Do you plan it out??

Iamreadynow82

Hi everyone, I just joined MFP in the beginning of February and I am amazed and inspired by the effort and the discipline that some of you have displayed! I really feel as if this is more than just a diet, but I realize that if this is going to last for longer than 3-5 months then it's going to require a bit of planning.

I'd like to plan out my meals a day or two in advance to make sure I reach my caloric goals but, with two small children and a full time job, time has become a precious commodity and I was just wondering if any of you awesome people plan out your meals in advance so to prevent impulse eating?

If you do can you tell me what you do to give me a sort of guideline to use to be more effective???

Thanks in advance.

SugaryLynx

I generally plan a day in advance. I use storage containers and ziplock bags to weigh and measure everything the day before if I know it'll be a crazy day. It helps me hit my macro and not have to spend too much time doing it that day, as I'm a stay at home mom, myself. I find it helps keep me in check. Even if things change, I still know what alloted calories I have left.

Iknowsaur

I plan my day in advance, but I don't plan multiple days in advance as I find it to be unrealistic. You never know what's going to come up in the next few days, what food you'll still have in the house, how you'll feel, etc.

Of course just because a day is planned doesn't mean that I don't usually have to make adjustments. I don't plan my snacks, and usually leave in wiggle room after planning. Think of it as planning the skeleton of your day, and in fill in the details as you go

Kerrikerrikerrii

I definitely plan out my meals 24-48 hours in advance and its been very helpful. Usually for dinner I make something low fat with protein and end up making enough to bring to work the next day for lunch. Usually for breakfast and snacks I stick with some of the same things all week long and then change up the next week. Good luck!

rclarke840

I actually do my meal planning on Sunday's. I will usually make a bunch of Chicken breasts, and steam some vegetables and actually portion them out for my lunches- I don't really min eating the same thing everyday so it works for me

ISWThunder

I do most of the planning while I'm shopping. I'll make sure I have enough meat, vegetables and rice to last me the week, that way I have a good idea of what I'll be having for lunch and dinner. Breakfast can be a little bit of a crapshoot, but I tend to go with eggs or canned soup with black coffee so that it isn't time/though consuming in the morning.

Then, when things get bumped off schedule (go out to eat/have a few drinks) I do my best to adjust accordingly and/or ad in an extra workout to make up for whatever calories I've consumed.

SezxyStef

I plan out as well.

As a working women with my husband and man child (aka 19 yo son), other family friends life in general and my workouts yes time can be short...

I find tho that if I do plan out in advance (ie logging) the guess work is done for my meals..which saves time. It ensures I take out of the freezer for my dinner meal.

It doesn't always work out...like last night my son ate the leftovers after his workout so there goes my lunch today.

Preplanning not only saves time but it gives me a realistic view of what I am actually eating and gives me time to tweek what I am eating if I am not hitting my macros...

As mentioned by SugaryLynx I often pre measure out my food the night before (even if it's not going to be hectic) so it's a grab and go in the morning.

I know some people here (and i am amazed by them) prepare their weekly meals on the weekend...put it in containers so that they have that time back during the week...takes a couple hours on a weekend but could involve the kids in it for family time and wham you have an extra 45mins every night at dinner time...

luckydays27

I try to plan a day in advance so I have the ingredients on hand to make what i want BUT I also have stuff in the freezer that I can make in a pinch.

When I get busy at work and cant get home early enough (or as usually the case, forget to plan dinner), I can grab a fish filet and frozen veggies and cook those up. I often make fish or shrimp tacos because they cook quickly (shrimp defrosts fast under running cold water) and I always keep tortillas on hand. Throw a bit of salsa and lettuce, and there is dinner. And all well under 400 cals.

I also will pre-cook chicken so I have it in the fridge for salads, sandwiches, and snacks.

When I do cook a planned dinner, there is always enough for leftovers so that gets packaged up for lunch with the evening cleanup.

sue_langley

to save time I find myself planning one day and repeating it the next (easy and fast to copy meal to next day) and then plan out the following day again etc. I find that I need variety but I can do two days in a row of the same thing, its been working for me.

shenica1

I plan my meals in advance, usually the night before. I have two babies and I work so that helps.

Beckilovespizza

I plan a day ahead to avoid impulse eating (doesn't always work though) also I guess I plan a week ahead for the grocery shop too. After a few months of tracking your calories you get a feel of groceries to buy and what will go with what when shopping to stay within your goals. When planning a day ahead if I go over I will also think about popping to gym to burn a few calories. Last night I knew I was going for pizza so I logged the starter, pizza and dessert and had a quick workout after work to counter act what I knew I was about to stuff my face with (I went to a well known restaurant and MFP already had the food in the database which makes things easier). Good luck in ur plight!!

