Shift Work
Our bodies work best when we can settle into a routine. Go to bed at the same time every day. Wake up at the same time every day. Eat at the same times every day. Workout at the same time every day.
But life doesn’t always work out like that, does it! Some of those things we can control, and some we can’t. I have several teamRIPPED members that are in the tough situation of variable work schedules, such as shift work. They may work nights for a couple days, then a day shift, then a day off — it’s like muscle confusion on their brains!
Is there an easy solution to help them stay on track? Unfortunately no! There isn’t a sure fire solution. It’s not ideal. And there’s nothing that we can do to make it ideal. But just like Tony says, “do your best and forget the rest”.
Accept the fact that some days are going to be short and some are going to be long. This will throw off the daily nutrition guidelines some. If you are up for 24 straight hours, you don’t want to just keep eating every 3 hours that whole time because your body really doesn’t need food during the time you would otherwise be sleeping. In other words, if I were to follow my normal day’s routine, and then decide to stay up all night, I would still stop eating after dinner. I shouldn’t compound my sleep deprivation with overeating.
And the same is true for a short day after a shift. Try to eat more calories in the fewer hours that you are awake to get as close as possible to your target numbers. Will it be right on the money? Probably not. You may go over a bit on the long days and under a bit on the short days, but still have a goal to fuel yourself as consistently as possible.
And will your workout schedule be ideal? Again, probably not. Some days you may need to workout when you first wake up. Other days it may be after work. Since your work schedule is in flux, everything else will have to adjust as well to fit it in.
Like I said before, a set daily routine is best, but that doesn’t mean you are doomed to failure because of chaotic work hours. DO YOUR BEST AND FORGET THE REST!
I know some shift workers who have been bringing it as long as I have — members of teamRIPPED — and they are in phenomenal shape now! They made no excuses and overcame the obstacles.
And while I’m on the topic of shift work, what about folks who simply work nights every night. Well, that’s simple. Do exactly what I do, and everyone else does. Sleep at the same time, eat at the same time and workout at the same time. “Breakfast” for you may be in the evening when you wake up, but it’s no different than my schedule. The trick is if you try to revert every weekend to a “normal” schedule for 2 days — that’s hard on your body. I’d recommend trying to be as consistent as possible with your sleeping, eating, and working out schedule.
But ultimately, we are all in different circumstances and we all have the power to BRING IT if we really want to . No excuses!
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My biggest challenge is working nights on some weekends. I find that if I plan it carefully, I can squeeze in all my workouts by making one of my 16 hour workdays into a rest day. Planning is key.
Nice post! Happens all the time……:)
Coach this is an excellent post. Being in EMS there have been times that I would come home from working 14 hours and right as I’m about to start my work out the pager goes off! It stinks because I’m up all night running calls. Some times I have the chance to come home and finish the work out and then there are some times I can’t because I have only 30 minutes to shower and go back to work. I would have to say this has been the second hardest thing about staying on track next to the nutrition. It definitely does throw a curve ball into the loop, but it’s fine because I know I will reach my goals. Just makes me slightly grumpy in the mornings! =) Thanks again for another inspirational post coach!
I live for the weekends to sleep in a few extra hours!
Great post! I concur working shift work is a bump in the road, but not an impossible bump…
I am in Law Enforcement. I work 4 on 3 off, 10 hour days. If I do an OT shift, that 10 hour day turns into a 16-20+ hour day depending on the OT shift.
10 hour days are easy now, I eat every 2-2.5 hours depending on the call volume. On the OT days, I eat try to eat every 3-3.5 hours but eat smaller portions and focus on meals and snacks that are slightly higher in protein such as eggs and insoluable fiber such as wheat and corn bran, nuts, flaxseed, and broccoli, celery, and zucchini. I also use Casien Powder as my protein supplement instead of Whey protein on those days. It’s slower digesting thus I am not hungry as often.
I also incorporate the zig zag eating philosophy into my routine. Lower caloric intake on the days I will be up for long hours, higher caloric intake on the “normal” days. I found that eating high protein/fiber meals helps with preventing overeating when I am up for 20+ hours.
Granted its not the most ideal eating meal plan/schedule, but it works for my body because my body is used to staying up for long periods of time.
I have been working out with Beachbody product for a year now. Many people I speak to always comment that the infomercial workout programs such as P90X are all a gimmick and that those who do it are likely to gain the weight back after the 90 days. I tell them that I have been doing it for a year and lift my shirt and say, “guess I am one of the exceptions to that rule!” LOL!
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” Audrey Hepburn
Hope this helps those that do shift work.
John
Hi Coaches,
I have a quick question I’m in my last week of Phase III to complete my 90 days. But I just had surgery and will not be able to work out at least another week or so. How should I eat now knowing I’m unable to workout and I do not want to lose the results I already have? And when I do start back to working out would I be able to do the recovery week for a couple of weeks to shed excess body fat?
Yes Tyrone, get your rest now and then ease back in with the recovery week and see how you do. But in the meantime, keep the diet very clean, and you won’t lose the results you’ve gained. You can probably drop the calories a bit (300-400) since you won’t be burning as many. Other than that, keep doing what got you here!
