Extra Easy 12hr Night Shifts Suck When Dieting Diary

[Catherine_UK]

Hi,

I Joined slimming world a week ago online and only lost 1lb this week, glad it was a loss but was hoping for more so decided to keep a food diary to keep me honest and hopefully stop me eating my 2 year old sons dinner leftovers (it's not mine so it's syn free right? Not!)

I work a 5 week rota which involves 12hr shifts 7-7 day or night, weekday, weekends, bank holidays, christmas, the lot ..... so my food schedule is always a bit strange to most people and on my first night shift of the weekI end up having 2 breakfasts as awake for so longlong .... oh and the 3am sugar craving as your body needs energy to stay awake is immense!

1st night shift tonight since starting slimming world so armed with fruit for my 3am cravings and leaving all money at home so I can't raid the vending machines.

 

[Hev_Sparrow]

Hi Catherine I've done shift work and it is HARD. I worked in a hotel and lived off the desserts leftover from functions etc. and that was without squeezing extra breakfasts in to long days and eating late at night to stay awake! I'm a serial snacker so I do have several "go-to" options for when that sugar craving hits, will give you a hand where I can. Good luck!

 

[Catherine_UK]

Food all packed up and ready for work tonight, it takes alot more effort to cook all this before I've even started work!

Breakfast; 30g Oats (HexB) Mixed with Vanilla Muller Light and Raspberries and Strawberries.

Lunch; Tuna mixed with Light Mayo (1 syn) Pasta, sweetcorn, tomato & Lettuce.

Dinner; Lean Steak Casserole made with a rich beef knorr stock pot, with carrot, Cabbage, Potatoes, Cauliflower, Tin of tomatoes & onion in it. (1 syn for 1/2 Tbsp bisto powder to thicken)


Snacks; Grapes


Drinks; Tea & Coffee (HexA), Water, Diet Lemonade.

Total Syns = 2

 

[Catherine_UK]

Hi Catherine I've done shift work and it is HARD. I worked in a hotel and lived off the desserts leftover from functions etc. and that was without squeezing extra breakfasts in to long days and eating late at night to stay awake! I'm a serial snacker so I do have several "go-to" options for when that sugar craving hits, will give you a hand where I can. Good luck!

Thank you! I work in the London Ambulance Control Room so have the bonus of the canteen closes at 5 so as long as no brings sweets in for the desk I should be OK lol x

 

[Catherine_UK]

☆ Saturday

On another night shift ....

Breakfast; Same as yesterday - 30g Oats (HexB) Mixed withVanilla Muller Light and Raspberries and Strawberries.

Dinner; Same as yesterday - Lean Steak Casserole made with a rich beef knorr stock pot, with carrot, Cabbage, Potatoes, Cauliflower, Tin of tomatoes & onion in it. (1 syn for 1/2 Tbsp bisto powder to thicken)

Lunch; Chicken Rice - Rice cooked in water with an chicken oxo cube in, sweetcorn, chopped cooked chicken, lettuce & tomatoes


Snacks; Same as yesterday- Grapes

Drinks; Tea & Coffee with milk (HexA), Water, Diet Lemonade.

Total Syns = 1 (may treat myself to mcdonalds breakfast on way home)

 

[Ra-ra]

Steak casserole looks great... Will be trying that next week
Good luck

 

[Catherine_UK]

I couldn't resist a McDonald's Sausage Bagel after my night shift! On a Sunday morning I have to wait almost an hour for my Train to start running and McDonald's is right there! .... luckily I only do this shift once every 5 weeks.

So that takes my Syns up to 27 for the day! But I only used 2 yesterday and as I calculate my Syns weekly (fri-thurs) I only average out at 15 a day still.

Got a bad tummy ache now though, wishing I hadn't had it

 

[Ra-ra]

Ok...I don't feel so bad now for going out for Coffee with my sister and sharing a slice of coffee cake....goodness knows how many syns I consumed.... Right both of us let's draw a line under yesterday and start a fresh today... Berries for breakfast it is X

 

[marybobs]

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[Hev_Sparrow]

I couldn't resist a McDonald's Sausage Bagel after my night shift! On a Sunday morning I have to wait almost an hour for my Train to start running and McDonald's is right there! .... luckily I only do this shift once every 5 weeks.

So that takes my Syns up to 27 for the day! But I only used 2 yesterday and as I calculate my Syns weekly (fri-thurs) I only average out at 15 a day still.

Got a bad tummy ache now though, wishing I hadn't had it

I completely understand that temptation! I had McDonald's for dinner last night because I didn't get back from a hen do until gone 9pm and I was starving! First time I've had it in months and I tell you what, I don't miss it. I woke up so hungry this morning as well, so many syns for so little reward!

 

[Catherine_UK]

Yes definitely, it's crazy how many syns are in it!

 

[Catherine_UK]

☆ Sunday ☆ Day Off

Got homefrom work by about 9am, went to bed for a few hours then had a lovely day wandering round a nature reserve with family

Breakfast = None as was sleeping until lunch time.

