ExRx.net

Hi,

I've started a online journal on my efforts to lose weight:

http://exrx.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1950

I work in the emergency services and work on shifts. I do 4 shifts, early (0600-1400), late (1400-2200), night (2200-0600) and day (1000-1800). On the below pattern R stands for rest day. My shifts are a 5-week pattern and are follows:

N-N-N-N-N-N-N-L-R-R-R-L-L-L-D-E-E-E-E-R-R-R-L-L-L-D-E-E-E-D-R-R-R-R-R

Does anyone else work on shifts? How do you find managing work outs and shift work? Do you have any tips for me?

I rarely work out before or after a late or day shift as they are busiest and most exhausting shifts.

On an early shift I work out after work in the afternoon.

On a night duty I go to sleep as soon as I come home and train in the late afternoon.

On paper it seems I can work out around 3 times a week. In reality, shifts change at short notice to cope with staff shortages on other teams and several hours overtime each shift is a regular occurence. Exhaustion from work whittles away motivation to work out and cook healthy meals. I end up training just once a week if that.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

Hi Oscar. I haven't done rotating shifts like yours in quite a while, but did do mids for several weeks, then days for several weeks, and then eves for several weeks. The only advice I can give you would be do do what I tried to do, and that was to get up several hours ahead of work time, get a light breakfast, then about an hour or hour and a half later, get in a workout, shower, and get to work. Worked well on mids and eves, not so well on days.
Tim

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