Speaker 1 0:00

Fat gain in shift workers . What the hell ? How can we stop it ? What is there that we can do about it ? In today's episode , I'm going to address that very matter . Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be . Welcome to a healthy shift . My name is Roger Sutherland , certified nutritionist , veteran law enforcement officer and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers , using evidence-based methods , to not only survive the rig as a shift worker , but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and well-being so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show and welcome back to a healthy shift podcast .

Speaker 1 0:54

I'm going to get straight into it today . How do we stop fat gain as a shift worker Got ? It's a problem , isn't it ? And we all suffer from it , but there's a million reasons as to why it's actually occurring , and they're very , very simply addressed . So today we're going to look into a topic that's crucial for all shift workers , and that is how to avoid the fat gain while we work these unconventional hours . Now , we all know the unique challenges that shift work represents to our health and well-being , but with the right strategies , I honestly believe that we can in fact thrive , and not just survive , working shift work .

Speaker 1 1:32

Now , first up , I'm just going to briefly explain to you the physiology . I'm not going to go into great detail with this today . This is going to be a snappy episode , so let's go . So let's talk about the science behind the fat gain in shift workers . What's actually causing it ? Because we , you know , everybody thinks that we eat more food because we're eating over long periods of time , but it's not actually shown to be the case . So what is the cause ? Well , irregular sleep patterns and disrupted circadian rhythms can actually lead to major hormonal imbalances in our body , especially with our appetite regulating hormones , which is leptin and ghrelin . Now , I've done whole episodes on those . Let's just briefly go into it Ghrelin , our hunger hormone . Leptin , our happy hormone . And leptin actually is our , like our own body's , personal trainer , which regulates our fat gain . Yeah , leptin , you are failing , and the ghrelin is always elevated when we get seriously fatigued . Hello , shift workers , that's us again . Now this can , in fact , increase cravings for high calorie , low nutrient foods , which makes weight management a real challenge , because we're always craving highly palatable carbs , hydrates and fats and , unfortunately , those highly palatable carbohydrates and fats don't fill us up , and fat is also calorically very , very dense and we tend to eat more of those . Hello to the chocolate biscuits that are sitting at the nurses station and also the cake that Jenny brought in . This is highly processed carbohydrates and fats at their best .

Speaker 1 3:12

All right , it's important to totally understand that we don't metabolize food as well outside of normal eating times , and this , too , leads to fat gain . So keep that in mind . Imbalance in our appetite , regulating hormones , which is what happens , and that's why we find ourselves craving all those sweet things in the early hours of the morning , and the other thing is we do not metabolize that food as well overnight . So let's get into some nutrition basics . Now let's get to the nitty gritty of nutrition . As shift workers , it's essential for us to prioritize nutrient dense foods . I know , I know we all know it , but I can't emphasize this anymore . It's just so important . We need to focus on whole grains , lean proteins , healthy fats , and we need to eat the rainbow in fruits and vegetables . It is just so important for us to be able to do that , and we also need to reduce the excessive consumption of sugary and processed foods , which will absolutely lead to unwanted fat gain because we eat them in an abundance , and that's the problem .

Speaker 1 4:25

Now , the next point I want to make is meal timing and frequency , because this is absolutely the key . The golden rule that I always want you to remember and take away from this episode is the simple thing of this what time would a nine to five eat normally Breakfast , lunch and dinner ? Now , if you were to eat most of your nutrients at around about breakfast time , lunch time and dinner time , and instead of eating at 10 , 30 and then maybe three o'clock in the afternoon and then nine o'clock at night , you will find that your body will metabolize that food so much better because the circadian rhythm will be Anticipating , that will prepare for that and it will actually process at that time . So , even though you're a shift worker , you need to make sure that you are actually getting that food in food timing in at around about the normal Times that are nine to five or would eat . So one crucial aspect for our shift workers is our meal timing , and it is really , really important and it does lead to fat gain . So aiming for a regular , balanced meals throughout your waking hours . Now , this helps to stabilize our blood sugar levels and reduces the likelihood of us overindulging later on . Don't restrict your food during the day and then getting yourself to a stage where , all of a sudden , you find that you go oh my god , I've just got to eat everything out of house and home . Now the one thing that we really need to know and absolutely contributes to fat gain , is that our body does not metabolize food as Efficiently overnight as it does in the earlier part of the day , and this is a key point and this is something that I push over and over and over again .

Speaker 1 6:18

Now . I highly recommend the overnight fast over the biological nighttime . Now , the biological night is from the what's known as Dilmo , which is dim , light melatonin on set , which is generally around about 9 pm For people , until around about 6 am . I do recommend a fast Between 9 pm and 6 am . Now you might look at me and go oh my god , I can't possibly do that , and that's okay . You'll get used to it over a period of time , but you would never do that at the sacrifice of over eating . When you get home after that night shift , I do highly recommend that you download my overnight fast book , and that ebook is why and how to structure that , and you can find that on my website , which is at a healthy shift comm , and it's a free download . It explains to you why you should fast and it will also Explain to you how to structure the overnight fast for those nights and night shift , and I can Practically guarantee to you from the feedback that I get , particularly from you ladies , the difference it makes is absolutely enormous .