Lunch = Sharwoods noodles made with a chicken oxo cube

Dinner = Chinese Takeaway; 1/2 a chicken and black Bean sauce (4 Syns for half!- their portions are huge) Boiled Rice, x1 mini spring roll (2 Syns) 8 Prawn Crackers (6 syns)

Drinks = Teas (HexB) Diet Cream Soda, Lilt Zero

Snacks = yogurt

Total Syns = 12

I might be within Syns but didn't get all the veg and fruit I should have had with my meals .... the day off after a night shift is always a struggle as I only have a few hours sleep to try and get my sleep patterns back to normal. I'm in another world for the day, I was asleep by 9 haha

 

[Catherine_UK]

Ra-ra, thanks for the support .... Sunday wasn't my best day either haha due to sleepiness.... but back on track now!

 

[Catherine_UK]

☆ Monday ☆ Day Off

Breakfast- Egg, Beans on x1 Thick wholemeal toast (HexB)

Lunch - Bacon fried with cherry tomatoes, garlic, spring onion and pasta

Dinner = Mince Beef Hotpot with Cauliflower and Cabbage
Serves 2
Dry fry 250g s Lean Beef Mince with 1 Onion, 1 clove garlic and 2 chopped Carrots, add a rich knorr stock pot with 500mls water, chuck in a tin of chopped tomatoes. 1tbs bisto powder (2 Syns for whole thing)

Transfer to a casserole dish and add peeled sliced potatoes to the top. Cook covered on gas mark 3 for an hour then gas mark 6 for 30mins .... if you like a really crispy top place under grill for the last 10mins.


Snacks = Yogurt

Drinks = Tea & Coffee with milk (HexB) Sugar Free Squash, Lilt Zero

Total Syns = 1

 

[Catherine_UK]

Had a busy day today, got up at half 6 to take my son to nursery, got all the Ironing and washingwashing done, then did the gardening in front and back.

My husband was home so we decided to organise the garage a bit and did a trip to the dump .... got home then got dinner in oven just before picking son up.

Shattered but my fitbit watch is all in the green so happy with all the calories I've burned today .... it's hard to squeeze in exercise but my fitbit watch has taught me to just keep moving even it it's not "traditional" exercise

 

[marybobs]

Im the same with mine. I find things like cooking and hoovering burns so many more calories than you'd expect.

 

[Catherine_UK]

☆ Tuesday ☆ Day Off

Up early again to drop son off at Nursery, home by half 7 so decided to get on with Cleaning the house, all Clean and dusted by half 9 so going to treat myself and put my feet up for the day (very very rare for me as usually always on the go)

Also started my period yesterday so not very hopeful for a good loss this week, I always seem to gain a few pounds but hopefully it'll only be temporary.

Breakfast = 1 slice thick wholemeal toast (HexB) Bacon, x2 Eggs, tomatoes.
Lunch = Rice cooked with a chicken oxo cube, sweetcorn, chicken and egg scrambled into it at the end
Dinner = Spaghetti Bolanaise & Salad
Snacks = Yogurt
Drinks = x3 Tea with Milk (HexA) Sugar free lime squash, Diet cream soda

Total Syns = 0 (saving them for a picnic tomo)

 

[Ra-ra]

Catherine, love reading your daily food menus, great ideas! made spaghetti Bol today added carrots and celery to get more of my 10 a day. Making Stew tomorrow.. Looking forward to that already X

 

[Hev_Sparrow]

Today's plan looks good, I'll be impressed if you do a 0 syn day! I've literally never had less than 7 Picnic sounds good though, you taking lots of SW friendly things with you?

 

[Catherine_UK]

Aww Ra-Ra thanks today won't be so inspirational haha

Heather no I had planned on cooking some SW friendly scotch eggs and chicken drumsticks to bring along but my 2 year old refused to Nap and wanted constant attention *sigh* so I managed to make some chicken and sweetcorn sandwiches and saved my HexB allowance for them. Also took lots of fruit.

But I did fall off the wagon and ended up eating more than I intended, everyone bought loads of food!

To make it worse husband insisting on an Indian takeaway tonight to "treat" me as I look knackerd (I am) so I'm a little pissed off but don't want to cause an argument when I know he's trying to be nice and we've had a really nice day off together.

So a flexi Syns Day for me and start afresh tomo.

Breakfast = scrambled Egg & Beans

Lunch = x4 mini sausage rolls, x4 mini scotch eggs, 1/2 wholemeal chicken sweetcorn sandwiches, bag of wotsits, homemade cookie x3, fruit ..... total Syns a whooping 35.5 Syns!!!

Dinner = Chicken Dhansak & Boiled Rice = 8.5 Syns for a large pot.

Snacks = Strawberries & Raspberries

Drinks = Teas with milk (HexA)

Total Syns = A shameful 44!!!

Trying to not feel guilty as it's only one day and have to accept I'm going to have bad days but feeling rather disappointed with myself this evening.