Honestly guys, there really isn’t going to be anything out of the ordinary that I will talk about regarding losing weight as a night shift worker. The basic principles still apply. The slight difference is how you would go about implementing them in your day to day.
The average night shift is from 11pm to 7am, however, you have other professions who’s shift can run from 7am to 7pm, take a nurse for example. Regardless of what shift you work, exercise and healthy eating is very much possible.
I think it may not feel like that most times because of other compounding factors in your life; a newborn baby, a divorce, financial hardship, a death, etc., but if you were to sit down and analyze your day, you would find time. Let me give you an example.
Full Break Down to Find Time to Exercise
Let’s say I am a nurse who works 12-hour shifts four days a week or let’s say I am a security guard who works 11pm to 7am five days a week. Is it even possible to find time to work out?
Of course, there is.
The 12-hour shift nurse who only works four days a week has time to work-out on her off days.
The security guard who only works five days a week can work-out before his shift.
For the sake of brevity, let’s say both individuals can only workout three days a week. Here is how their work plan would look like.
Day 1
| Workout Set A | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of A1, resting 2 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| A1) Flat Bench Press | 3 | 6-8 |
| Workout Set B | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of B1, resting 2 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| B1) Dumbbell Rows | 3 | 6-8 |
| Workout Set C | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of C1, resting 2 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| C1) Triceps Extension | 3 | 6-8 |
| Workout Set D | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of D1, resting 2 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| D1) Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly’s | 3 | 6-8 |
Day 2
| Workout Set A | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of A1, resting 2 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| A1) Barbell Squats | 3 | 6-8 |
| Workout Set B | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of B1, resting 2 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| B1) Barbell Deadlifts | 3 | 6-8 |
| Workout Set C | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of C1, resting 2 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| C1) Dumbbell Lateral Lunges | 3 | 6-8 |
| Workout Set D | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of D1, resting 2 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| D1) Single Leg Hip Thrust | 3 | 6-8 |
Day 3
| Workout Set A | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of A1, resting 1 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| A1) Bicep Curls | 3 | 8-12 |
| Workout Set B | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of B1, resting 1 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| B1) Leg Extension Machine | 3 | 8-12 |
| Workout Set C | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of C1, resting 1 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| C1) Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Workout Set D | ||
| Directions: Perform 3 sets of D1, resting 1 minutes between each set | ||
| Exercise | Set | Reps |
| D1) Hamstring Curl Machine | 3 | 8-12 |
Time isn’t the issue, it’s whether you can identify those empty spaces in your schedule and then fill them out with a workout plan as demonstrated above.
In case you’re wondering why it appears to be harder for you to lose weight as a night shift worker compared to the average person; I’ve laid out a few reasons as well as practical tips you can use for yourself.
Lack of Sleep/Stress
It’s one of those fluffy boring topics that people quiet frankly don’t want to hear, however, it’s important and you’re going to hear it whether you want to or not.
I know, I know. What’s ironic is that I sound as if I am going to force you, knowing full well that will never happen.
What you may not realize is that consistently getting poor sleep will increase your cortisol levels. It’s not the quantity of sleep that counts, it’s the quality.
For example, you can get a total of 8 hours of sleep, but with frequent twist and turns throughout the night, those 8 hours can now become 4 or 5 hours of actual deep sleep. If that persist overtime, you’ll be setting yourself up for failure.
Side note, cortisol is a hormone that regulates stress. The more stress you are, the higher the level, the less stress, the lower the level. You’re well familiar with how moody you can get when you aren’t getting the sleep you need.
We’ve all been there. Stress isn’t inherently bad, but like everything in life, moderation is the sweet spot.
I veered off a bit, but here are a few examples on why you should prioritize your sleep as a night shift worker:
- An overproduction of cortisol can produce proteolysis. This is when your muscles are constantly breaking down, which can make it difficult to add muscle.
- You can find yourself adding a few inches on your waist because of the addition of abdominal fats due to stress which stems from lack of sleep.
- Don’t be offended when people think you look older than you are. If you’re consistently stress, you increase your rate of aging.
Listen I am not making this up.
Speaking of help, here is what you can do to get better sleep.
- Buy blackout curtains
- Set your room temperature between 65 to 70. A cooler room makes it easier to sleep in
- Avoid caffeine before bed-time
Not Meal Prepping
It’s hard to adhere to your nutrition if you lack preparation firsthand. Am waiting. Am waiting to hear this.
Well first off nobody cares. Just so you know. They’re a million things I don’t have time for, guess what, it still gets done.
You prioritize what you need to. If you’re always spewing that you don’t have time to exercise or that you don’t have time to meal prep, then just stay fat. Don’t complain. Be content with how you look. It’s that simple.
Make time. If you want to lose weight that badly, make time. Period.
How to Make Time to Meal Prep
Step 1
On your day off, grocery shop for the entire week. Make sure your grocery list fall under these categories. Proteins, healthy carbs, healthy fats, fruits, and veggies.
Protein
Chicken Breast
Turkey
Fish
Ground Beef
Healthy Carbs
Baked Potato
Sweet Potato
Mash Potato
Rice
Healthy Fats
Avocado
Eggs
Almonds
Olive Oil
Fruits
Raspberries
Blueberries
Mangos
Oranges
Apples
Veggies
Spinach
Legume
Carrots
Broccoli
Asparagus
Step 2
Purchase a few containers to help you separate your food better.
Step 3
Once your meals are ready, make sure to divide it like this:
Your proteins will take up half the jar
Your veggies will also take close to half the jar Your carbs, fats & fruits should fit in the palm of your hand
Use This Nutrition Strategy to Help You Lose Weight
Let’s cut to the chase, am going to assume here and forgive me ahead of time if am wrong. Nevertheless, am pulling the plug, and that is, you either don’t know how to track your calories or you find it tedious and annoying, or you rather do anything else but track.
If you’re one of the many that feels this way, I would recommend using the 2 meal a day strategy. Choosing this approach by default will force you to fast.
Pick whichever time you feel you would adhere to consistently and stick with it. Whether that’s:
Breakfast & Lunch
Breakfast & Dinner
Lunch & Dinner
Once you’ve picked your mealtime slots, you then want to make sure both meals are high protein, low carb, low fat, little fruits, and lots of veggies. Your carbs, fats and fruit should fit in the palm of your hands.
It would look something like this.
In a nutshell these types of foods are also known has nutrient dense foods, which means, they contain less calories and are highly filling. You can eat a greater volume of these types of foods without going over your calories.
For a more in depth read on it, click HERE.
Regardless of what shift you work; I want you to implement this strategy. Try it out for at least 30 days. If you see no progress, then you’re more than welcome to curse my ass out.
Good Luck!