Logging AS A PLAN? Or, logging AS YOU GO?

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thisismynewmindset
thisismynewmindset Posts: 273 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Question: Do you log your food at the beginning of the day and just follow your diary, so that your whole day is already planned out for you?

Or, do you log as you go? (I log as I go...)


... and why do you do it the way you do it? What do you think are the benefits/disadvantages?
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Replies

  • BethanieK
    BethanieK Posts: 201
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    I try to log in everything the night before, so I have an idea of where I am going to be. Obviously sometimes I have to make changes, but I find it easier to stick to my calorie intake if I plan ahead.
  • colt456781
    colt456781 Posts: 1
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    always log as i go, have for over 6 years. I have no idea what I want to eat in advance and if I logged out a "perfect" plan and then changed it my ocd would most likely kick in and I would feel like I failed, lol.
  • kathyhull
    kathyhull Posts: 327 Member
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    I do both. Sometimes I log what I'm going to have for dinner before I get home from work. Then I'm a littl more likely to stick to it because not sticking to it means I have to get on my smart phone and change/add things and it takes longer than it does from the computer. So maybe, in this case, my being very lazy is helping me out???
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
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    I try to log in everything the night before, so I have an idea of where I am going to be. Obviously sometimes I have to make changes, but I find it easier to stick to my calorie intake if I plan ahead.
    I'm in a very similar way, but I log everything ahead of time every morning. :)
  • pnieuw
    pnieuw Posts: 473
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    A little of both. I log the stuff that I know are the same each day, like my after dinner bowl of cereal, or my afternoon apple, and the rest I log as I know what I'm eating.
  • photorific
    photorific Posts: 577 Member
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    I log breakfast as I go, but try to log dinner ahead of time - this way I know what I will be ok with for lunch and snacks...
  • rachrach66
    rachrach66 Posts: 271 Member
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    Logging as I so and some planning. Like I logged my dinner already but who knows I may change my mind when I get home. Since everything is within my goals and nutrients no need to mess up the program.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I plan all my calories so I can make sure i hit my ratio's of carbs/proteins/fats and i hit my calories. If I am over or less than I readjust what I make for lunch and dinner. It is proven that people who write down what they are eating & what their short term & longterm goals are, tend to suceed more.
  • MsLadyVirgo
    MsLadyVirgo Posts: 160 Member
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    Hybrid,

    I try to log everything the night before, or first thing in the morning. I do this so I know what i'm lacking, or over, or how hard I may need to workout in the afternoon. However, I allow myself enough flexibility to Enjoy the Suprises that come along My Way. :glasses:
  • ak_in_ak
    ak_in_ak Posts: 657 Member
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    I log through my lunch the next day the night before. I do this becasue I make my meals the night before and I save time by having a plan. This way I can also look at the first half of the day and see what I need more of or need to cut back on. If something unplanned comes up then i just adjust as needed. If you log stuff before you eat it you might realize how many calories are in something like cheese and decide you can do without. There is no turning back once you ate it!
  • RoseBlanc
    RoseBlanc Posts: 140
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    As I go.
    My OCD would go into hyper-drive if I tried to plan everything.
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
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    As i go but i eat a pretty standard menu. The fun part is finding unnecessary calories.
  • verajanine
    verajanine Posts: 1
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    I log on as I go!!!
  • Kimmy546
    Kimmy546 Posts: 102
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    I do both, most days I log everything in the morning and I make adjustments if I need to as my day goes. For the most part I try to stick with my plan so I stay under my calories. Today has been a long day at work so I just added a glass of wine. Still within my daily calorie intake though.
  • _Sally_
    _Sally_ Posts: 514 Member
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    If I don't know how many calories something is, I log it before I eat it to determine if I want to spend those calories on it, or if I should cut back on the serving size, or maybe to see if I have enough extra calories to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, etc.

    Also, if I'm going to a restaurant, I try to look at the menu online ahead of time and select and log if I can. Most restaurants you can easily order healthy choices without worrying too much, but I went out to a group lunch with colleagues the other day to a chinese food restaurant and who knows what they put in the food there. So, the menu research and logging ahead of time helped me to go and enjoy lunch, knowing exactly what I was going to order.
  • SavCal71
    SavCal71 Posts: 350 Member
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    Plan plan plan ... with edits as I go if it changes. This allows me to KNOW how much I"m eating before I do it. Where I need to cut back. Where I can add. How much wine I can drink ...
  • SavCal71
    SavCal71 Posts: 350 Member
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    As I go.
    My OCD would go into hyper-drive if I tried to plan everything.

    That's hilarious. Because my OCD goes into hyper-drive if I DON'T plan things.
  • thisismynewmindset
    thisismynewmindset Posts: 273 Member
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    Hmmm very interesting. Didn't know there were so many "pre-planners" out there!
  • ksr5000
    ksr5000 Posts: 19
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    I also do a little of both. I log my breakfast and lunch usually the day before or first thing in the morning, but I usually don't decide whats for dinner until I get home from work, at which time I check my diary and see how different things fit. On the weekends, however, I usually play it by ear.
  • CRody44
    CRody44 Posts: 776 Member
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    The Bride works and I am retired so I do the shopping and cooking Monday through Friday. I log all the meals and snacks before breakfast so I know how many calories and sodium I have left si I can plan a varied and healthy dinner.

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