When Do You Log Your Food?

fitnesspirateninja

I log as I go, but before I eat - generally while I'm preparing a meal or snack. I'm a pretty good judge of calories, so I find that I don't really need to plan ahead until it's a special event.

heathersmilez

I log mine as I go, either from my computer at work (I have net access) or from my mobile phone. I never "log ahead", i.e. do not tend to log anything I haven't eaten yet. However, I sometimes "log ahead" with exercise as I find it motivating to "see" the calories burned and I am less likely to bail a session once I have logged it, because I would have to delete it otherwise. :laugh:

I find it’s more important to do the opposite. Eating can become mindless if you are super busy or exhausted so if you plan your food, then at least it won’t be 6:00 pm and you realize you only have 200 odd calories for dinner which means nothing but a piece of chicken, no healthy carbs like brown rice or sweet potato or dessert (which for me is yogurt and flax and/or fruit, nothing crazy).

When I logged exercise in advance everyone would be congratulating me on my wall and then I would get home and find myself exhausted and decide not to work out (I am guaranteed to burn 500+ cals a day 5 days a week at the gym but may skip day 6 and 7). Therefore I now only log my workout after I'm completed. I commit to working out as soon as I get home so If I am working out, I will eat some rice or sweet potatoes with my dinner rather than skipping out in addition to having a small post-workout snack to eat back most of those exercise calories.

** EDIT: I should note I am VERY detail oriented and LOVE lists hence organizing my food for the day is the same. I have itemized clothing lists, Christmas/Birthday Wish-Lists, content lists for my house - all detailed with photos, value, store etc.

Alycyn1980

I try to log everything in the morning when I get into work, that way I know if I am able to have a wee treat or snack. Usually do not know what having for dinner but I have the app on my phone so when I am preparing dinner and cooking it I update as I go. I find that by logging everything I am less likely to eat more than I should as it is already logged - dont log exercise though until I have completed it as I am likely to change my mind in what I do!!!!

backinthenines

I log mine as I go, either from my computer at work (I have net access) or from my mobile phone. I never "log ahead", i.e. do not tend to log anything I haven't eaten yet. However, I sometimes "log ahead" with exercise as I find it motivating to "see" the calories burned and I am less likely to bail a session once I have logged it, because I would have to delete it otherwise. :laugh:

I find it’s more important to do the opposite. Eating can become mindless if you are super busy or exhausted so if you plan your food, then at least it won’t be 6:00 pm and you realize you only have 200 odd calories for dinner which means nothing but a piece of chicken, no healthy carbs like brown rice or sweet potato or dessert (which for me is yogurt and flax and/or fruit, nothing crazy).

When I logged exercise in advance everyone would be congratulating me on my wall and then I would get home and find myself exhausted and decide not to work out (I am guaranteed to burn 500+ cals a day 5 days a week at the gym but may skip day 6 and 7). Therefore I now only log my workout after I'm completed. I commit to working out as soon as I get home so If I am working out, I will eat some rice or sweet potatoes with my dinner rather than skipping out in addition to having a small post-workout snack to eat back most of those exercise calories.

** EDIT: I should note I am VERY detail oriented and LOVE lists hence organizing my food for the day is the same. I have itemized clothing lists, Christmas/Birthday Wish-Lists, content lists for my house - all detailed with photos, value, store etc.

Well it works for me. I am very training oriented and by planning my training before my nutrition I can fuel the day as required by the session. I would eat quite differently for a long run versus a swim or a hard weights session, so it works for me.

ajbeans

Yeah, I think it depends on what works best for you. I don't log my exercise in advance because I'm just starting out with it, so I'm never sure how many calories I'll burn, or if I'll be able to go a little longer today, etc. But for some people it's a motivator. It just depends on what works for you.