Logging food ahead of time

24

Replies

  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    Yes. I log my dinner first thing in the morning and then work the rest of the day around it. I have previously got home and realised I didn't have enough cals left for the dinner I'd planned... so I ate it anyway. It's much better for me to pre-log!
  • missmadejavu
    missmadejavu Posts: 33 Member
    If I'm not quite sure how many calories it has then I log it first, if it's something I am sure of then I log it after, or while I'm eating it.
  • doctorwhogirl
    doctorwhogirl Posts: 26 Member
    I log my week that's coming and then base my shopping list from it!!!!

    I think it's brilliant for staying on plan and also for saving money on food shopping as I don't buy unnecessary items!
  • ladyark
    ladyark Posts: 1,101 Member
    I log my next day food the night before. Sometimes 2 days in advance. Makes it easier for me and keeps me accountable rather than spur of the moment. If i can log several days ahead i sometimes just have to make some adjustments as i go.
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
    Yup. I do my breakfast the night before as I usually stick to the same thing: bagel/fruit, eggs, oats. And log my dinner during the day so I know how many calories I have to play with for lunch and snacks. Helps me a lot.
  • MsLilly200
    MsLilly200 Posts: 192 Member
    I logg while I'm making the food....
  • rfsatar
    rfsatar Posts: 599 Member
    Yep - I broadly log what I am going to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus my standard drinks, and then I can fill up the rest to make up my numbers.

    It does take a BIT of planning - in terms of needing to take stuff out the freezer to cook or batch made soups the night before - but it does help a lot.
  • Mjhnbgff
    Mjhnbgff Posts: 112
    I pre-log my food in the morning and adjust if necessary. This really helps me plan my meals so that I don't have to wonder what I'm going to eat and worry if I eat too much or not enough. I find that planning my meals has allowed me to cut out unplanned snacking completely. The only drawback is that I have to shop and cook once a week. I need to always have enough food on hand to make my meals since I rarely eat out or get carry out. I don't like being caught flat-footed, so to speak, because it will pretty much guarantee that I go off the rails or I get too hungry and eat too much.

    I also pre-log my exercise for the day and then I work towards that goal. Today I logged 100 minutes of walking and I know I can knock out 60 minutes easily so I'm going to try to get to 100 and top it if I possibly can.
  • treagal
    treagal Posts: 264 Member
    I don't do it but I think it's a good idea. I could log breakfast and lunch as they are usually the same everyday.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    Does anyone else log food in ahead of time? For example I already know what I will be having fo breakfast in the am and what my snacks will be so I just add them now so that I stick to it and save some time later.
    Is this a good idea? Im new to this so any advice is very much appreciated.

    I do this almost every day. I find it keeps me on track and lets me plan my workouts and figure out if snacking is needed so I don't get too short on calories.
  • ryblueeyes
    ryblueeyes Posts: 257 Member
    I log my meals/snacks for the day in the morning and adjust later if I need to. (ie. portion sizes) This keeps me from getting to the end of the day and seeing I'm 500 calories over/under my daily goal.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    I log it after I eat it. Sometime I eat more than I thought, or less than I thought.
  • caseythirteen
    caseythirteen Posts: 956 Member
    Most of the time I will pre-log dinner. That helps me figure out what I need to load with during the day, or keep away from, in order for it to balance out a little better. Once I started doing that I found that I was better able to hit my macros.
  • daniellegwilliam
    daniellegwilliam Posts: 122 Member
    I do ALL the time. It keeps me accountable, and if i dont pre plan, I rush in the morning/evening and make bad choices. I usually Log 2-3 days in advance most of my meals.
  • elena0559
    elena0559 Posts: 29 Member
    :bigsmile: Wow thank you so much for all of the great advice! This has been working for me lately and I see that a lot of you suggest doingit a week ahead to not waste you already have. That is a great idea! So I glad I am here with you all!
  • I almost always prelog. It helps me know what portion sizes I need and how it relates to what I can eat later.
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    I normally log before I eat if not right after. If I plan on being away for the day and have my food planned I will log it the night before.
  • I still live at home, so if my mum is making food (she makes family dinner almost every night) I just ask her to write down the ingredients so I can log them and portion out how much I plan on having.
    Otherwise I'll just log in on my phone while I'm cooking.
  • tlesa88
    tlesa88 Posts: 56 Member
    I also prelog before eating. It gives me a sense of whether or not I need to cut out anything because of going over my calorie limit. It's also nice to plan because if I don't want to cut anything out I can just workout a little longer to keep the foods in the meal :) I think it's a great idea!
  • skeeter2584
    skeeter2584 Posts: 34 Member
    Hi, elena0559. I think that's a very smart idea because you can see in advance how many calories, fat grams, etc it's going to cost you. Once you eat that food, there's no turning back! If you're dissatisfied with the nutritional info, you still have a chance to change your mind and/or compensate with exercise.
  • I pre-log, especially if I know I'm tempted to eat something I shouldn't. Eating what I haven't entered means more work so I tend not to eat it. Whatever works.
  • larryc0923
    larryc0923 Posts: 557 Member
    I swing both ways, most times log after but not infrequently log before. Depends on timing and mood. But no matter what I log the day.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    I don't pre-log breakfast, but I do sometimes make calculations and recipes according to my macros and micros for lunch and dinner. I always pre-log after dinner snacks.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    I log in food ahead of time--it helps. The only thing I find a nuisance is if I forget to eat something I have already logged.
  • When I'm going to be out all day long, I weight my food, log it and do modifications (if required); then I cook it (in the morning or the night before) after that I store it in tupperwares. I just cook for me so it's not a big deal.
  • ShaunDen
    ShaunDen Posts: 16 Member
    I USUALLY LOG IN MY FOOD FOR A WEEK AND ADJUST AS NEED UNLESS I HAVE TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING BUT I MAKE SURE ALL MY MEALS FOR THE DAY AR LOGGED SO I DON'T GO OVER:laugh:
  • artickb22
    artickb22 Posts: 411 Member
    That's what I do, and it's been working great! I figure out my whole food menu for the day while I have my morning coffee. It keeps everything really simple that way. Good luck :D

    That ^ is exactly what I do, then if I need to I adjust if I make changes throughout the day and hit the "complete" button when I know I'm all done.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    I pre-log anything at all that I know I'll be eating in the next few days. If there is something that needs using up in the fridge I add that in so I have less waste and know what I'm having beforehand too!
  • AmyBecky74
    AmyBecky74 Posts: 437 Member
    I usually always pre-log my food so I know what I can and can't eat and how much I have to work-out.
  • Jean251
    Jean251 Posts: 35 Member
    I pre-log both my food and exercise in the morning. And then I follow through. Pre-logging my workout helps me figuring out how many calories I have that day. Next, I plan what I'm gonna eat based on the number. I will adjust my meals as necessary but try to stay within the goal. It works for me so far! Good luck!