How do you guys feel about planning meals ahead of time?

chelsifina

It seems like it would take the spontaneity, joy, and flexibility out of the day's meals. For example, part of the fun of going to a restaurant is getting to enjoy something new and surprising. Also, I'm curious how long it takes people - does it save time or take more time than just encountering each meal as it happens throughout the day. Thoughts? Advice? Cautionary tales?

MsElphaba

If I know where we are going for dinner, I will try to get a menu online and see what I want to eat. I can plug it in here and then pace out the rest of my day accordingly. Still can try something new, you've just planned for it!

fab50G

In order for me to stay on track, it is important that I plan and pack my meals and snacks either the night before or that morning. I typically "wing it" on the weekends, but still try to make good choices.

jrich1

We plan out meals for the week so we can buy groceries

thetrishwarp

I do the same thing as MrsEJr! I also eat pretty much the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day (I'll occasionally switch out a fruit or something). So I know how many calories are my "play calories" for dinner - that's usually my more spontaneous, let's decide later sort of meal.

glowingz

I like to plan out my breakfast, lunch, and snacks, but I leave dinner up to what I feel like at the end of the day. This also helps me to plan for how much I'll need to work out that day, depending on how many calories I have left for dinner.

This helps me when I'm short on time getting to work in the morning too, so I don't have to think about what to make, and I can already have everything ready to go the night before.

misscfe

I typically take my lunch and breakfast to work so those are usually planned. It really helps in watching the calories. My dinners are not always planned. When I do go out to eat and I know where I am going. I do like to check out the website for the restaurant and just get some ideas of what I should eat. I don't always pick out one thing but maybe a couple and then what ever is more appetizing when I get there I will order. For me it is so much easier to stick to my calories when I do some planning. Not to say that my planning is actually what happens all the time.

jrueckert

I see what you're saying, but I when I don't plan, at least a little bit in advance, I'm sabatoging myself. I don't like to plan my meals for the week all at once, but I will think about it during work that day and decide what I will eat for lunch and dinner. When I go to restaurants though, I look online before hand and make a list of some options that I'm giving myself. Then, when I'm there, I can see how I feel and which menu pictures look the best. It keeps some of the spontaneity there.

Bella1hud

I find that most successful days are the ones where I plan my meals ahead of time. Knowing what I am going to be eating helps keep my mind from wandering into the all to familiar territry of "Hmmm, what could I nibble on now?"!! And I find looking at other people's food diaries very helpful for ideas if I am having a hard time coming up with something that tickles my fancy .

I do find it helpful to check out the menu online before hand so I can have an idea of what I might have. DIsapointing though when I get to the restaurant and find they have just changed their menu and what I had decided to order is no longer on the menu But regardless it is good to have an idea of the calories in the different dishes. Sometimes the ones we think will be the lowest end up being the highest!

Aileen46

I usually plan my meals in advance so that I know what kind of calories I have to play with. For example, if I know that dinner is going to be more calories that usual, I'll do a lighter lunch or snacks so that I don't go over.

perne11

I think it's a great idea, Im just usually not the organized. If there are leftovers, then sometimes I plan them for the next day...but normally that's as far as I go.

PinUpMommy

When we eat at home, I only have healthy foods, so there is a bit of spontenaity. When we go out to eat, I make sure that we go to a place that either offers mostly healthy foods, or that has their calorie counts in their menus so that I can get something that is good for me but within my calories. I haven't had any issues with it at all. Plus, who wants to be suprised by at 1500 calorie salad at the end of the night, right?

aehartley

I plan and pack my weeks food on Sunday... I had taken a break from it, and gained 5 lbs... so I am back on the wagon. It is the only way I can eat clean and stay on track

SarahofTwins

I know most people like to plan their meals but I just do it as I go because I'm always changing my mind. Also it gives a bit of a surprise of what to have instead of feeling bored :drinker:

Jennloella

I have a calendar on the fridge with all the dinners written on it (usually two weeks at a time) if in the morning I don't think something sounds good, I swap it for a different day and take what sounds good out of the freezer! I do this for two reasons: 1, knowing what i'm going to be cooking for the week helps me make a better grocery list so that I'm not at the grocery store every other day! 2, having a plan and knowing what to cook with what helps me and my husband even when we're exhausted and would rather just grab a cheeseburger. there's none of that "what do you want for dinner?" "I don't know. what do you want?" It's also nice because 3 nights a week he has to cook dinner, and having that there keeps him on track and tells him what to do with that naked chicken I left out on the counter! =D

CARNAT22

I planned my meals ahead even prior to signing up to here. Barring when I ate out!

How can people get home from work and then decide what they want to make for dinner? That seems so alien to me LOL!! I need a plan...

Now I use MFP to plan all my meals as opposed to log. Logging after the event it too late :-)

27strange

I plan or pack breakfast and lunch ahead of time. Dinner is left to decide at the end of the day, based on what the wife wants, how we are feeling, if we have exercised yet or not...and so forth. Planning makes buying groceries easier and takes the stress out of trying to decide what to have. On the weekends we wing it more.

