Do you make a daily or weekly meal plan?

Whimzeee

I'm having trouble distributing my calories evenly during the day. Sometimes I end up with only a few hundred calories left for dinner and don't know what to eat. So then I blow the whole day and go over my calorie limit.

So - does anyone actually make out a daily meal plan the night before? Or maybe a weekly meal plan? It just seems so rigid to go this way!

healthynotthin

Don't forget that your daily caloric number is NOT a limit - it's a goal! That being said, I generally keep foods around within easy reach that are low in calorie (apples, Greek yogurt, granola bars) and high in a lot of good-for-me stuff. When I do get hungry I try to eat just one of these then go outside or delve into something I need to get done so as to distract me from overeating at that point. If I don't have a lot of calories leftover, it's okay, because my body's bloody brilliant and knows how to handle what I give it! Good luck dear

PurpleTina

We plan meals a week ahead, so that we can shop for them. Mind you, we are a family of four, so planning is needed!

I do plan my day ahead based on what's for dinner, so that I know I have enough left for snacks etc.

Isatryli

I'm planning the day and try to put all my meals including snake to know where I'll be at the end of the day. Then, during the day, I adjust. This is the easiest way for me to stay almost of the time in my goal amount of calories. But sometimes I allowed my self to get a little bit over. It depends on what happend during the day and on what will happen during my week....

Hope it helps

Isa

BeautifulBetsy

If I'm on MFP anyways and I'm bored I'll play around with my next days calories base on what I have in the fridge, and I try to make it match with what the canadian food guide recommends. And if it looks like I'm going to go over my calorie intake, I'll make sure to get in excerise. It's not to rigid, it's smart.

laurenk08

I plan my meals a week in advance, usually planning out the entire week Sunday night based on the foods in the fridge! It works really well for me and helps me keep a good balance and helps to stay under for sure! Another benefit is that it wastes less food. If things come up then I can always change things around but I like having a basic layout for the week!

farmwife3815

I make a weekly menu so I know what to shop for. I plan my day ahead of time so I know if I'm going to be way short or not. It works for me. Also, then I know what I'm making and can plan my time as well.

WDEvy

If I'm on MFP anyways and I'm bored I'll play around with my next days calories base on what I have in the fridge, and I try to make it match with what the canadian food guide recommends. And if it looks like I'm going to go over my calorie intake, I'll make sure to get in excerise. It's not to rigid, it's smart.

This is pretty much what I do as well, and I change it if something happens that changes that meal

brealschaff

I try to plan (at least) for the day the night before based on what my schedule looks like that way I can make adjustments as needed. I hate when I am at work and make rash decisions to eat fast food because I haven't planned

amann1976

i usually eat the same things daily... yogurt and cereal for breakfast, a couple eggs and a tomato mid morning meal, a salad with chicken breast or a can of tuna for lunch, and then some kind of lean protein green vegetable brown rice or a half of yam for dinner

TavistockToad

I Make a weekly menu when I do the weekly shop, so I know what we are having most days. And I log my days foodeach morning so I know I will fit everything in.

Fail to plan, plan to fail!

ClementineGeorg

I don't have a very planned week.
Planning the week means to me:
- buying everything I may need in the week-end (hypermarket + local market)
- considering some recipies for the week (especially dinners)
- considering things for snacks and breakfast

Planning the day means (during week days):
- having a dinner ready or all the ingrediends prepared for the week
- packing snacks in the evening before
- packing lunch in the evening before (if needed)

I don't find it rigid. It is just organisation. This helps me have a varied menu, because by planning I have in hand various ingredients. I may plan different meals every week. I am planned to different snacks every day.

And the most important thing, I save time.

stines72

i happily eat the same thing every day, usually change it up a bit per week like something different for dinner, or a diff snack... but i usually eat the same thing all the time. i take vitamins too.