Logging Shabbat meals

Amy3935
Amy3935 Posts: 94 Member
So now that Shavuot thing is over... and I don't seem to have done TOO much damage, was interesting in your thoughts on logging Shabbat food.

Do you prelog your meals? Friday night and Shabbat lunch? Or do you post-log once it's over? If you pre-log, and you go over it, do you go back and edit it? And if you go out for a meal or have a dish you didn't cook - do you try to estimate the calories in it by breaking it down into parts? Do you ask the person who made it what's in it? Do you think of Shabbat as a "cheat" day or try to stick to your normal daily calorie limit no matter what?

Personally I've taken to pre-logging Friday night dinner (and hoping I stick to it) and post-logging Shabbat lunch. I try to estimate dishes but I know that the estimation can be soooo off depending on so many different factors. Was it fried or baked? With oil or PAM? Mayo or light mayo? Eggs or egg whites? Low-fat dressing or not? Overall I just try to be careful and not eat too much of any one thing - I used to be a champion Shabbat afternoon snacker; could pack away like 5 cookies, bowls of chips, popcorn, etc. You name it. Now I look at it and think: No.

Interested in all and any thoughts!

Replies

  • chriamaria
    chriamaria Posts: 76 Member
    I really need to do better, cuz lately I've not been pre-logging...just doing it anyhow during Shabbat. Naughty. Anyhow, I usually allow myself more calories on Shabbat- at least for Sat. Usually about 2000. I'm trying to eat about 1600 a day otherwise. Now, I don't exercise on Shabbat- its definitely a rest day in that regard. We usually have a large breakfast on Shabbat morning. I tend to eat around 600 calories. Lunch is usually fairly light- if at all and then dinner is large. Sometimes the sun is still up, sometimes its not....just depends. Sometimes we spend the ending of Shabbat with friends and then we'll have mixed drinks. Its something I"m consistently working on- having it being a special day but not going overboard.
  • Michal833
    Michal833 Posts: 90 Member
    When I was new at it I always prelogged and even printed it out. I found it very helpful. I did not always stick to the plan and would edit after Shabbos. Now that I've been doing this for over a year and I can estimate and add up a day's calories in my head I sometimes just put down a total after Shabbos. As for estimating, I always do, Shabbos or not, and it seems to be working. If it's a recipe I'll sometimes save it, sometimes be lazy and look for something similar that sounds like the right amount of calories.

    As for exercise, I am a big walker. During the week, I push myself and usually do 4 or 4.5mph. On Shabbos my walks are longer but more leisurely. Since it is a rest day, I never log more than 3mph no matter how fast I actually walk. The only reason I don't just take Shabbos as a cheat day and skip logging altogether is because I would lose the satisfaction of logging my walks. Sometimes I can walk up to a total of 4 hours.

    Shabbat Shalom. Good Shabbos.
  • paprikas
    paprikas Posts: 118 Member
    I used to spend the entire week undoing the damage I had done on shabbos. I have tried it all, pre logging and logging after the deed was done. Now I am trialing intermittent fasting as I have my son's bar mitzvah in a few weeks and want to fit into my dress! Intermittent fasting is an interesting experience. I don't eat before 11 am and I don't et after 7 pm. It actually works quite well on shabbos. I eat a light Friday night dinner and usually stop eating after the soup course. Then it's nothing else but cups of tea and coffee until 11 am on shabbos morning. This works quite well as it makes me wait for kiddush which is something I stopped doing when my kids were young. I eat regular shabbos lunch, early shalosh seudos and that's it until Sunday morning at 11.
    It's all a bit experimental at the moment but I do think it may be working and it's a new approach that i hadn't tried before. ..
  • NewSavta
    NewSavta Posts: 19 Member
    I also seem to spend the week undoing the damage from the previous Shabbat...I started to pre-log Friday nite and after Shabbat, to enter the day's worth of calories.
    This past Shabbat was a total disaster. We were invited out. The first course was fish - so far, so good. The main course, however, was chicken or meat (I eat neither), rice & potatoes. The salads were: humus, eggplant (lots of oil), and a fresh carrot salad. And I was SO hungry. Next time that we are hosted by these friends, I will offer to bring a LARGE fresh vegetable salad.
  • chani8
    chani8 Posts: 946 Member
    I pre-log Friday night and post-log Saturday.

    Also, I eat only 1200 cals (plus 2/3s of my exercise cals) during the week because I give myself 2000 cals each for Fri and Sat. In this way, I meet my weekly calorie goal for my height/age/activity level.
  • NewSavta
    NewSavta Posts: 19 Member
    Also, I eat only 1200 cals (plus 2/3s of my exercise cals) during the week because I give myself 2000 cals each for Fri and Sat. In this way, I meet my weekly calorie goal for my height/age/activity level.
    Interesting approach. Does this work for maintaining or losing weight?
  • shmulyeng
    shmulyeng Posts: 472 Member
    I too pre-log Friday night and post log shabbos morning. I usually ask my wife what she will be serving Friday night. I always adjust after shabbos.
    Whole I do estimate some foods on shabbos, I try to make sure to leave a large deficit to allow for the inevitable mistakes.

    That being said, I usually spend a couple of days undoing the damage. This is the reason I "officially" weigh in only once a week. It's the weekly net that counts for me.
  • Amy3935
    Amy3935 Posts: 94 Member
    Thanks for all the responses. I don't usually go past 1,600 per day on the weekends so I don't feel too bad and like I have to "work it off" the rest of the week, but I do feel like the temptations are so constant. One more slice of challah? No. Just one cookie? No. Especially when Shabbat is so long - I don't know why but for soe reason the summer Shabbats I just feel like I have to snack all afternoon.

    Also, I pre-log Friday night but if I end up eating more I almost never go back and change it - what's the point? In my mind that day is done and over with, just looking ahead. I guess it's not totally "honest" - but it's not like I can uneat it...
  • NewSavta
    NewSavta Posts: 19 Member
    Friday night isn't my problem. Shabbat afternoon is. Getting up from my nap...that's when I start noshing, and noshing, and noshing...
  • Michal833
    Michal833 Posts: 90 Member
    The point in going back and putting in how much you actually ate is so you can look back over time and see how much you can eat to lose or maintain. Even if it's more on weekends.
  • chani8
    chani8 Posts: 946 Member
    I like to nosh on Shabbat, too, that's why I eat less during the week, saving up 600 cals extra for fri and sat each. Unfortunately, that's still not as much as I'd like. So I take walks which gives me another cookie or two. ;)
  • me too. I really have a hard time because means peace and comfort to me and that also equals food. I did have a Rabbi tell me at dinner that there are no calories on Shabbes! HA! I'm a New Savta too! My little man is going to be one next month. Can't believe I lived without this baby.
  • momRN2B
    momRN2B Posts: 247 Member
    I usually dont log on shabbos, so its sort of a "cheat day" I guess. I try to eat less during the week so i save up calories for shabbos. I think its hitting your weekly calorie goals that counts. So far I am still losing weight using this approach.