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

lyrical_melody

I usually pre-log, especially during the week (weekends are much harder). I find that it helps me to stay within my calorie allotment, lets me know when and if I can splurge. I find that it also helps me keep a positive healthy outlook on the day. If I know that I have packed all this food for work and its all healthy things, it helps me to keep motivated to eat only those things and stay on track to my goal. Otherwise, if I don't pre-log it I find that its harder to stay eating healthy.

Good luck to what works best for you!

chouflour

If I'm logging (I really only log when there's a problem), then I usually pre-log dinner as soon as I know what it will be - or I'll guess what it will be. I log lunch/ work snacks when I pack them. The rest of the day, I log as I go along. There's no slavish adherence to what I log - it's just a convenient way of reserving calories for food I'm planning to eat later.

Queenmunchy

I've meal planned for about 8 years, so I pre-log. Sometimes there are tweaks, but I always know basic meal ideas that I plan to make over the next two weeks since I make a list before I grocery shop.
A new thing I've been doing is having my 7 year old plan dinners for two weeks at a time, and I make a few adjustments and post the menu each week. No arguments!

ForeverSunshine09

I am kind of crazy with prelogging at the moment with being planned out til the 20 th. Things change sometimes but, I never eat before I log even if I rearrange my day.When I prelog I plan cheat days and days of not cooking. I plan leftovers and my husbands days off as closely as possible. I get a sense of accomplishment if I follow the plab for the most part. I also change recipes whenever I cook it so it is the exact measurment of that particular time. Though I do build it with usually the highest measurement I would use of each ingredient. When I did weight watchers yrs ago I prelogged for the week because I was working crazy hrs. Just had to look what was planned and pack my lunch. It also helps with our grocery budget because I only buy what we need for the recipes planned.

kellyjellybellyjelly

I usually pre-log my diary a day or two in advance so I can have an idea of what my meals will be calorie wise & to see how many calories I can splurge on snacks.

jessjess210

I usually pre-log the night before. The order just depends on what my day looks like. For example, if I'm working out early, I'll plan for a higher calories breakfast, then my post workout snack, then dinner. Lunch and snacks I'll fill in as I go.

If I know I'm going out to dinner, I'll try to search the menu and pick a meal and estimate the best I can. You might call this obsessive, but sometimes I'll even call the restaurant ahead of time and ask them the portion size of whatever protein I'm choosing, but it just means no surprises when I get there. Helps to plan out the rest of my day. And there are always changes here and there. Like tonight, I had already planned dinner, but hubby called and said he would grill tonight, so I made a quick change and was ready to go! Then I'll fill in the rest of my day.

JoRocka

4leighbee wrote: »

Do you ever find yourself going in and making changes midday?

usually toward the end of the day-yes- it happens but it's nice to know what I packed for lunch adds up to- and how much wiggle room I have- I usually eat MOST of what I pack- so it's not a huge issue- but you have to be flexible enough to make the changes- for me I pack a lunch- I eat what I pack- so it doesn't matter if I log at 9 AM Noon or 3 PM.

sofaking6

I never prelog. My brain loves nothing more than to mess with my plans for success so I keep them a secret from myself.

4leighbee

^^ yep, lol!

I love all your comments - thanks!

Asher_Ethan

I love pre logging because sometimes I forget what I allowed myself for the day and I'll go over my journal at night and see, "Oooooooo! I forgot to eat that!" and I get to eat more and go to bed not hungry. I hope that made sense

JoRocka

Asher_Ethan wrote: »

I love pre logging because sometimes I forget what I allowed myself for the day and I'll go over my journal at night and see, "Oooooooo! I forgot to eat that!" and I get to eat more and go to bed not hungry. I hope that made sense

heh- I do that too- but usually it's - oh hell no- I'm not having eggs for dessert!!! BRING ON THE ICE CREAM!

stealthq

Usually, I prelog the treat I want for dessert, then work backwards from there. High protein items are next, followed by veg, because that's where I tend to fall short. Remaining items filled in by what goes logically with what I've already chosen. I leave empty spots when I have no idea what's going to be available.

I change my prelogged meals fairly often, but since I have the basic framework already filled out, it makes it easier to choose substitutes. Like if I want a higher cal lunch, I know how I need to alter dinner and can judge whether it's worth it to me or not.

wizzybeth

I pre log when I am going to be out and about most of the day and pack my lunch to eat on the road. If it's a particularly busy day I may forget to log things. If I don't pre-plan I may end up doing something less than desirable like getting a quarter-pounder and a coke from McD's. And then, what the heck, a caramel sundae.

Otherwise I log as I do it.

paulaviki

I try to pre-log my week so I know what I'm eating when I've done my food shop. But it's not set in stone and most days I make some sort of adjustments.

kathyk519

I pre-log every morning with what I have packed for lunch and snacks. If I add something, then fine, but sometimes, i log it, don't eat it, and delete it. It helps keep me motivated to squeeze my workout in at lunch. I may not know exactly what i am having for dinner, but knowing what my day looks like, helps me.

punkrockgoth

I do a lot of pre cooking and meal preparation in advance, so I tend to pre log. Of course, things do change day-to-day. I might not feel like my yogurt in the morning, a friend might bring cupcakes in to school, etc. So I pre-log to give myself an idea of what my planned consumption looks like and then edit as I continue with my day. Usually when I sit down to eat, I will verify that my food diary matches what I am eating. The most important thing to me is keeping myself accountable. My personal philosophy is logging something inaccurately is better than not logging it at all.

Exercise I don't tend to pre-log as much unless I have a scheduled fitness class. I change my workout day to day and rarely know what I'm doing until I get to the gym.

NewMeSM75

I normally pre-log my snacks, breakfast and lunch then leave dinner to decide on what I would like to eat and know how many calories that I have for dinner.

Chezzie84

I prelog foods if I have prepared then and the rest at a rough guess on an evening for the next day because a) I don't have access to the internet at work and b) I like to see if it is balanced and what can I add to get a good day.. I write down all the actual weights and update on the night.

upgradeddiddy

lawsonan wrote: »

I find pre-logging helps me know what my planned calories will be and make sure that I don't accidentally go over.

Absolutely agree. My girlfriend likes to cook and on weekends likes to eat out so pre-logging helps me guide her on what to cook for me (add or take out ingredients), helps us choose the right place to me to eat out for me and if anything else tells me to throw in an extra lift or cardio to my workout on any given day to compensate.

robbynackner

I log as I go. My eating is pretty clean and I don't usually vary much. I will include everything I've eaten, even if I had an extra handful of pistachios. To just brush that off as an "oops" and not log it in, why? You'd only be cheating yourself. Whatever works for you, if you pre-log and then make adjustments as the day goes on, or log as you go, it's whatever works for YOU.