Pre logging ahead to plan out day.

2

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I do it when I know what I'm going to have for dinner, for example, so I know what kind of snacks to eat in the meantime. It's very handy. I just usually don't know what I'm going to have for dinner depending at what time hubby gets home and whatnot...

    I don't do it for lunch though. I never know when I'm going to be hungry for it, and it can change what I feel like eating too.
  • NRBreit
    NRBreit Posts: 319 Member
    I like to pre-log around lunch time every day. That gives flexibility early in the day on what I eat but also enough time later in the day to adjust and still hit my target macros. When I know I'm going out to dinner, I like to pre-log it so that I can enjoy my favorite restaurant foods and make up for it by adjusting earlier in the day.
  • ChrisLindsay9
    ChrisLindsay9 Posts: 837 Member
    It's great motivation for grinding out a few more minutes on the cardio machine or few more reps (sets?) if you're craving a particular meal that won't otherwise fit your calorie budget. If you pre-log a meal that's putting you over, then you give 105% at the gym.
  • Colombianchick29
    Colombianchick29 Posts: 298 Member
    YES I DO THIS TOO. IT HELPS ME TO FIGURE OUT IF I HAVE SOME SPACE LEFT FOR A LITTLE TEMPTATION LOL
  • Jonesie1984
    Jonesie1984 Posts: 612 Member
    I have been pre-logging my day to help me stay on track and its been great so far. I don't do it everyday, but i believe this helps me plan out my day and sort of time out my meals to be spread out every few hours. I feel it also helps me get the macros right where i want them. Does anyone else do this? What are some pros and cons? If you've experiment with this, what was your result?

    This is the way I've been doing it since the beginning. Pre log my day while I"m in bed lounging and when I get up pack according to my logging like following a recipe. Works easier, meet my macros and it keeps me from falling victim of failing to plan and impulsively grabbing something in a fit of hunger/craving.
  • wtw0n
    wtw0n Posts: 1,083 Member
    I pre-log a day in advance as it helps me meet my daily nutrition goals.
  • Synapze
    Synapze Posts: 499
    I pre log, then its completely changed by the end of the day.
  • Jewles1285
    Jewles1285 Posts: 119
    I do this as well! And just like you, i dont do it everyday either. Mostly i do it during the week when i already have my weekly meals planned out. BUT it does definately help me keep on track my daily intake! Great idea and keep doing what works for you! :o)
  • Linli_Anne
    Linli_Anne Posts: 1,360 Member
    I log all my food in the mornings, starting with what we will have for supper that night, working backwards to breakfast.

    This helps me because A) I commit to actually taking something out for supper and planning sides etc. so I'm not left feeding the family really late or else settling for a less than wonderful alternative meal. B) I tend to eat most of my protein at lunch and supper, so, by prelogging this then I can fill in any gaps missing with the right kind of snacks.

    I never really know what I want for breakfast most days, so, seeing everything laid out in front of me in terms of calories left and macros, helps me decide between cold cereal, toast, eggs, etc.

    I don't do this on the week-ends...unless I am planning a big supper or we are having a special occasion...and not surprisingly I have a harder time hitting my macros on the week-ends.
  • j75j75
    j75j75 Posts: 854 Member
    I pre-log everyday. Sometimes things change, but hey that's life, can't anticipate everything. For the most part though it has worked very well for me. I am able to see my whole days cals, fat, etc. and make adjustments if need be. It's better than logging as you go and finding out at dinner that you only have 100 cals left!!
  • 1yoyoKAT
    1yoyoKAT Posts: 206 Member
    I definitely do, it really helps me stay on track with my macros, not just calories. I usually pre-plan a day ahead based on what I feel like having. It also helps me control cravings, because if I really want something I can plan it into my diary and I am more mindful of the nutritional and caloric content of my food. I update as the day goes by, so it's not cast in stone. I don't really see a downside to it.
  • Jhs1987
    Jhs1987 Posts: 40 Member
    I do this most of the time. I will plan what I am going to eat tomorrow before I go to bed so I can see how the calories are going to come out as well as macros and adjust accordingly. Sometimes what I end up eating will change slightly, but I just make adjustments as I go. I find I do much better if I have a plan for the entire day. I see absolutely no downside to doing this. It has really helped me to be more aware of the content of the foods that I eat.
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
    I pretty much have the same thing for breakfast every day so that's no big deal. Lunch is kind of hit or miss. But I find myself taking a few minutes in the afternoon to see where I'm at and see how many calories I have left for the day and that helps me plan what to have for dinner.
  • marc_s_johnson
    marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
    I've started doing this with breakfast and dinner and find it helps out a lot with regards to spreading the rest out for lunch and treats.

    Before doing it I was restricting myself until dinner was out of the way and I knew what I had left.

    Much prefer this way.
  • _Witsy_
    _Witsy_ Posts: 609 Member
    I do the best when I pre-plan my day...if I have a seriously busy work schedule that week, I'll even pre-plan the whole damn week and get the majority of it ready Sunday.

