We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Where to log middle-of-night snacks?

CaddieMay
CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
edited January 15 in Health and Weight Loss
Every so often, I will get up around 1am or 3am and have a spoonful of peanut butter or a wedge of Laughing Cow cheese. Should I be logging these foods as "tomorrow's" foods or "the day before's" foods?

Replies

  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,571 Member
    I must say, I cheat. If I calories from the day I woke up, I log it then. If I don't, I log the next day.

    Truth is, your body averages over the days. But it makes me happier to hit my goals every day.
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,159 Member
    I work nights 7P-7A so I changed my "breakfast, lunch dinner" categories to 12A-6A, 6A-12N, 12N-6P and 6P-12A, this way when I eat whatever the name of the meal is at 1 or 2AM, it fit better for me. You can change the categories to whatever you like. Even though my shift crosses midnight, I still look at the calorie counts as on two different days. I saw somewhere on the message boards someone added a category of "crap I shouldn't have eaten." I keep meaning to add that to mine.
  • PrinnyMartel
    PrinnyMartel Posts: 55 Member
    Usually if I eat after midnight, I add it to the next day.
  • I tend to just count my days as midnight-midnight. It's entirely up to you! :)
  • I must say, I cheat. If I calories from the day I woke up, I log it then. If I don't, I log the next day.

    Truth is, your body averages over the days. But it makes me happier to hit my goals every day.

    This is what I do.
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
    These are all good responses. As long as I log them, it doesn't matter where they go. Thanks so much!
  • chantelp89
    chantelp89 Posts: 590 Member
    If I have left over calories then Iog it for the day before. But if I wake up at like 5 am and eat a bowl of cereal then I log it for that day.
  • 30ismyyear
    30ismyyear Posts: 145 Member
    I don't think it really matters in the long run. Some people look at their over-all weekly calories therefore as long as it's somewhere, it's somewhere.

    I personally would look at the day before...if I had the calories in it, I would add it there (like if I was 70 calories below my goal for that day)....if I didn't have room for it, I'd add it to the new day so I can work the rest of my food around it.
  • Personally, my days don't change until I go to sleep and wake up the next morning, but it is entirely your decision!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    It makes absolutely no difference whatsoever

    /thread
  • littlebudgie
    littlebudgie Posts: 279 Member
    Doesn't really make a difference, but if I haven't been to sleep/I'm not planning on staying awake, I count it as the day before.
This discussion has been closed.