Logging before eating?

rubixcyoob

A few weeks ago I was doing full time training at work, and would prepare meals in advance and log them the day before. That way I knew exactly what I was eating and didn't deviate from the path. I've been doing Insanity and up until the middle of last week was doing really good with my eating. However, since about the middle of last week I've slipped a little - I've not had time to think about what to eat and then prepare it, so I have a nakd bar here, bowl of porridge there, and then come night time I pig out.

It's really getting me down.

I'm just wondering if anyone tracks their food before they eat it (deciding what to eat and how much etc) and then just sticks to that? Like meal prepping in a way. Does it work for keeping things under stricter control?

ndj1979

i try to log the night before or before I eat it , which sometimes is a pain ...sometimes logging all the time is tough with busy/hectic schedule...

but I always put everything in at some point...

gmhvin

If I don't make a plan for the entire day (usually the night before) I tend to fail miserably. I find the most success if I prepare as much of my daily "consumption" ahead of time. For me, I also tend to be more successful if I stick with what I know. ie. eat pretty much the same thing for breakfast and/or lunch. Good luck!

whiteoutpen

I don't personally, but food logging/meal planning beforehand is an amazing tool. I just never know what I'm going to want until right at the moment. It'll help you keep structured and help keep you from deviating from your set path! If you know you don't have enough self-control to eat healthily throughout the day without planning, you should definitely plan Good luck!

Casstevens133

I always plan the night before, although I do leave room for a little tweaking during the day. If I didn't I'd find it really difficult to calorie control. Also it makes sure I have what I need To prepare/cook the meals I want to have.

Timshel_

I find that all the pallning in the world doesn't work out for me, and usually wouldn't include all the calories I actually eat. So I just eat and lo what I eat, when I eat it.

CMGoodie

I'm not perfect in this, but I try to. It allows me an opportunity to see where I am calorie wise. I also figure out options to help with the cravings. I sometimes don't want what I have planned, so I pack at least one other option after I have figured it out on MFP first and change my meals if I use my options.

rubixcyoob

I've logged a basic meal - what I'll have for breakfast (always a variation of porridge), a basic lunch (chicken, a little brown rice, veggies and sauce), and pre work snack (bran flakes) plus a dinner (protein smoothie and eggs - I don't get in until 8.30pmish). I also have two snacks throughout the day. This leaves me with a few calories, excluding exercise ones. Hopefully having a nicer structure will make it easier for me to follow.

PriceK01

I log ahead when I know what I will be eating. Today, for example, I put in my breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner at the same time... because I had already eaten breakfast, packed my snack and lunch, and thrown dinner in the Crock Pot.

oldandhealthier

i always do, but i always allow a little wiggle room. it helps with the grocery budget. i may not know in what order i have them but i plan 2 weeks ahead and shop accordingly.

Francl27

I log ahead when I can. But frankly... I try and eat lighter during the day to have more calories left for dinner anyway. I'll still have snacks if I'm hungry but it works out so that I usually have 500 calories or so for dinner, which is plenty.

scress0514

i prepare ahead of time and log early in the morning, if i dont then i tend not to eat enough food and find that i have too much to eat at the end of the day. I have to do this to pack bigger meals for lunch and my snacks or i just wont eat all my calories.

amylyork

I plan our family dinner menu for the week, so I'm not tempted to eat at a restaurant. I log my food for the day in the morning before I leave for work. It helps me stick with my plan and say no to extra snacks or temptations.

Meaganandcheese

Yes! My best days/weeks are when I take the time to pre-plan and pre-log my foods. I try to track my day first thing in the morning at the latest, and then adjust accordingly if something changes. It really helps me stay on track and avoid mindless eating.

simplybelleza

Hey! i felt the exact same way about logging food before eating..
i used to do it all the time, and many times i would just pig out, or eat something different!
and in a way i used to get "obsessed" over what i was going to eat the next day, or what my next meal would be, so i stopped.
but once i stopped and just logged food as i ate it, i couldn't keep track of the protein, fats etc that well, although i still stayed under my calorie intake.
so what i do now is just log food that I KNOW i'm going to eat, like for breakfast.. i know i'll have this tomorrow...etc
but i don't log meals that i'm not sure i'll eat. prevents me from changing it again :P it's good to plan the next day but normally it turns out different, maybe for the best or worst but my best advice is to have a rough idea of what you're going to eat the next day, log some meals and see how it goes !

rubixcyoob

Hey! i felt the exact same way about logging food before eating..
i used to do it all the time, and many times i would just pig out, or eat something different!
and in a way i used to get "obsessed" over what i was going to eat the next day, or what my next meal would be, so i stopped.
but once i stopped and just logged food as i ate it, i couldn't keep track of the protein, fats etc that well, although i still stayed under my calorie intake.
so what i do now is just log food that I KNOW i'm going to eat, like for breakfast.. i know i'll have this tomorrow...etc
but i don't log meals that i'm not sure i'll eat. prevents me from changing it again :P it's good to plan the next day but normally it turns out different, maybe for the best or worst but my best advice is to have a rough idea of what you're going to eat the next day, log some meals and see how it goes !

Yeah my breakfast is usually always porridge. I love it - nuts, different protein powders and flavourings, greek yogurt, fruit, nuts. Porridge daft here, so that's a given!

My dinners are always lighter and eggs don't take too long, so they're normally always there.

It's when I don't know what I want for lunch, I have a cereal bar here, some tea there, a bite of chocolate in between etc. and then I just don't stop!

gabegrammy

I plan my meals the night before. I fix a pot or pan of somethng snd eat it everyday till gone. Like yesterday I made chicken enchilada soup, I will eat for lunch with 1/2 sandwich. and for dinner I will either make something on the fly or a frozen dinner as a back up.

teachmom32

Always log the night before. Then if something changes, I just change it that day. This helps me know as I'm planning what my macros are so I make sure I eat enough protein.

Rose_bee

I bring my morning & afternoon snacks and lunch with me to work. So I know what those will be. I pack them, and then log them at my morning break at work.

I log breakfast as I'm eating it (it's the same every morning).

Depending on how I did on my calories for the day, I choose what to do for dinner (tonight it will be a slice of Great Harvest Honey Whole Wheat bread toasted with chevre cheese and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar).

kazzsjourney

I do...I track the night before making sure ive balanced not only calories but my macros. I stick to it 90% of the time...occassionally i might opt for something different but i just make sure before i eat the different thing the macros and cals still balance out.