How to eat on night shift

joanna73, BSN, RN · May 26, 2015

Same as others: I ate breakfast at 1800 (usually smoothie or oatmeal with berries).

2230: Dinner: Chicken or fish with vegetables.

0230: Yogurt, fruit or granola for snacks.

0800: Usually oatmeal again or chicken with vegetables.

I only drink water and no caffeine, which for many is impossible working nights. I am hard wired for nights so I don't require caffeine to stay awake.

Everyone is slightly different but if the bulk of your calories are healthy and clean (limit sugar, oils and processed foods) you should at least maintain your weight.

TopsDrop, RN · May 26, 2015

I'll preface my post by saying this: EveryBODY is different, you'll have to try some of the very good suggestions and find what works for you.

Here is my advice and what's worked for me for 3+ years: First off, your body doesn't care what time it is, if you need to be awake it needs fuel to function at 100 percent, so you should try to eat something every 3-4 hours during your shift. I work 7p-7a as well. You should eat something before going in, like 5p-6p then try to grab a snack every 3-4 hours. Avoid carbohydrates (Especially simple carbs) for about 2-3 hours before you think you'll go to bed.

I pack high protien food for work, at least 2 snacks and 1 larger meal. I pass on all junk food 90% of the time and drink water throughout my shift. I also spend a few hours one night during the week cooking all my meals for the week.

Here's a sample of what I do every shift:

Wake up at 3p : Oatmeal and 3 scrambled eggs

6p: 6oz. chicken breast, garden salad, sweet potato fries

10-11p: Greek yogurt and 1 serving almonds

1-2a: 6 oz fish, fruit, brown rice side

4-5a: 1 oz beef jerky, 8 oz 2% milk

Drive home: Whey/Casein protein shake

Bed

Just takes careful planning, but no one is usually around on nights so I just eat my food in the nurses station. My nutrition/health is very important to me so I make it my 2nd priority after my patients. And yes, I have a food scale and weigh out my portions. I also drink coffee on and off, but no caffeine after 3am for me, unless I'm going to the gym after my shift. If you can find time to exercise, that will also help.

Hope my post helps.

DisneyNurseGal, BSN, RN · May 26, 2015

Sorry you are struggling with night shift! I love it! I work 1800-0630 and this is what i found kept the pounds away.

***I don't eat a big meal right after I wake up (1400), I get up, shower, get my metabolism going then get a meal about 1530-1600.

***Some grapes or other finger foods on my commute in at 1540

***I eat a QUICK snack about 2100 (carrots, yogurt, peanutbutter and apples).

***Dinner at 0000

***Another snack about 0400, then I stop eating for the day.

Just as you should not try to eat before bed when you work a day shift, the same goes for nights. Water, water, water after 0400

I gave up trying to exercise on my work days. 6 miles walked a night will have to be enough. I would rather spend time with my kids or hubby before I go back to work.

Good luck!

HenryBood · May 26, 2015

While it does take time to acclimate to this new and somewhat unnatural schedule, you will after time. I think it is important that even if you are tired, you make the time to work out- this will help you feel better and sleep better. I also know that the days off are also a struggle as you are getting used to this. Best of luck.

hattrick7 · May 26, 2015

i eat 1800 calories a day to lose weight, i wake up and eat a small 300 Cal meal and then i have a snack or 2 before my other 400-500 cal meal for lunch. then my last meal is right when i get off work. or some times while im at work i get too hungry from running on a busy night. but i go to bed as soon as i get home. so that way i don't over eat.

for a zero calorie "filler" i eat the Gel-O low calorie cups from walmart. they have like 5 calories each in them. i eat those if im hungry when i wake up or before i go to bed.

Farawyn · May 26, 2015

Used to eat dinner at midnight and 2 breakfasts, one around 5:30 pm, one around 8 am when I got home. I never worked out I just slept 9-5. Night shift was rough for me. Everyone has to find their own formula.

