The FastDay Forum

Hi All,
I have been good and fairly Zen with my fast all day, but coming up to evening meal time and my only meal for today, I lost it with my 2 small and very needy children. I wanted to have the food on the table for 5.30 because I was feeling quite hungry and irritable, but it took a good bit longer then anticipated to get my 16 month old out of the garden and in the door - he then yelled and yelled and wouldn't let go of my legs. I got my DD infront of TV but son wouldnt have any of it. I started the cooking (which I find quite stressful on fast days anyway, working out what I can eat and what extra I need to cook for them and how I'm going to manage to keep within the cal limit etc....) but then I had DS screaming and holding my legs when DD arrived in asking for a snack - ahhhhh!!!!! To say the least I was quite unreasonable and shut them both out of the kitchen (house is totally toddler proof, just not sound proof unfortunately) until I manage to cook something. It was totally not what I planned earlier and I had no idea of cals, but I couldnt cope and was under sever time limit at that stage. I did same food for them but they got pasta too.

Looking at vague amounts etc it seems I've kept within my calorie limit for the day (not having pasta helped), so that was lucky, but ridiculously stressful..... I have to work out a way to cook family meals on fast days that work for everyone. Any ideas??

An average family day then!!! Nothing like kids for destroying the best laid plans!

Do you save all your calories for the evening meal? Maybe a little bit set aside for a snack earlier so you don't get to the point where you don't know whether to eat a table leg or beat the kids with it?

What sort of fast day allowance have you got? If you are running round after kids maybe you could even allow yourself a few more calories, at least until you get a bit of a system worked out.

[Betsysgr8]

Miffy gave some good advice, set aside something to eat prior to fixing the evening meal and if you go over a bit, please don't stress, it will get better.

And Miffy I really laughed out loud about the table leg.

I love the table leg thing!! ha

Prepare your meals on a feast day and heat up on a fast day? Eat yours early and prepare the kids with a happy tummy

Loads of empathy!

When I make curries, soups, bolognaise, stews, I make extra and freeze. Then on a fast day, family dinner is sorted, just add rice or pasta if needed. My children are older, so sometimes it's their turn to make dinner anyway, and I don't even need to be in the kitchen. I don't eat on fast days now, but when I did, I would mostly have a mega salad with some protein - chicken, tuna, steak. Easy to keep under 500cal and very quick and easy to make. Or keep some portion packs in the freezer that you know are under 500cal for a quick defrost when you need to eat straightaway.

That all sounds perfectly normal to me

My three are older but they enter the kitchen with great caution on a fast day, just in case my blood sugar is low and my fuse short!

Roll on tomorrow

Maybe a little bit set aside for a snack earlier so you don't get to the point where you don't know whether to eat a table leg or beat the kids with it?

I'm staying well clear of any and all table legs.....

I think you're right Miffy I need to have a wee starter before I head into the storm and stress of cooking the evening meal. This was the first time I waited until the evening to eat, before I have had 2 smaller meals, one at lunch and one in the evening, but to be fair that isnt any easier really. I have to say I get soooo bored of being the chef in this house endlessly preparing meals, so if I actually am not eating breakfast or lunch on fast days then my OH can prepare those meals (we both work from home so he's kicking about looking to be fed at all meal times!) which gives me a break from the kitchen - another up side to 5:2.

Thanks KataMac, thats a good idea, I have done a couple of meals from the freezer and that does work much better, I just kinda forgot about it this week. I'll try to think of something I can do tomorrow for Thursday eve.

I'll have to be super nice to them tomorrow so that they forget what an ogre I was this evening...

An average family day then!!! Nothing like kids for destroying the best laid plans!

Do you save all your calories for the evening meal? Maybe a little bit set aside for a snack earlier so you don't get to the point where you don't know whether to eat a table leg or beat the kids with it?

What sort of fast day allowance have you got? If you are running round after kids maybe you could even allow yourself a few more calories, at least until you get a bit of a system worked out.

Haha!!

I'll have to be super nice to them tomorrow so that they forget what an ogre I was this evening...

At least they'll know you're human, and a totally normal Mum. I seem to remember saying "Do you want to see Ogre Mum? Maybe give me some space." to my toddlers when I was on the edge, and sometimes they even listened and realised it was time to back off!