Speaker 1 7:32

Now the next thing is don't forget to stay hydrated . Shift workers need a lot more hydration than those nine to fivers . Dehydration is also often confused for hunger , which is no wonder , because the signal comes from the same part of the brain . So when you think , oh , I need that chocolate , I need , I'm craving something sweet , have a good drink of water and wait 15 to 20 minutes to see if that will solve that problem as well . Now , water is often overlooked , but plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy metabolism and also a healthy digestive tract , especially for the sedentary shift worker . Now , while we are out of sync with our circadian rhythm Because we're working nights or days or whatever we're doing , and our circadian rhythm is not in sync with what we're actually doing , it's more important that we keep that water running through our system to keep that digestive tract on the move , and that's really important .

Speaker 1 8:30

The next point I want to make is the power of planning . Now let's talk about preparation . Planning your meals ahead of time Absolutely makes a world of difference . There is nothing better than going to the fridge and pulling out stuff that you've already prepared . So preparing healthy , portion controlled snacks and meals to have on hand during your shifts . This will absolutely help you to avoid reaching for less than nutrition options when you're really stuck or you're ready , you know , really at a pinch . So my advice to you to start off tomorrow is this Schedule out your week and have a look at your roster and identify what is going to be the most challenging meal of each day for the week ahead .

Speaker 1 9:17

Is it a meal at home or is it a meal at work ? Now what we need to do is just go with that one . Just attack and nail that meal . You might be on a run of day shifts Maybe it's going to be breakfast or it could very well be the meal for when you get home but attack that meal and make the most of it and make sure that you're getting a good , nutritious meal in at least once a day , and that can really help . Don't overcomplicate it , because what will happen is , when you start doing that and you nail it and it becomes a routine , what you'll do is you will tend to find that you will actually just go and get better and better at not only meal prepping , but you'll start to prep into other areas as well , and I've done podcasts on meal prepping and planning and it does make such a massive difference . You do not need to have this kitchen bench which is laid out with containers of food and taking photos of it and going oh , look at me , I'm such a good client . That's not what we're looking for . We're just looking for you to nail one meal to start off with and then let it perpetuate from there .

Speaker 1 10:25

Now , the other thing that we have the biggest problem with as a shift worker is the lack of movement or any exercise , and the reason why we have problems with this is because we're so goddamn tired , and I totally get that . We're in between shifts , we're almost burnt out . But what we don't realize is the less movement , the less exercise . Of course , that's where the fat going is going to come from . Now don't go blaming oh , it's hormones , I'm getting older , oh , I'm menopause , all or whatever , because research actually clearly shows that it's not actually the menopause that causes the problems . It's the lack of interest in moving or any form of exercise at all that actually changes the energy balance , and this is the issue that needs to be addressed .

Speaker 1 11:07

All right , nutrition isn't the only piece of the puzzle . Regular movement is really crucial for maintaining our own healthy weight . Now , I'm not telling you you have to go running , I'm not telling you you have to go resistance training , but just some form of regular movement is really , really important for our body , and the most underrated movement is just getting out and going for a walk around the block and making sure that you keep moving around . And while I'm not a big advocate for step goals , research shows that when you increase your steps to over 7,000 , 7,000 to 8,000 steps , it actually increases your mortality rate even more . I've said that round the right way , I'm not sure , but anyway , make sure that it will improve your health out of sight and make such a difference to your health . So make sure that you are getting some form of movement in , and I always advocate get up , get outside , get that light and get moving . You're hitting two fantastic Z-Gevers which will actually keep you going and keep you going really , really well and get rid of that brain fog . If you're that way inclined , try and incorporate a mix of some sort of cardiovascular exercise , strength training , some sort of flexibility or stretching into your routine as well . And remember , it just is a matter of finding something that you enjoy and something that you can stay consistent at . Don't go helpful ever on one thing .

Speaker 1 12:32

All right , and here comes the clincher Sleep and stress management . Let's not forget about the importance of quality sleep . I know I don't let you forget about it , but I've got to tell you that quality sleep is the king , and managing your stress is also vital as well , because these two factors alone sleep and stress can significantly impact our body's ability to regulate our own weight . So establishing a calming bedtime routine and creating a sleep-friendly environment is just imperative . Techniques like meditation and deep breathing exercises can also help to manage our stress levels and give us the opportunity to manage a really good night's sleep and stress everything . It just looks after the whole lot .

Speaker 1 13:23

All right , and that's a wrap for today's episode . Remember , avoiding fat gain as a shift worker is entirely achievable with the right knowledge and strategies . Stay committed to nourishing your body and prioritizing your well-being . And , as always , please remember to be patient and kind to yourself as you navigate the challenges of shift work and prioritize your mental health and well-being . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to Ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one .