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View Full Version : To all night shift workers i need advice



H8toSquat
01-22-09, 8:50 am
Hi guys,,

Just gotta ask everyone for there thoughts on people that work night shift, i am currently working 9pm to 5am which sees me sleeping through the day roughly 7am till around 3pm.

with my body clock being this way i should be having my breaky and carbs between 4pm and 9pm and protein between 9pm and 4am right????

also i am just about to sign up for a 24/7 gym what are everyones thoughts on that?? and would it be any different with my body clock the way it is training at night??

All thoughts are welcome

C.Coronato
01-22-09, 10:18 am
Im a little confused on the question .. you want to have carbs for the first half and protein for the second half?

Aggression
01-22-09, 10:31 am
I'm a little confused on the diet question. It seems like your asking if its ok to have all carbs during a certain time, and then all protein during another time, which is not right at all. Clear that up for us bro.

As for working out at night, as long as your body is used to the schedule, it shouldn't matter what time of day you lift. You can get out at 5am, hit the gym, then go to sleep. Or you can work out before work, its up to you. As long as your body is accustomed to being up during those hours, you should be fine either way.

Nightshift
01-22-09, 10:40 am
If your new to nights, take a week or so off from the gym till you get yourself into a routine. Eat as you normally would and see how your body reacts to it. After three or four weeks, you'll know how to adjust your diet to suit your needs. I love my 24/7 gym. If it's close to work, that even better.

The Texian
01-22-09, 4:30 pm
I work the 2nd shift (6 pm to 6 am). I have to pack a lunch in, and it has to be in a regulation sized container, so i am limited in amounts of items and the actual size a food item is, in regards to if it will fit inside the container. So, obviously, I am working nights with a real concern as to what I can bring in for a 12 hour period to eat.

My lunch is typically as close to a "Zone Diet" type main meal as possible (at 41 years old, I am not interested in adding huge amounts of BW any longer, and am more concerned with adding and maintaining quality BW and muscle mass, and staying relatively lean), as well as some healthy snack type items and a few bottles of water.

Before I leave for work, at about 4pm, I am drinking a decent sized protein shake and a medium sized "meal". I get off work at 6 am, drive to the gym getting there about 6:40 am, and train for about 45 min, 3 x weekly. I do basic barbell moves (squats, presses, rows, etc.), and when I get home I take another heavy protein shake and medium meal, and go right to bed. On my days off, I eat more traditionally to try to make up the calories and variety in food. I do my vitamins and supps in a before and after work set of pills.

My training has not suffered at all. In fact, i continue to get stronger on my training schedule and make improvements.

C Daddy
01-22-09, 4:55 pm
I used to work the 10pm to 6am shift at my old job and I saw some significant gains during this period in my life. I would get of at 6 head home ,slam a protein shake and some cottage cheese and hit the bed. I would sleep until about 3 or 4 then get up and eat my breakfast.Then I would hit the gym. I would keep my meals the same as if i was geting up at a normal time and getting to sleep at night. This saw me getting my last meal of the day in somewhere around 3 or 4 am. Of course i could bring in whatever I wanted for lunch as we had our own refridgerator. I always kept a protein shake or bar close at hand just in case. Of course now i work 24 on 48 off and work in an environment where cooking is encouraged(im a fireman) so I never worry about missing a meal. But im lucky ;) Youve got to find what works for and stick with it. good luck bro

H8toSquat
01-22-09, 7:09 pm
Thanks guys

Cdaddy you pretty much sumed up everything i wanted to know

jeff00z28
01-22-09, 11:22 pm
its extremely hard to get motivated on the night shift, i did it for a few months

xMATT182x
01-24-09, 2:28 am
I was kinda in the saem boat as you about 2 months ago. I started working a night shift and was super backwards and disoriented and it took me awhile to get used to it. Nightshift has it down pat and I agree with him, just eat normally like you would during day time hours and with time it will get easier. I still don't sleep worth a shit it seems but It's getting easier to function, eat and workout. Just hang in there and start slow.

mritter3
01-24-09, 11:13 am
giver your body time to get used to the new shift, i would not change your diet any, obviously you will be eating at different times, but that should not affect the food that you take in, my workout partner works 3rd shift and rest is crucial, so make sure your getting enough, power naps might help. good luck man.