pre-logging: motivating or an opportunity to let things slide (sabotage)

nossmf

I go grocery shopping once a week, which includes planning in advance what dinner will be for the next 7 days. I pre-log those dinners into MFP, and this gives me an idea of which days will be higher/lower on both my protein intake and overall calories. I can then adjust my choice of lunch based on dinner.

At the end of each day I double-check what my next day's meals will be so I know what to pull from the freezer to defrost or what to grab as I run out the door to work.

I login here maybe a dozen times a day during breaks at work or at home, so making adjustments to what was eaten or how much takes me seconds to do. But by planning in advance, it's much easier to say no to temptations such as office snacks, or if I know I have the room ahead of time I can indulge completely guilt-free.

skingszoo

I have the next week planned and pre-logged. Will keep me on track and save $$$ at the grocery store only buying foods that are planned. Dinner was my downfall as I would eat good all day and then when I got him it was what are we going to eat and grab the easiest thing.

4leighbee

robbynackner wrote: »

... To just brush that off as an "oops" and not log it in, why? You'd only be cheating yourself.

This is a great point and one I completely agree with. My thinking is ... if I'm not connected to MFP - if I'm not tying together the eating and the logging simultaneously - then it might be too much trouble to remember or log in just for that extra whatever in the middle of the day. Maybe it wouldn't - I don't know, and that's part of my reason for getting ideas from all of you. As it is now, I am tethered to MFP in the same way as I am tethered to email and FB. It's just another thing I flip back and forth with throughout the day. So, I eat-I log. If I were to log it all first thing in the morning, would I feel as motivated/connected ... just pondering ...

Francl27

I prelog my meals when I know what I'm having to know how many calories I have 'spare' during the day in case I want a snack. And yes, I adjust as I go, but it makes me think twice about whether I REALLY want rice at dinner or if I'd rather have ice cream at lunch.

stephaniemejia1671

I pre log more often to help me stay on the better path. It helps.

MindySaysWhaaat

I always log before I eat my food, because then I can see what I'll have leftover for later. There have been instances where I've logged something, realized that it took up too much of my calories for the day, so I took it off and didn't eat it (or as much of it) because I felt like it wasn't worthwhile that day.

Lounmoun

I pre-log and it works for me.
I like to see my whole day in advance so I know how my choices fit.
I look at my food diary a few times a day to see what I had planned/quantities and eat that. I eat food from home for almost all meals so my choices are limited to the food in my house.
I do sometimes make small changes. Today I decided I didn't want an orange I had pre-logged so I deleted it. Sometimes I decide a food doesn't seem like it will be filling so I find something with a similar calorie count that will be.
I do log if I eat more of something or eat something I did not pre-log.