed a light lunch and lots of fresh veggies and cold snacks like sugar free jello. I worked in a factory that makes telecom wire and I ran a machine that cabled wire and is longer than a basketball court, so we didn't have a set lunch or break, it was grab it when you had time. Lots of walking and physical labor. Plus it was hotter than the hounds of he** in there so we all drank gallons of water.
When I got home from work I'd have a bowl of cereal or soup or something light like that. Kept the munchies at bay until I went to bed.
The toughest part was shifting gears for the weekend. The boys were in sports so we always had games on Friday nights. Usually I didn't go to bed at all on Fridays until after the game. That helped me with changing up for the weekend. If I slept on Friday during the day, I didn't want to go to bed when we got home.
Once in awhile on a Friday in the summer I would stop at the quick trip and grab a 6 pack. Boy did I get weird looks from all the 7am coffee and donut buyers. One guy actually remarked "a little early ain't it?" I explained I had just came off 8 hours of night shift and it was happy hour and the weekend for me.
One thing about the exercise, does you employer have a rehab/PT unit that would let you use their equip? One of our local hospitals, will let employees use the equip in the PT unit if a patient doesn't need it. Another thought, you have the option of heading to the gym a bit later in the morning, when it might not be as busy. Or depending on what time you have to be to work, a gym is usually not as busy later in the evening.
I remember keeping to a routine, especially during the week really helped me cope. Going to bed at the same time, even if I didn't feel tired. Getting up at the same time, so I wasn't rushed, and could see the kids and DH. It takes some getting used to and it was hit or miss for awhile, until I figured out what worked for me.
I'm a shift worker too! I work 6:45 PM to 7:15 AM, minimum of three shifts a week. We have a onsite gym that's available to us at my work if no patients don't need the machine, however, I'm usually exhausted after 12 1/2 hours of running around and just want to go home and sleep. I get home and go to sleep, and tend to not wake up til the last minute at 530pm, earlier than that I don't function. I do a lot of running on my shifts though and can believe I may be getting enough exercise those days (pedometer says 8 to 12 miles a day?).
So I am more focusing on my days off, which I still maintain night shift schedule. I'm debating buying an elliptical for my husband and I to use at night on our nights off.
Any other recommendations?
I'm on a night shift at the moment!
6pm-5am.
The thing I like about being stuck in the office for 11 hours, is that if I come to work prepared then I won't go off track.
I usually try to eat three meals, and like schirerf mentioned, I usually have dinner first, something light later, then a bowl of cereal in the early hours.
Tonight I cooked a big lunchbox of spiced veggies which will do me for 2 meals, and I'll have a bowl of all bran with skimmed milk and honey then later on. I drink green tea and water throughout the night. I find this works very well and I don't get hungry or tired.
Shift workers! I work 6p - 6a with a 2 hour drive each way. I work a 2 on/2 off rotation with every other weekend being 3 on or off. It's a great schedule and I can't imagine giving it up for the drudgery of Monday through Friday.
However, I've gained 30 + pounds since I started working this schedule and I have found I've turned into a sugar/caffeine freak. I work these hours in order to be home for my disables daughter, so switching hours is not an option. (To say nothing of the great 15 percent shift differential I get.)
I'm getting ready to start Wendy Chant's diet, but I'm wondering how it will work with my crazy night schedule. I found no mention of caffeine, especially during the first week - and believe me I need caffeine, especially to get me through the long ride home.
Glad to see there are other nightowls, and I look forward to seeing you all post tips about how you work diet around nightshift.
[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="2"] Hi BadHabitsRN!
Looks like you've gotten some good advice from your fellow shift workers - it must be quite a challenge with working those hours - I'm sure you'll be able to find what works for you - the support you need is here!
Glad to have you join us! There are lots & lots of different groups and forums - I'm sure you'll find some that will keep you motivated, inspired and entertained! There's also info and first hand advice on different eating plans and exercise to help get through the ups and downs.
There are bunches of people here with more to lose and some with less - the bottom line is that we all have to do it a day at a time. The good thing is that we'll have lots of company along the way.
I've only been here a few months myself, having NEVER been part of an online forum. Wha
Any other shift workers out there?
Or depending on what time you have to be to work, a gym is usually not as busy later in the evening. 
[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="2"] Hi BadHabitsRN!