Good luck!

littlepeopleRNICU · May 26, 2015

I eat something before going in at usually 430, and then I'll eat "lunch" at anywhere from 1130 to 1ish. If I am hungry when I get home, then I eat something very small, just enough to take away hunger so I can sleep. And I try not to indulge too often in all th snacks everyone brings. Except for special occasions, I only eat my lunch that I bring.

calivianya, BSN, RN · May 27, 2015

i eat 1800 calories a day to lose weight, i wake up and eat a small 300 Cal meal and then i have a snack or 2 before my other 400-500 cal meal for lunch. then my last meal is right when i get off work. or some times while im at work i get too hungry from running on a busy night. but i go to bed as soon as i get home. so that way i don't over eat.
for a zero calorie "filler" i eat the Gel-O low calorie cups from walmart. they have like 5 calories each in them. i eat those if im hungry when i wake up or before i go to bed.

I know this is nosy, but can I just ask - do you run every day, have a lot of weight to lose, or what? I've done a few diet programs (WW, Nutrisystem, Fitbit, etc.) and every single one has recommended right around 1200 calories per day for me. I'd love to eat 1800 and lose weight. What's your secret?

OP, as far as eating goes - the plan I'm on now has me eating all meals between 150-250 calories with at least three snacks around the 100-200 calorie range per day. So, basically, eating 200 calories six times per day gets weight off. I typically eat the dinner entree when I wake up, have a snack around 2100, eat lunch around 0000, and have another snack (usually a shake) around 3-4, then eat something light for breakfast when I get home. I find I do better eating on the days that I work. It's the days that I'm off that my diet gets all screwy.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 27, 2015

I'd love to eat 1800 and lose weight. What's your secret?

The individual who loses weight on 1800 kcals per day is a guy, according to posting history. Men tend to have higher metabolic rates than us females because they have a higher proportion of metabolically active muscle mass.

NightOwlPsyRN · May 27, 2015

Fellow night nurse, I feel your struggle. I work 8 hour night shifts so it's a little easier for me to get a workout in, but let me tell you what I found worked for me when I did 12's.

When I got home from work, I did the same as you, slept until about 1pm, and if I was lucky, 2pm. My body naturally woke up at that time, and as much as I tried to sleep more, my body wouldn't let me. So as soon as I woke up, I had breakfast (typically had oatmeal), drank something for energy (pre-workout drink, coffee works too), then hit the gym at around 3pm. Worked out for an hour or so, came home, drank a protein shake, showered and just hung around at home until it was time for me to get ready for my 12 hour overnight shift. On my shift, like others have mentioned, I grazed most of the shift...brought a bunch of snacks for me to munch on until it was time for my break. On my break I normally ate a regular sized meal that held me over until it was time for me to go home. I seemed to function okay on 6 hours of sleep. I read somewhere a long time ago that adults function optimally on 6 hours of sleep, but I know everyone is different so your body may need more.

Earlier posts you mentioned you have a kiddo, which can make finding time to workout even tougher. When time is an issue, I would recommend high intensity interval training (HIIT) and crossfit routines. There are a lot of regimens that don't require a lot of equipment, and most exercises use your own body weight as resistance. The purpose of these kind of workouts is you are pushing your body to consistently work its hardest with minimal rest between sets, which burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time. You can do a lot of these at home too.

hattrick7 · May 27, 2015

i am a male, and i do not run. i am muscular, and that increases the rate at which my body burns calories. BMR goes up basically. i can eat between 1800 and 2200 and still lose weight.

if your an athletic female, or just semi in shape. you could lose weight on 1500/day. 1200 a day is starvation.

NOADLS · May 27, 2015

i am a male, and i do not run. i am muscular, and that increases the rate at which my body burns calories. BMR goes up basically. i can eat between 1800 and 2200 and still lose weight.
if your an athletic female, or just semi in shape. you could lose weight on 1500/day. 1200 a day is starvation.

One of my girlfriends has been doing 1200 for the last month. No signs of her looking fatigued or starved. If anything, she looks like she's in great shape.