DeliriumCanBeFun

I'm a working mom of 4, and I do all the grocery shopping and cooking for my family. For a long time I have shopped on Sunday afternoons, and I plan ahead all of our dinners based on what is fresh and/or on sale. This saves me money, ensures that we will eat well and saves a heck of a lot of stress when I get home at 6. My husband and I both bring our lunch to work. This also saves money and is healthier. I've been planning out my day in full including snacks either in the morning or the night before. This ensures that I have enough good food to eat to keep me from making bad choices in hunger, and it really helps me work on hitting my macros. Experimenting with new things has helped me do this without getting bored, but IMO planning ahead is everything. My diary is open, and I've had a really good week if you're interested in taking a peak for ideas.

jessicamcfarland165

My biggest problem with food is getting lazy and putting in something frozen or going out when it comes to dinner time. I plan dinners for the week on Sundays, so I can know what groceries to buy. I have the week planned out, but am free to switch day to day if I feel like something else that particular night. I find it helps not only with avoiding convenience foods, but also with watching spending. I've gotten it down to where I can plan the whole week and make a grocery list in approx. 30 minutes. I JUST had a baby, though, so we'll see how I can work it now that she's here!

crose0056

Been doing this for 1 year and now trying to maintain the loss. I always find having a good idea of what I am eating the day before or that morning gives me the best advantage to stay on track. I can always change things around later as the needs fits. I love small baggies and when I am repackaging something grab the shears and cut off the nutrition label and stick it in the bag, no questions later. When I work, I package everything up the day before and have it already logged in my diary. I keep a day planner with my daily weight and calorie numbers in each daily block, good reference for quick looking back. It is trial and error for most people and finding what works for you is 1/2 the battle. I also have a fitbit zip that I love and I can quickly see how my exercise and calories work together giving me more of an accurate picture of my journey.

mindidily

I grocery shop for the week every Sunday and plan out the week's evening meals. I also buy pretty much the same stuff for breakfast and lunch (eggs and sandwich stuff) so my week of food is very predictable. I stock up on bananas and baby carrots for snacks, along with whatever fruit/vegetables are on sale.
I don't get tired of the same things over and over (aside from dinner) so this really helps me stay on track. It's also had a very nice effect on my budget.

celtbell3

I plan my meals out every weekend for the following week. I try to eat clean and healthy and do a lot of preparation on Sunday evenings. Taking the time before the work week will help you with loss of time during the week.

vslnrunner

I do plan mine out ahead of time. I usually alternate between a couple different breakfasts. I put in the recipes for dinners and stuff so I just select it from the list. I add my meals first and then fill in with snacks to meet my calorie needs.

toronto_j

I somewhat do. My situation is different as in I live alone, so I choose 3 or 4 healthy meals to make, divide into servings and freeze a bunch for future lunches and dinners. This way I'm not running out of healthy food and tempted to get takeout. When I go grocery shopping for the next week or two, I make sure to buy a wide variety of food, including healthy snacks and fresh food I absolutely have to eat so it doesn't go bad. I lost weight in my first couple of weeks without even working out because I cut back on eating out. I was still eating filling things I love, like stews and lasagna, but I was controlling the portions. For a busy dad, slow cookers are awesome!

cwolfman13

Yes, I pre-plan and pre-log. You always know exactly where you stand.

A_Warrior_Princess

When I am on task and really dedicated I do plan out meals for the week. I usually take sometime on Saturday or Sunday to look at recipes, go grocery shopping and cook a few meals. I portion them out and freeze them for lunches/supper and just the times I do not feel like coming home. I utilize a slow cooker for some of the meals so I can prep it the night before and let it cook while at work. Hope this helps you!

jazzcatastrophe

I don't necessarily plan for specifics days ahead, but my meals are generally in the same range of calories/macros everyday. When I know I'm going to be having a splurge meal or something out of the ordinary, I do plan more rigidly in the morning. Most of the time though, I just log my food right before I eat it

MrsMetzler2013

I find that planning out meals and snacks helps me very much! Every morning I pack a snack bag for myself and my husband. We have protein shakes for breakfast and lunch, then throughout the day we have carrots, a banana, an orange and a fat free greek yogurt and sometimes a Clif Bar. It keeps us going through the day until dinner. For dinners I usually plan what meals we will eat prior to my grocery trip, then it takes the guesswork out of what to have for dinner since we've already planned what we will eat.

The more prepared I am the more I plan, the easier it is. Now if only I could stop being hungry.....!

SoDamnHungry

I tend to eat very similarly for breakfast and lunch most days, so I don't log until the morning of unless I know something will be out of the ordinary. But generally I'll log breakfast and lunch, and then leave a decent amount of calories for dinner and after dinner snacks since that will always fluctuate.

nccarolb

I plan and log the night before. I work long days with no lunch break so I pack breakfast, lunch, and snacks to get me through the day. Since I can't randomly go out for lunch or grab a snack from someplace else, I am forced to plan out a day. I always leave a little wiggle room in case I don't get to exercise as much as usual or I get home so late that I don't have time or energy to prepare what I had planned for dinner. I also do bulk cooking on the weekends and freeze in individual portions. Good luck on your journey!

laurie04427

On Sunday we make up batches of food for the week. I'll make a big vegetarian chili or a big thing of tofu/onions/spinch, hubby will make a big batch of brown rice. I'll make a big batch of the slow cooking oatmeal. That stuff lasts us until thursday usually so we have some go too food. Too tired and pressed for time to cook during the week for the most part so that's what we do.