I experienced this last night and may again tonight. I was up late getting school work completed. I found it to be after 1am before I got to my workout. I started to put it off and pick it up this evening but I decided to hit play. NOW! Was my workout near as good as it could have been? Not at all. I pushed myself until I couldn’t go any more then did the stretching routine. I feel better for having not skipped it. Tonight though I will fit my workout in before the school work. I had deadlines last night so it was important the school work came first. Tonight gonna bring it for my first round of Pure Cardio/Cardio Abs together. An BOY am I gonna have fun. Lol. Probably going to be a blob oozing my way into my office chair but I gotta BRING IT!
I leave for work @ 4:30 am so its a late workout as soon as I get home. Weekends is a early morning workout before church or whatever else is going on early. Which I do not mind the switch up to break any type of body adaption and comfortability. We have to do what we can behind our main priorities. Get it done when you can.
Hey wayne
Awsome post :)
but could this work out as a type of muscl confusion hvem you have to shift times for workout and eating?
And in the weekends do you still wake up weary early and workout or what?
Hey Kjetil, yes I always wake up early and workout. With 5 small kids that are up before 7, even on the weekends, if I don’t get it done before anyone wakes up, it’s too chaotic to get it in any other time.
And while muscle confusion is good, your body will function better in a set routine (if possible) where you sleep the same time of day every day, eat the same times of day every day, and workout the same time of day every day. That’s ideal (not always possible, but ideal).
“I can´t” doesn’t exist, only “I don’t want”
“Chaotic Work Hours…”
Welcome to my world.
No Excuses. Find a way to get it done. Make it a Priority and it ALWAYS gets done.
I’ve been doing shift work for 2 and a half years with often times short turn arounds to come back. Yet I’ve been bringing it and am at the lightest weight I’ve been at in 3 years. I may be a few days behind, but it’s life style X, not 90 day X, and as long as I keep bringing it as often as I can I’ll undoubtedly catch up to you Wayne (hopefully, lol). No excuses! Bring it!
Indo’s got his stethoscope attached to a B-Line Resistance band…no excuses.
Awesome Post C/W…..
@ Dustin you are so right “X lifestye” NOT 90 DAYS!!!!!
@ Coach Jon C You Ems Worker are Amazing! Way to Bring it… Thanks for the insparation.
Ahhhhh finally fellow night shift workers. I have been a nurse working nights for the last 5 years and gained 30-40 lbs. I also have 5 kids and if I don’t get that work out in, it won’t happen! I remember asking Coach Wayne about just this….a year ago……as a night nurse, as with many shift workers….police officers, doctors, fire fighters. EMTs we experience increased stress on the job as well, we are care givers to everyone including our families. I have had to remember that I have to care for myself first! Since then I have had to find my routine, and Bring It when I can. No matter what day I’m on when I wake up….I work out. I treat my night shift routine the same as my daytime routine. There are definitely days I’m stronger than others. Thanks for the post!
I’m on nights right now, and today woke up too late to get my workout in before going to work. Granted i probably needed the sleep lol, but now im stuck with the problem of fitting in the workout. I missed legs/back, and was considering doing it when i get off tomorrow morning, and then doing kenpo before going back to work the next night. Just wanted to make sure it was fine doubling up on workouts every now and then. Would i need to adjust my diet at all? Also considered making today my rest day, and doing just legs/back monday, and then kenpo tuesday. Figured itd be “ok” no matter what i did, but as this inevitably will come up from time to time, i was curious as to what the best option would be. Thanks!
Hey Michael, that’s fine to do it after work since you didn’t do it before. That’s not really “doubling up”. It’s no different than me if I didn’t get my workout done before work so I did it after work. You are just on an opposite schedule. No need to adjust calories.
Yeah i usually work 4pm to 8am twice a week and one regular 4-12,(not including overtime) even being a parent its still not hard to find an hour a day to work out. Just have to have your priorities in order.
As a resident, I frequently work 30 hour calls with not sleep (about every 4 days); this requires missing a workout effectively, though I do occasionally get them in on call. When missing a workout do you think it better to pick up with the one that you missed or stay on the 90 day schedule i.e. if i miss yoga, pick back up with yoga or move on to legs and back. This will be easier with X2 which has 2 “rest days.”
Coach, You stated that if you were up for 24 hours you would not eat during the hours that you normally would be asleep? When I’m at the Firehouse or on the Ambulance there are days that I’m up for 24 hours. If I get hungry I eat something but try not to over indulge. Is that wrong or should I try and not eat at all?
That’s a tough situation, but when you know that you are going to have a long shift like that, I’d recommend eating your normal days’ calorie allotment during the first 10-12 hours (like a normal day), then go 8 hours or so without eating (since that’s a normal sleep time with a metabolic slow down), and then eat again the final 4 hours (which would count toward your next days’ calorie intake.
Thanks coach, That helps out ALOT. I really appreciate your feedback. Todd