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Late night snacking...opinions..

Sooo let me give you a breif understanding as to why I am a late night snacker. I work in a hospital second shift (3p-11p). By the time I get home, and shower and such its probably about 12-1230. Then I'll eat eat something, depending on how hungry I am, depends on how heavy it is, whether its a tangerine or a bowl of cereal or something. And when i get out of work, I'm pretty wired, so then I am up until about 3-4 in the morning. And then i sleep til about 12-1 in the afternoon, and follow the same cycle over and over. I have been working second shift for so long it's hard to get out of this pattern. I have even tried waking up in the morning when FI is up getting ready for work at about 730, and I STILL am awake until 4 the following morning after being up all day. The way I look at is this, Normal people go to work until about 5, come home, eat dinner about 6 or 7, then are in bed around like 10 or 11. But because When people are getting out shortly after I'm going in, My day is set slightly back in time.

Does this make sense? Like is my body programmed by now where it wont affect my digestion or is my body still programmed where i should be eating earlier in the day like normal. I am having a slightly hard time losing weight, and i was wondering if my work/sleep habits had something to contribute to it?? Any and all advice will be appreciated!

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Re: Late night snacking...opinions..

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    Wow, I think you and I may be the same person! However I work 1900-0700, but I follow the same pattern.
    Instead of snacking after work, I just went to bed. I too was wired up but I took some Melatonin or a Benadryl, just until I could get back into a normal schedule. I also set an alarm in the morning to make sure I get up, instead of sleeping in all day. Sometimes you have to just be tired those few days while you are adjusting to a new schedule. 
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    cebrady89cebrady89 member
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    edited December 2011
    More and more I'm hearing from medical professionals and doctors that eating at night isn't the problem - it's eating at night after you've already had full meals during the day. In other words, the time of your eating isn' the problem, the only problem you'd have is eating more than you should (which doesn't seem to be your issue).

    Your body is probably adjusted to this schedule so your eating habits have changed around it. Like I said, it's not BAD to eat at night, if nighttime is one of the times you're awake. Most people don't have schedules that keep them sleeping until after noon, so of course your eating schedules are off the "norm".

    Getting enough sleep might be an issue for you - no matter what your pattern is, try to get enough sleep so you feel rested. This won't make you LOSE weight, but it'll keep your body in check overall :)

    I wouldn't worry as long as your eating a healthy diet and only eating when you're hungry.
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    Sunny- interestingly enough I've tried taking something to be able to fall asleep when i get home. For instance one day last week i had First drive me to work and at about 2230 i took a sleeping pill, right before the end of my shift. I went home got ready for bed, and then was STILL awake until 3 that morning! It was so bizarre to me. I don't understand! Cebrady- i always feel well rested, I'm sleeping from like 4 am until about 12p or 1p, so that's about 8 or 9 hours. Sometimes ill even sleep 10 hours depending on if I'm off that day and how busy it was the night before! Lol We shall see. Today is an exception since my car is in the shop and i drove fi to work so i could have his for the day. We'll see how it goes!

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    It doesn't matter WHEN you're eating, but how much you're eating.  Are you tracking calories?

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     I also work 3-11 as an RN.  When I get home I have a small snack and relax.  I don't think it hurts me as long as i am within my points value.  If I didn't do it then when I wake up I would be ravenous and eat everything in sight
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    Oh, and I meant to say...when I worked a stressful 3-11 that kept me up that late, I'd try to have a healthy filling snack before I left work.  That way I'd be less tempted by unhealthy stuff when I got home.  So I'd have a glass of milk, some fruit, and some PB usually.  Or a protein shake.

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    I work the same shift!! I'm always starving when I get home. I try not to eat too heavy of a meal, but enough to be satisfied. I try to get to the gym before work. It seems like everything balances out. 
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    Losing weight is simply burning more calories in a day than you consume.  Counting calories will drive you crazy, it can help but I don't suggest it because it takes over the way you look at food.  I'm guessing you are probably on your feet a lot with your job so you probably burn a fair amount of calories.  Especially since you are up 3-4 hours after you eat, I seriously doubt eating at midnight is slowing your weight loss.  Sleep was my first guess but you said you get plenty.  What about water intake? If I had hours like that I would require a lot of caffeine which is very dehydrating for your body.  Either way, make sure you are drinking enough water because dehydration can be confused for hunger.  Plus it just keeps your body balanced.  Also, do you have time/energy to workout?  Everyone is different but I have foudn that if I increase my exercise (leaving my eating habits alone) I lose weight faster than if I improve my eating habits without upping my exercise.  Plus all the carrots in the world won't tone your muscles like a workout will.
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