BlueSkies_12

I wouldn't have lost a single pound without planning before i eat. I have a few items picked out on-line before i go to a restaurant so i know what i can afford to eat from a calorie standpoint. I have had a handful of days in the last several months that i didn't count my calories just so i wouldn't drive myself crazy but even still i was aware of the amount of food i was eating.

godroxmysox

If I know where we are going for dinner, I will try to get a menu online and see what I want to eat. I can plug it in here and then pace out the rest of my day accordingly. Still can try something new, you've just planned for it!

I am the same way....if I'm worried dinner may put me over on calories, I enter that first and plan the rest of my meals around it.

MsKeelah919

I plan ahead. When I dont, there is a price to pay. Either stalled losing or going over my calories when I didnt have to. I always do online research before going to a restuarant, so I can have a few ideas to choose from. It does remove spontanaity, but thats what got me over 200 in the first place...just winging it! Good luck!

JamieCRodriguez

I plan and log my meals ahead of time. It's important for me to see the nutritional information prior to me eating it so I can decide if it's worth it to me. When I eat out, I check the restaurants website to find out the nutritional information so I can make a good choice. It's not spontaneous but I still feel good just being able to eat out. In fact, feel BETTER knowing I can have both: the fun eating out with my family & eating right!

dkrioux

I do the same thing as MrsEJr! I also eat pretty much the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day (I'll occasionally switch out a fruit or something). So I know how many calories are my "play calories" for dinner - that's usually my more spontaneous, let's decide later sort of meal.

I do the same for dinner... I plan the part of the day where I am usually alone, then the dinner calories are more spontaneous... I llike to have an idea, so if we are going out to eat, I will do the online menu thing too.... still find something new but I know what to tweek, or if I should burn a lil more throughout my day to allow for something special. If I am cooking, I am the kind of cook that throws in a lil of this and a lil of that,,, so I will write down what I threw in real quick, and if I have a minute while waiting on something to cook, I will enter the recipe real quick and find out how much it is gonna cost me and how much I can actually have... It has gotten to where my family will ask me when we go to eat, "how much is this?"... LOL...
Or just knowing how many calories I have and estimate what I can eat,,, I just try to portion wisely and if I am over 100 or so, It is not the end of the world.
But right now, I am on a more strict course of action, so I did plan what to get at the grocery store, and planned out what to eat ( I can get stuck in a rut and eat the same thing for a week if I let myself)... then I don't have to think about it until we go out to eat or something.:)
HOpe this helps some. xo

chelsifina

Thanks y'all. Though, I have another question for those who pack lunch each day - do you still feel satisfied an enjoy your planned, and/or repetitive meals? I have this idea that I would resent eating the same thing each day, but as I write this its occurring to me that I am looking to food to do a little to much for me - entertain me, comfort me, etc. I guess I'm a little apprehensive about letting that go. I don't have anything to replace that right now.

BlueSkies_12

You don't have to eat the same thing every day. This site will help you with that. I like to look to see what my friends on this site are eating. You can get ideas from others. It gets easier as you go.

CARNAT22

Thanks y'all. Though, I have another question for those who pack lunch each day - do you still feel satisfied an enjoy your planned, and/or repetitive meals? I have this idea that I would resent eating the same thing each day, but as I write this its occurring to me that I am looking to food to do a little to much for me - entertain me, comfort me, etc. I guess I'm a little apprehensive about letting that go. I don't have anything to replace that right now.

Just because you plan doesn't mean you eat the same thing every day LOL!!

I have a different meal every evening, different lunches almost everyday. Breakfast always tends to be prety muhc the same though - just variations of yoghurt / fruit and a few slices of wholemeal toast!

dothompson

I find it important to plan my meals ahead of time, otherwise I end up going for what is convenient rather than what's smart.

However, I find that it doesn't work well for me to log meals ahead of time. I still frequently change my mind and go with something else, however the planning overall works well.

hbrekkaas

Breakfast and lunch in our house are just eat what we feel like at that moment, but really, we have 3 kids. We need to have meals that everyone will eat, that are allergy friendly, and we have the groceries for. We don't have a day to day meal list, but we do have a 2 week list of meals and we pick one each day and thats what we have. Once in awhlie we will feel like something totally different and we will make a run to the grocery store to pick the stuff up.

FitRodr

I plan most of the day as I eat breakfast. I try to plan my snacks in b/c that's where I lose control. It only takes a moment to change or update it and for me, it works. It does allow me to see where I'm going before I start. But I like surprises too!

Tuffjourney

In order for me to stay on track, it is important that I plan and pack my meals and snacks either the night before or that morning. I typically "wing it" on the weekends, but still try to make good choices.

Ditto. Its the only way I roll....lol:blushing:

purpleprose

Breakfast for me is pretty much always the same thing. Lunch and dinner change depending on what I've cooked. On Saturdays and Sundays I try to make at least one meal each night so that I can store the leftovers to get me through the week for lunches and other dinners. I try to mix it up so it's not boring, but I've found that not planning ahead is me sabotaging myself and my progress.

chelsifina

Thanks so much everyone for all the feedback. I've been really resisting planning ahead, as winging it is so much more natural for me. But, I think its time to up the discipline and make a change. I love this place!!! Thanks guys!!!!