The Ultimate Guide To Surviving Shift Work

If you work a graveyard shift or any shift work, including rotating shifts, you may find that the schedule is wreaking havoc on your ability to make better choices and hit your weight loss goals.

On top of that, the disruptions to your circadian rhythm can throw off your body’s hormonal balance, making you more likely to overeat high-calorie foods. Instead of entering deep sleep at 2:00 A.M., for example, you’re three hours into your graveyard shift, reaching for a Diet Coke and a candy bar to help you stay awake.

Gaining weight is a serious side effect of taking shift work.

Being awake when you should be asleep (and vice versa) confuses your body clock, including the hormones responsible for managing hunger. Shift workers tend to have lower-than-average levels of leptin, which suppresses hunger, and higher-than-average levels of ghrelin, which stimulates it.

The short answer - you get hungry, but your off switch doesn’t work properly, so you keep eating!

Unfortunately, you’re probably tired and sleep-deprived as well as famished meaning you’re more likely to reach for fatty, sugary, high-calorie foods to give you energy. Researchers estimate that shift workers consume about 600 extra calories per day. Multiply this by seven days and you’re consuming 4200 extra calories per week.

Don't worry, it's not all doom and gloom, though. We've got some simple hacks you can implement right now to help you get your weight loss journey back on track.

The biggest piece of advice we can give is this; don't eat your biggest meal just before you go to bed. We know it's hard because you may want to join the family for dinner, but your body won't burn it all and will ultimately store it as fat.

Instead, try and have your biggest meal when you're most active, probably in the middle of your shift, and then have something light to eat just before you hit the hay.

The Man Shake would be your best option as the final meal at the end of the shift (shameless plug). It's high in protein and thus perfect for recovering after a busy shift. It's also low in fat and sugar, which will keep that tummy trim. 

Part of working the night shift is you can end up staying awake for long periods of time and have shifts that are only a few hours apart.

When you are awake for such a long period, you can end up grazing (eating) the whole time, especially as you get tired. Your body needs time to burn what you have eaten so keep your eating window to about 10 to 12 hours max.

Choose nutrient-rich foods and snacks instead of junk food. Working overnight shifts can limit your available options; health food restaurants don’t stay open 24 hours, leaving you susceptible to whatever’s available in the work cafeteria, the fast-food menu, or the vending machine.

Packing your own lunch and snacks is a good way to avoid these fattening temptations. Healthier options include lower-calorie sandwiches on whole-grain bread, fruit, the Man Bar (another shameless plug), plain popcorn, Greek yoghurt, salad, and nuts. Choose water or unsweetened drinks over soft drinks or caffeinated beverages.

Night shift workers tend to develop a circadian rhythm disorder created by their schedules. Because of this, your body clock may wake you after five hours of sleep instead of the recommended seven to nine.

To pack more hours of sleep into each 24-hour period, you can try a few strategies. Napping just before your shift may help, if that's possible. Some workers sleep five hours immediately after a shift, then take a two-hour nap before they return to work the next day. A 15 to 20-minute nap during your shift may also help if your employer will allow this (many will, for safety reasons).

It's time to take control and set yourself up for success rather than letting life smack you in the face. One of the biggest reasons for excess weight gain is a lack preparation.

If you have all your meals, snacks and water ready before work, there is less chance of you sneaking through the drive-through or giving in to the munchies and grabbing stuff from the vending machine.

Everyone's shifts are different, but if you can follow some core rules and make them work for you, it will make losing weight, improving sleep and feeling better much easier.

Here's a suggested plan:

Pre-Shift: The Man Shake.

Break 1: Nuts or one piece of fruit (or snack under 200 calories - check the label).

Meal Break: The biggest meal of the day. Try eating something high in protein.

Break 2: Yoghurt or a Man Bar (or snack under 200 calories - check the label).

Home: The Man Shake

*Hot Tip - If you normally eat when you get home before going to sleep, try preparing your Man Shake before you leave work and drink it on the way home. This helps avoid temptations of the drive-through or the servo.