Also I'll log my day's food until I get out of work and kind of stick to it every day. Oatmeal for breakfast, chili for lunch, protein shake for afternoon. Less thinking that way too. And that way I behave at least 2/3 of the day without effort.

Not much variety but works for me.

MinnieInMaine

Good for you for considering it!! I personally believe this is a big key to success, not just for losing the weight but maintaining once you get to goal. I try to plan out meals for the whole week - and for the same reason (to avoid temptations, last minute quick grabs which are usually high cal/not as healthy).

Saturday morning, I pull out my recipe folder and go thorugh to figure out what I'd like to make that week and create my grocery list based on that as well as whatever I feel like getting for breakfast, snack and lunch. Ingredients sometime also depend on sale flyers - for instance pork tenderloin was on sale last week so I made that part of the plan. It's a bit more work in the beginning but I think most of us tend to make the same general things week after week so you can get a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't with time and practice.

I also do some prep work, usually on Sunday. Cook a big batch of oatmeal in the crockpot, boil eggs or make a breakfast casserole, portion out my yogurt into individual containers, etc. That way when I go to pack my lunch bag in the morning it's just a matter of grabbing a few containers, a couple pieces of fruit and maybe throwing together a sandwich and I'm done.

Back to the avoiding temptation thing - for dinner, if I've got chicken thawed in the fridge and Hubs wants to order a pizza, I can put him off for a day or two saying I don't want to waste perfectly good food and that way I can plan for the pizza night I know is coming (get in a good workout &/or eat lighter that day).

Good luck!

jenns1964

I have been able to stick with logging my foods everyday for 450+ days. I've never had such discipline until I joined MFP.. I was very strict with my calories in the beginning , but slacked off last summer due to family issues in California that I had to attend to. When I came home I just couldn't get back to that level of discipline. I went back to California for two months this winter and did really well til I got home and lost sight of why I was doing this. Something changed this week and I have started pre- logging my days. I eat and log breakfast( whatever I want ) then I log my pre planned dinner and then the rest of the day. That way I know how many calories I have left to eat and don't go over. I haven't yet been able to do more than one day at a time, but dinners for the week I do pre-plan since this is the only real meal I cook for my husband and I. Yesterday I bought pistachios and Beanitos and bagged them into snack size ziploc baggies. Each serving was weighed before bagging. I did this because if I didn't my husband would eat straight out of the bags and they'd be gone. I weigh an measure my foods diligently so that I am aware of portion sizes.
Good luck on your journey. And remember it is your journey and it won't be perfect always. If you screw up... dust yourself off and start again. You'll get there and we will all be here for you.

craftywitch_63

I plan my meals out the night before and sometimes even (when I'm in my "organized cycle, that is :happy: ) prepare my snacks and lunch. When I get up, I know what I'm going to eat for breakfast, have for snacks, lunch, etc. For me, doing it any other way is a sure-fire road to failure. If I don't prepare ahead of time I tend to obsess about what I'm going to eat next. If it's already planned, I don't.

Try it both ways, logging ahead of time and logging as you eat. You'll find what works best for you and fits into your schedule.

Good luck!:drinker:

huneydrop

I make big batches of frozen meals and portion them into individual zip locks, basically I just need to take a baggie out of the freezer and dinner/lunch is served! It's real food and I know exactly what is in it and the portioning is already done. You can freeze sooooo many meals and makes life soooo much easier.

I also have a meal plan written up on an excel spreadsheet including a list of all the food I typically eat and what the carbs, fat, protein and calories of each are and then I copy and paste into each day to create my meal plan, it totals itself at the bottom so I know if it will work or I need to readjust. Took some time to get my own database set up but I really wanted to use the nutrition info on the foods I was actually using and not a generic database. Nutrition info can vary by country so this was the only way to make sure it was 100% correct. Now that it is all set up though meal planning is super easy.

Planning ahead will be a huge factor in your success so don't scrimp on this stage. It will be one less roadblock on your journey.

SLLRunner

I also plan in advance. I wasn't plugging in dinner in advance, but now I am as well because I generally know what I'm going to have. For me, planning is the backbone of accountability.

cheripugh1

Yes I plan them out, I go by the sale flyer for the two grocery stores I use. When my children were small (they are grown up and off now) I did the same thing and it worked well. That doesn't mean if you plan on having chicken on Tues and Fish on Sat that you can't switch them just means you plan out the foods you will need to make those healthy meals.

I often buy extra meat, if I need two chicken breast, I will buy 3 and use that extra one for a stir fry later in the week. (I actually buy more family size packs to save but you get the idea) For lunches you can have leftovers or I plan on using a pre-made frozen meal (from the market, under $2 ones) have that with a salad and you are good to go for little calories.

You can do this... and no matter which way you decide to plan you will be just fine!