The disruption in sleep is also bad for weight, but there may not be much you can do about it. If you want to do more, just make sure you are eating enough calories (especially fats and protein) during your eating window. Your body may need those vital nutrients to heal, grow new healthy cells and tissues to get better. The benefits extend beyond physical health too. Very informative Nightshift ICU RN here. Great article, I work 8p to 6am, I never know when to eat, I skip a lot of meals, I am over weight, and just feel crappy all the time, I get home in the morning and go to bed and for some reason I am so cold, I toss and turn, but if I get back up and eat a toast, I feel better and can sleep, so this article has been very helpful. Don’t get caught up in the numbers. Females bodies are super sensitive to that ‘starvation state’ and will naturally increase the production leptin and ghrelin, our hunger hormones. The opinions here vary greatly but yes… working out while fasting is okay. Why Does Fasting at Night Work? Cycles of intermittent fasting can be hourly or daily. Learning to eat well is more like learning to drive or learning to play an instrument than it is like finding a secret rule. How do I structure it to still ensure productivity during nights, lose weight and feel great? No, you don’t need to eat a keto diet during your eating window. So just this past week I decided to go back to IF. But this calorie limit is separated by a 12-hour fast, so you can consume 250 calories in the morning and another 250 calories at night. (1) Researchers also found that for every additional 2 hours of nighttime fasting, there was a significant reduction in blood sugar levels (as measured by a hemoglobin A1C test) and a significant improvement in sleep duration. Ax, an online health expert recommends KetoFIRE Capsules for a better, boosted experience. Having previously worked night shift for 5 years, a common question I get asked is, “How do I intermittent fast while working the night shift?” I believe this question is prevalent amongst night shifters because of the difficulty to access healthy food in the middle of the night. Once you are comfortable with this routine, add a day and maybe increase the fasting time to 14 – 16 hours. Hey, it’s “Frannie” – LOVE THIS! You don’t need to count or restrict your calories anymore. If you need more information about intermittent fasting, you will find the following best-selling books very useful. Well, nothing in this world is a guarantee… but there is incredible evidence pointing to lower numbers on your scales. Our sole aim is to help shift workers and those on unusual schedules find balance between work and life. It’s called the crescendo fasting method and basically means to only fast for a couple of days week, or even ONE day a week – definitely not every day! I am guilty of judging what I eat based on the clock. I’m struggling with the idea of eating after finishing a shift (8am) right before bed (i.e. So don’t let your eating window get in the way of a solid 7-9 hours sleep. Instead of asking, “when and what should I eat on night shift?”, how about “should I eat on night shift, at all?” For most of us, the idea of forgoing food for 16+ hours may seem ridiculous, but it’s proven to help not only your waistline but also your overall health and simplify your 3rd shift lifestyle. These hungry pains and intense feelings to eat normally subsided in the first 2-3 fast periods you do and your body adjusts nicely. “Diets are easy in the contemplation, difficult in the execution. Keep up the good work and we’d love to hear how you progress over the coming weeks. Overall, anyone who has worked on night shift knows it presents many challenges. Is it safe? The benefits of working out are not diminished because you’re practicing Intermittent Fasting. As a female, there are a few things we need to consider when intermittent fasting as our hormones can run a little wild. An important thing to keep in mind while combining intermittent fasting and working out is to drink a lot of water, ideally about one-half to one gallon of water. After the last night shift I (as most people seem to do) wake up at about 1pm and try to be ‘normal’ lol. Should I eat on night shift? If you need milk or cream in your coffee to survive, I’m not going to stop you, but you might be surprised the changes in your taste buds and waistline after changing these habits. These capsules promote healthy energy levels, fight food cravings and boost brain performance. Does doing a ‘mini’ fast really work for those working the graveyard shift? But how much protein should we actually be eating? But what I keep reminding myself is that this IS NOT A DIET but more a lifestyle change. Why Intermittent Fasting Works. Just listen to your body and adjust what you eat and potentially your eating window if something doesn’t feel right. Do you stick with the same window on your days off? Hi Kathy. I’ve been doing 16:8 fasting for about a month, and have dropped 10 pounds. Stick to a diet full of color and healthy whole foods which are located mainly in the outside aisles of the grocery store.