    Sometimes I have to make adjustments as I go, which is fine...but having it planned definitely helps keep me calm.
  • aprmay
    aprmay Posts: 216 Member
    I usually have a good idea what I will be eating for lunch since I bring it to work, so yeah, i pre-log and then sometimes for dinner and breakfast too. It helps me figure out what I need to eat more/less of and what exercise I need to do to allow me to adjust. I don't pre log everyday but usually helps...
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,690 Member
    I do it! I find it really helps me too. I pre plan, pack snacks and lunches, and it helps me stay within my calorie goals. I don't pay as much attention as i should to my macros though.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    if it works for you, why not. i often do that.
  • SandraJN
    SandraJN Posts: 305 Member
    I do it, it tells me where I am at. I wait until the end of the day to complete the diary, because sometimes I make a change. I am a planner, so I know what I will be having for meals.
  • NYCNika
    NYCNika Posts: 611 Member
    If I pack my lunch or breakfast I pre log it. Why not? That way I dont have to remember how many grams was in what when I made it last night.
  • sprintto50
    sprintto50 Posts: 410 Member
    My workday breakfast and and snacks are pretty much the same so I prelog them. Then dinner because I know what that meal will be. That lets me know how many calories I have left for lunch. If I have exercise calories or leftover calories, I increase dinner portions if I want, or left them for an evening snack. Logging my day first thing keeps me on track for the rest of the day. No surprises.
  • alishacupcake
    alishacupcake Posts: 419 Member
    I don't do that but what I do is I take my calories and subtract 100 from it (because I like a few extra calories for dinner) then divide it by four. So that's how many calories I have for each meal and snacks (three meals plus one total for snacks). Plus, I have the extra 100 for supper. That helps me stay within my calories and if I do go under a bit for one meal I can go over some on another.
  • queenbea77
    queenbea77 Posts: 404 Member
    I pre log my food for breakfast and lunch because they are the same each day. If I have free time during the day and I know what I'm having for dinner then I'll log it before I go home. That way I know how many extra calories I have left and I can tweak the menu. At the beginning of the week I bring several pieces of fruit & veggies with me to work so I can swap those around if I'm hungry or just not in the mood for something. Today for example - I brought a dish of grapes to work on Monday but didn't feel like eating them until today. Same for my string cheese - it was sitting in the fridge all week but I didn't eat it until today. This weekend I am going to plan out my dinner menus for the coming week so I can start pre logging those as well.
  • TheViperMan
    TheViperMan Posts: 235 Member
    Of course - how else am I supposed to know that I can have a beer with lunch... :wink:
  • likepepsicola
    likepepsicola Posts: 117 Member
    I don't like doing this. I'd rather be spontaneous and a bit intuitive. Sometimes I don't want a yogurt, I'd rather have a pudding or a banana. Or maybe I'm not hungry for lunch after eating an indulgent breakfast and I'd rather enjoy a very large dinner. I just keep in mind my calorie goal for the day and know I can't go over it or eat too much at any one meal or I'll be pissed at myself/starving the rest of the day...and make my choices based on that.
  • blinker86
    blinker86 Posts: 104 Member
    I have been doing this for several weeks not and always at least log my breakfast and lunch for the next day. If I'm having leftovers for dinner or something that I've had in the past, I'll go ahead and log that as well. If it's a new recipe, it waits until the day of so that I can input everything into the recipe builder as I'm cooking. I feel that it saves me time not having to worry about looking up things before each meal. It also helps me stay on track because I usually know how my calories will work out for the entire day. Of course, nothing is set in stone either, so if I decide to make a change, it's no big deal to delete something I've pre-logged and add in something else.
  • goodtf
    goodtf Posts: 23 Member
    Just started doing this.....it actually helps! if it weren't for all of the comments on this subject, i would not have considered it. My weekest time is at night when I come inside from work (I am outside from early in a.m. till past 8:00 at night usuall most of my days)
    I start by filling in what I want for my night time snacking, especially my red wine and cheese. Then I go backwards through the day adding what I am planning on eating. This way I always have enough calories left to have my favorite goodies at night w/out going over
  • MayaSPapaya
    MayaSPapaya Posts: 735 Member
    I do that too, I don't keep food in my log until I actually eat it, but I often enter in my meals so get an idea on what today will be like if I eat that way.
  • slackey77
    slackey77 Posts: 19 Member
    I do this also and it really helps keep me on track. I typically take my breakfast, lunch and snacks to work every day so I have healthy things on hand and do not fall temptation to the vending machine. And log all my meals as long as I know what I'm preparing for dinner. With coming home from the office and having a hubby and two boys to feed, I try and pre-plan dinner for most of the week so have the ingredients on hand or prepped the night before to make cooking dinner more efficient. My hubby has lost over 18 lbs with MFP in the last 2 ½ months so this helps keep both of us on track and not grabbing too many convenience foods.
  • jk1231
    jk1231 Posts: 23 Member
    I pre log all of my "everyday" foods (like my glass of wine and yogurt) because I know for certain I will eat them. I usually will pre log my snacks and dinner too in the morning. Sometimes I do have to go back and change it but I love knowing what exactly I have left for small snacks throughout the day.

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