Ever try logging your entire day in the morning

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  • rox2112
    rox2112 Posts: 15 Member
    I log breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks in the am while packing my lunch for the day. That way I know how much I have for dinner (which isn't always planned). I usually take more than I eat just in case I get a hunger strike (which keeps me away from the snack machine!). Whatever I don't eat I delete before dinner.
  • TinaBaily
    TinaBaily Posts: 792 Member
    I don't do this, and probably won't, because I never know what I'm going to want to eat for my lunch until it's lunchtime, and while I make a weekly menu for dinner at my house for my sanity's sake, I don't always stick to it, such as last night's leftover chicken that was going to be turned into chicken pasta instead being turned into garlic lime chicken tacos. (Those were amazing, by the way!! You can find the recipe here: http://savingdinner.com/garliclimechicken/ and I made 6, breast halves, serving half an individual breast to each person for dinner, then shredded the 3.5 breasts that were left, drizzling more lime juice on them in the tacos, and enjoyed. Just be sure to save the juice from cooking if you want to make those tacos. Every drop counts, and tastes incredible!)

    I got sidetracked there...sorry. However, I do start work for the school year next week and in order to fit my exercising into my daily routine I was thinking that I would make the next day's lunch for me the night before, whether it's just making tuna salad and premeasuring and cutting carrots into sticks so I can make a sandwich with carrots really fast when I get home for lunch in the middle of the afternoon, or setting aside some leftovers from the previous night's dinner. I have also seen sites with recipes for mason jar salads, which can be made on Sunday night for the full week ahead of time. So, while I probably won't log these ahead, I will at least have them ready.
  • WickedBean
    WickedBean Posts: 244 Member
    I used to... now I log everything at night before bed after I have eaten all the food.
  • BrawlerBella
    BrawlerBella Posts: 400 Member
    I'm a creature of habit I normally plan my whole week in advance except for Sunday.
  • SpazzyMal
    SpazzyMal Posts: 276 Member
    I usually do it when I wake up, or after lunch. My breakfast is almost always a smoothie, so I've got that down every day, but some days I don't know what I want for lunch until it's lunch time, then I just jot it down and pick my dinner then. It seems to keep me on track well enough, though I could be a little stricter with myself on not changing things up "just because" at snack times.
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
    I usually log each day the previous evening. Sometimes things change a bit and then I adjust, but in general it's super helpful for me, as far as not going over my carbs/cals and also just knowing what I am going to eat. Then there's no standing in the kitchen going "derrrr....I'm hungry."
  • lengirl75
    lengirl75 Posts: 153 Member
    I do if I know what I am going t have. Sometimes I will log meals 1 or more days in advance...
  • susulani
    susulani Posts: 17
    Yes I do that most days. It helps to plan ahead and then I can see what snacks I can eat when hungers rears it's ugly head!
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I find it really useful when I'm trying to think about whether a meal will be good for me or not. So the other day I was telling my about one of my favorite comfort meals from childhood - corned beef hash. It's all potatoes and pickles and fatty meat. He wanted to try it.

    Turns out that it isn't half as bad as I thought it would be once I logged it all in and we had it for dinner tonight. With added cabbage for nutrition. And he did love it.

    Funny thing is, I never knew that the ketchup had more salt than the pickles or that both were as bad as the corned beef (which I knew was salty). But knowing that, we put the pickles on the side so my husband could eat with us.

    :smile:
  • lengirl75
    lengirl75 Posts: 153 Member
    garlic lime chicken tacos. (Those were amazing, by the way!! You can find the recipe here: http://savingdinner.com/garliclimechicken/ and I made 6, breast halves, serving half an individual breast to each person for dinner, then shredded the 3.5 breasts that were left, drizzling more lime juice on them in the tacos, and enjoyed. Just be sure to save the juice from cooking if you want to make those tacos. Every drop counts, and tastes incredible!)

    Saved the recipe... Sounds delicious but somewhat high calorie.
  • fallonrhea
    fallonrhea Posts: 388 Member
    I always log the night before! It keeps me on track and keeps my macros in check and it has been really successful so far! I also know what to pull out of the freezer to let thaw overnight :)

    Also, if I log more than my allotted calories for the day - I know how much exercise I'm going to need to burn it off. Then I can plan my day around what workouts I need to get in. It is a great way to be held accountable!
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Failing to plan is planning to fail. As the old saying goes.
  • NicoleBecca
    NicoleBecca Posts: 55
    I always do this, then I can decided how healthy dinner has to be :)
  • DivaMoe40
    DivaMoe40 Posts: 159 Member
    I log my whole day in the morning. If anything changes I can adjust it but I'm usually spot on. This works best for me but I'm sure others have different ways that work for them.

