Working out and Nursing..

I don't work 12s, but I started night shift over the summer. After five plus years of working out six days a week, a stint of unemployment followed by the transition to night shift really torpedoed my workout routine. I'm finally getting back into it. I tend to not sleep well during the day anyway, so I go to a 9am class at my gym after work is over. I'm home by around 10:15, I can rest for 3-4 hours on days that I'm working again that night, or I just stay up after my last shift- I switch back to sleeping at night on my nights off. I don't eat anything at night, other than 2 saltines about 3am with one ginger ale. But I still managed to gain about 15 pounds with the transition. I think lack of sleep is the main cause. I've lost probably half of that by being super strict on what I eat again, and my workouts are improving. Good luck, you'll find a routine that works for you if it's a priority.

I walk my dogs with some jogging intervals for a good 20-30 minutes before and after work. I work 8 hour shifts though and some 10's and 12's. I also rotate shifts but find time. Of course, depending on the floor I am on, just being at work can be a workout. But on my days off I do a little bit here and there. Biggest thing is in order to lose weight you must be in a caloric deficit either through working out or watching your portion sizes or a combo of both. And sleep is super important too.

I (usually) run a couple times a week on my days off; if not, I can at least convince myself to go for a god walk outside or through Target, depending on the weather. And then I do a few yoga workouts or exercise routines I find online in between. A lot of them only take 15-20 minutes, so I squeeze them in before work.

It is important to look at your diet as well. I know that when I eat poorly, everything goes downhill. If I cook healthily at least a free times a week, I find it much easier to have energy to exercise, and I feel much better in general.