Weight gain is one of the most common complaints that I hear from shift workers every single day. And unfortunately when the weight stacks on and the clothes get tighter, depression usually sets in.

So what can a shift worker do to beat the battle of the bulge?

Well it’s all about introducing an effective eating plan that is conducive to working crazy and irregular hours.

And let’s be honest here – this can be a really hard thing to do.

But at the end of the day, you and only you, have complete control of what does and does not go inside your mouth. So if you’re not happy with your weight right now, the good news is that you do have the power to change it.

You see if you’re doing the same things over and over again, yet expecting different results, then you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment.

You have to be willing to change what you’re doing right now, in order to lose the weight, and beat the battle of the bulge.

The food that you’re putting in your mouth is a vital part of any successful weight loss plan. The old saying ‘We are what we eat’ is very true but unfortunately for most people, the simple truth is that we are eating all the wrong types of foods.

And in many cases, we’re also eating too much of the wrong foods.

So first and foremost I want you to start eliminating processed foods from your diet – no excuses. Take a look in your pantry and refrigerator and if it’s full of food that is packaged in some type of box, jar or container, then it has gone through some sort of processing. And the more food undergoes processing, the fewer nutrients it contains.

Now as shift workers, good nutrition is vital because we are pushing our bodies to do exactly the opposite to what it should be doing and that is being awake when we should be asleep, and being asleep when we should be awake. Oh joy!

But when you give your body optimum nutrition, it has an amazing ability to heal itself and this includes shedding any excess weight.

What I also recommend you do is find someone you can trust and who is knowledgeable about weight loss and diet, and work with them. I personally recommend you have a chat to a well respected doctor who specialises in Nutritional Medicine – that way you can almost guarantee that he or she will be able to ensure you get the right nutrition specific to your needs.

Any money you spend will be an investment in your health and your future. The truth is that it will actually save you a fortune down the track, so please don’t be cheap when it comes to your health.

Most people end up saving a fortune by switching away from processed foods, so that’s got to be a good enough reason and motivation to stop eating them!

Now despite what you might be thinking, losing weight is actually really easy to do – and that’s with or without shift work. So why is it that so many people struggle to maintain a healthy weight?

Well quite simply because it’s also easy not to do it.

You see most people know exactly how to lose weight. The words “exercise, healthy foods, and water” are certainly familiar to most people. But the primary reason most people struggle in their weight loss ventures is because even though following these methods is actually easy to do, it’s also easy not to do it.

And unfortunately for most people – they take the easy option and choose ‘not to do it’ instead.

Let me explain …

* Now it’s not because there is a lack of fruit and vegetables – markets and grocery stores are full of fresh fruit and vegetables.

* It’s not because there is isn’t enough space or exercise equipment available to help us to get active – there are plenty of parks, gyms and other fitness style outlets out there to help you to get active.

* And it’s not because we don’t have enough time – we all have the same 24 hours available a day – it’s what you choose to do in those 24 hours that determines your overall health and happiness.

So there really is no excuse. Everything you could ever need to help you to lose weight and stay healthy is within your reach. The major reason that so few take advantage of all that we have is simply – neglect.

Most people would have heard of the expression “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Even though you may debate the validity of this familiar quotation – what if it was actually true? If by performing that one simple act - that one simple discipline - which could make you much healthier, would it not make sense to just eat that one apple a day?

Now assuming the quotation is true, why don’t more of us eat that one apple a day, every day – to maintain our health? If it is that easy, and there is such a tremendous reward attached to this discipline (weight loss and good health), then why do we not do it?

Because the things that are easy to do are also easy not to do.

You can fail in just about anything including weight loss, if you are simply neglectful. When we fail to do the small things that we should be doing every day, these small neglects have a way of becoming major oversights with the passage of time. And by this I mean that your weight gradually starts to increase and your health starts to decline as the years go by.

So if you’re serious about losing weight and achieving good health – don’t be neglectful.

Don’t use shift work as an excuse, because that’s all it really is – an excuse.

Failure to do the simple things that we could and should do (eat healthier foods and staying active), will result in a downward spiral of weight gain and ill health which once started, is very difficult to stop.

So make today the start of the new you where you begin to actually do things, instead of choosing ‘not to do them’. Your health and waistline will definitely thank you for it later on!