    I do that same thing for the same reason. It works well for me too.
  • DivaMoe40
    DivaMoe40 Posts: 159 Member
    I always do this, then I can decided how healthy dinner has to be :)

    Exactly!!!!
  • geordiegirl27
    geordiegirl27 Posts: 307 Member
    I often do this let's me see what cals are left and where I can add a bit more I also estimate my exercise so j get a picture and that can be a great motivator if I get in from work tired I can see I have to make an effort.

    I've also logged a week when planning helps build a shopping list so the food is done for the week. Easy enough to change & shift so nothing lost if plans change.
  • casslivingston91
    casslivingston91 Posts: 25
    I do it almost everyday unless I don't know what I'm making for dinner.
  • juncture
    juncture Posts: 129 Member
    I try to pre-log all my meals for the day in the morning (if I know what I'm eating) and also if I have snacks I know I'm taking into uni/work I log those as well. Then I can see how much I have left over to add in other snacks or maybe a little extra into a meal or whatever :)
  • ennysmith
    ennysmith Posts: 26
    I try it to control myself to eat unhealthy foods.
  • kimlewis4025
    kimlewis4025 Posts: 13
    While at work i was thinking of what i wanted to make for dinner...logging this meal 4 1/2 hours ahead of time helped me to see what the best way to prepare or best choices were for me tonight .... or if you pack lunch logg as you pack so you know what your working with... may work for some and not for others but just thought I would put it out there and the great thing is that if you dont follow through with what you logged you can change it! Any thoughts?????

    Yes. Everyday. It helps me allocate my calories and lets me know how many I have to treat myself with if any. It also lets me know that exercise is optional or not that day. I can always edit if necessary.
  • CarlaC78
    CarlaC78 Posts: 30
    I always log everything for the whole day first thing in the morning. Means I know what I am eating and if I really want to eat something that puts me over then I have to exercise more to allow it :)
  • lynz4589
    lynz4589 Posts: 389 Member
    Ive been doing this over the last week and its helped me reduce the cals I eat everyday and start focusing on the carbs / protein / fat groups and reducing them to the right amounts. It also stops me from being hungry because I know another meal is just a few hours away and stops me snacking.

    Wish I had started doing this alot sooner - and as an added (non diet related) bonus I spend less on shopping now because food doesnt go off before i cook it because its all pre planned and worked to fit in with expiry dates etc.

    Theres nothing better walking out of the gym in the morning knowing youve had a great workout and a good deficit before you even get to work!
  • kimlewis4025
    kimlewis4025 Posts: 13
    I always log everything for the whole day first thing in the morning. Means I know what I am eating and if I really want to eat something that puts me over then I have to exercise more to allow it :)

    Exactly!
  • frando
    frando Posts: 583 Member
    I come from a military family so I know exactly what we'll be having dinner! We make a 'menu plan' on Friday night for the following week so my father can make an 'effective' shopping list. This helps greatly when it comes to logging my food; I can log pretty much log everything the day before in some cases so I know how many 'spare calories' I have to snack on through the day.

    Some days, when I log as I go along, I'm worried that I'll go over without realising so I find that pre-logging give me a bit of wiggle room just in case.

    Also I find if I've pre-logged something, be it food or a gym session, I'm less likely to deviate- I've put it down and that's what I'm going to do!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Sure, just about every day (nearly 600 days so far).
    It means I've never yet had to post a thread entitled "OMG I have 600 cals left to ea at 10pmt" or "OMG, it's lunchtime and I don't have any calories left".
  • athomew7
    athomew7 Posts: 12 Member
    I have done this, and it helps me. I just think of it as planning my food day. Sometimes I have to change a few things, but I have found it helps me stick to my plan better. It also saves me time, and I am not constantly thinking about what I am going to have. Another time I find it helpful is when I have "fallen off the wagon." I find I get back to it quicker if commit to what I will eat for the whole day. I don't do it all the time, but it is useful.
  • LottieLou13
    LottieLou13 Posts: 574 Member
    I log my entire day the night before. I look forward to meals and also I'm not deciding what I will eat whilst hungry which means I make better choices.
  • midnight333
    midnight333 Posts: 149
    Saving Topic - Lots of nice ideas in this thread for me to try. I need to pre-plan, I'm always impromptu with my meals.

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