Working out and dieting with night shifts

[Fattest_animal]

Recently got hired at a new job and I'll be doing day and night shifts (so no sleeping during the night) from now on. This is completely new to me, so I will need to adapt myself to a new way of life and I'd like to prepare myself as best as I can.

I suspect that some of you must also have night shifts, so I'm asking you how you adapted youself to it? When do you eat? What do you eat? Do I eat breakfast at 8pm and supper at 8am? Or do I keep my meals the same (supper at 8pm and breakfast at 8am)?

Do you rather train before or after the night shift? and why? Obviously, this will be up to me since I'll be the one knowing how I "feel", but I still want your opinion on what you do or would do.

 

[Logan44551]

My wife works nights, she lifts after work. She needs the time before her shift to get sleep and prepare for work. Not much help I relize, surely someone else will chime in with some first hand experience

 

[Fattest_animal]

Honestly, that helps too. What about her meals?

 

[Logan44551]

Honestly, that helps too. What about her meals?

She is Thai so her meals aren't our typical, breakfast and dinner.

 

[bolder]

I work third shift myself for the last 3 years. Previous job was first shift. But I didn’t want to switch my workout time in the evenings.
I get off at 7am and head home and eat breakfast. By 9:00am I go to sleep. Wake up around 4-5pm and eat pre workout meal. Hit the gym around 6:30 done by 8pm. Head back home and drink a protein shake and eat post workout meal. Shower and off to work at 10:30pm. Usually snack or drink a shake around 1am then eat again on 3am lunch break.
Repeat...
I do like a first shift schedule better. Seems like I stay more tired on third.
But best of luck @Fattest_animal once you find a routine that works for you you’ll have no problem adapting.

 

[Fattest_animal]

Thanks a lot for the info @bolder , take care brother.

 

[FourOneDeuxFitt]

I work swing shifts so this subject has been a bit of a struggle for me recently as well man. Going from midnight-8, 8-4, and 4-midnight every couple weeks can be a rough transition at times especially with the various other things in life that can happen as well.

Normally for me when I’m 4-midnight I hit the gym before work. Try to sleep in a little bit in the morning best I can to still give myself time to get some things done if needed and hit the gym in a timely manner and hopefully catch an hour or two of downtime before work. Working midnight to 8 for me what worked best was coming home and just going to bed. Hitting the gym in the evening closest to closing time and that way I’m at least rested, have some meals in me, and can still get a good workout in and be good for work as well. 8-4p I like to hit the mornings if I can get my ass up. But sometimes i have a better workout if I wait and go afterwards with more calories in me.

Worst part about it all is the sleep schedule transition. It’s hit or miss. Definitely takes time to get adjusted to. Getting ear plugs and dark shades in my bedroom helped out a lot though.

When it comes to food I look at it like this - if I had a normal work schedule of just 8a-4p how would my meals be set up (breakfast, pre post training, etc..) and as my hours shift I just try to fill in the time blanks with what meals are what. Do my best to stay consistent. My main focus is my first meal of the day no matter what time I get up & second and most important is when I do know what time I’m hitting the gym is my pre and post training meals. Everything else gets filled in on the fly but normally works out one way or another.

 

[Fattest_animal]

@FourOneDeuxFitt pure gold, thanks a lot! What you're saying makes sense... Obviously it'll be up to me to see how I'll handle it, but you gave me a nice heads up for what to expects.