Lose Weight On Overnight Shift

Losing weight is hard enough but tackling this feat can be even more challenging for those who regularly toil from dusk till dawn.

Here are 10 tips specific to your schedule to help you keep the weight off and the ways that the night shift affects your body.

Be honest, are you really getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours each night? If you’re falling short on the shut-eye, put sleep down as a calendar item.

Tips For Night Shift Weight Loss

The selection at 24-hour eateries (think: gas station stops, fast food joints, and vending machines) are rarely healthy. Save some money and empty calories by bringing your own snacks.

Be sure to store any perishable food in the refrigerator at work or pack in a cooler with ice packs to keep it cold (and safe to eat).

If the choice is between sleep and exercise, go with sleep. However, making exercise a priority is critical for getting closer to your goal weight.

How To Stick To Your Weight Loss Goals Working The Night Shift

It also has the extra benefit of promoting good sleep. Since the gym (or sun) may not be in your favor, sneak in some indoor workouts.

Soda, candy, cookies, and the like are void of any real nutritional benefit and they lack any satiating power, which typically comes from fiber and protein.

On top of this, a study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that peak blood sugar levels were 16 percent higher and insulin levels were 40 to 50 percent higher when subjects underwent one night of shift work, compared to one day of a regular work schedule.

What Are Intermittent Fasting And Workout Timings For Night Shift People?

Elevated insulin and blood sugar levels suggest the body isn’t as equipped to manage foods high in refined carbohydrates and added sugars, and this could lead to type 2 diabetes over time.

Disrupting the circadian clock increases the risk for obesity because it alters metabolism by decreasing resting metabolic rate. But, light isn’t the only factor.

One of the major sources of vitamin D isn’t actually a food — it’s the sun — but if you’re sleeping through a greater part of the day, chances are you’re missing out on some of those valuable rays.

How To Lose Weight While Working Night Shifts

This could be working against you and your weight loss goals because research shows getting adequate vitamin D may help you lose weight and decrease overall body fat.

Unfortunately, these food options are limited, likely leaving you with a selection of ultra-processed foods, i.e. refined grains, high-fat meats, salty snacks, and sugary treats.

While it may seem like unwinding from the night with a drink or two might help you get some solid sleep, the opposite is true.

How To Lose Weight If You Work The Night Shift

A small study found that those working the night shift burn fewer calories, about 50 calories less per day, compared to those working during normal business hours and getting their ZZZs at night.

Paying attention to how much you’re eating — like monitoring your portions or keeping track of calories — can be a helpful tool if you find you’re gaining weight while working nights.

Our cities and towns operate around the clock. To make all this possible,  roughly 15 million Americans perform shift work outside of regular hours.

Healthy Eating Tips For Night Shift Workers

A recent review paper looked at more than 40 studies and found that sleep deprivation led to a greater sense of hunger and overall calorie intake — about 250 calories more each day — compared to those who got enough shut-eye.

A Mayo Clinic study looking at 17 healthy, young adults also found that sleep-deprived subjects slept one hour and 20 minutes less than the control subjects but ate an average of 500+ more calories per day.