Do you track calories before or after you've had your meal?

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  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I pre-log my entire day most mornings. It can be good because say I really want a bagel for breakfast but once I plug everything in, I see there's not really room in my calories if I eat all my good nutritious snacks so seeing that can convince me to skip the bagel. The only negative I can imagine is if you're not honest and pre-log that you'll only have 1 portion of something but you end up having 1.5 or 2 portions and "forget" to go back in to your diary to correct it.

    Honesty and consistency are key regardless of which technique you use.
  • TRD66
    TRD66 Posts: 310 Member
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    A lot depends on why I need to know. My breakfast and lunch (during the week anyway) tend to follow a similar routine. Factoring in the exercise I plan to do (or not to do!!) means that the only real variable is my dinner.

    If I'm hungry during the day - or want a treat - I'll stick my planned dinner in to see how much room i have. If not, I'll just wait until I'm tidying up my diary at night.

    Just find whatever works for you. The more you do it - the better you'll become at estimating in your head how much you have, or will, use in day.

    Best of luck.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    I plan a day ahead. It's the only way for me to meet and not go over my calorie goal. If I didn't, I'd undereat or overeat everyday.
  • Daws387
    Daws387 Posts: 46 Member
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    I plan ahead (pack lunch, etc), but I always log directly after i eat anything. I don't like to log ahead of time just in case I only eat a portion of my food, I would definitely forget to change it.
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 637 Member
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    Before I eat so I know how much I can eat.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
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    My reason for pre-logging is more to hit my macros. If I eat first then log I will still be close to my calories, but my macros will be a disaster.
  • romancefan1983
    romancefan1983 Posts: 88 Member
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    I plan ahead. I find that I don't have the urge to binge if my mind knows I'll be having something at a set time. For example if someone brought cookies to work I would normally be tempted to eat one or lots but if I know that I have my Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bar for a snack in an hour or so it's a lot easier to say no. In addition, especially on the weekends when I'm usually running errands, planning ahead helps curb fast food runs as I know what I'm having that day and can take a snack with me to keep my stomach content.
  • JulesAlloggio
    JulesAlloggio Posts: 480 Member
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    I personally track before and then as the day goes on.... exercise gets added and then I adjust a good amount by dinner. Usually by dinner I'm not that hungry so that usually ends up being my smallest meal.

    I think personally its all in how much you want to keep track. I have OCD when it comes to my food... LOL its so true!!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I do both. I bring my lunch to work and I know exactly what I'll be eating, so I pre-log that. Sometimes I'll pre-log a dinner (or different dinner options) to just to check calories, but generally I don't log dinner until the next day. I can usually tell when to stop eating without being too far over or under calories.
  • ladymm40
    ladymm40 Posts: 31
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    I usually plan ahead and log my food for the day in the morning. I sometimes have to go back and change it , if my meals or snacks change. I tend to eat the same foods for lunch and breakfast, so it makes it easy to enter.
  • laursoar
    laursoar Posts: 131 Member
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    It has been so much easier for me since I started tracking my days in advance. I still switch things out depending on my mood or last minute change of plans, but having a plan makes such a difference! I seriously think one of the reasons I struggled my first time using MFP was because I logged during or after eating.

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