Planned meals or NO?

mazdauk

Anyway, getting back on track....

OP, if your sodium was up it will cause water retention - try drinking mroe and cutting out salt (if you have a lot of processed foods it can be difficult as so many are high in salt to hide the lack of quality in the other ingredients). If you cook for yourself anyway ad less salt - if you hae a shaker block up all but one hole, as most peope shake it a set number of times and don't really know what they're adding!

Secondly, why do you want to lose so quickly? 10lb a month is rather a lot, given that 1lb a week is reckoned a "sensible" rate of decrease unless you are exceptionally overweight. If it comes off too quick its liable to bounce right back once you take your eye off it

I don't necessarily plan meals more than a day ahead, but I do keep in mind what needs using up, what is in the freezer etc. And I preplan t the extent of NOT buying things I know I can't resist, as otherwise I have to eat them.

And yes, setting a rough calorie limit per meal (don't forget snacks too) is a good idea - especially if you're looking through recipe sites, as you can see the calories per portion.

Unfortunately I cannot cook for myself b/c I dorm in school and there aren't any stoves in my building. So I kinda have to go with what I got. But I always thought losing 2 pounds a week was good. I didn't know that by doing this I'd be doing something wrong. So far I have been able to keep it off. and I do try to drink as much water as possible. But I think I will pre plan, I'll try to pre plan the meals and the calories and see how it goes from there.

Do they give you menus in advance, or is it pretty much the same choices every day? (I know at my son's Uni they put up a menu for the week). If you knwo in advance then planning will be very helpful because you won't get pulled in by impulses, but can spread everything - good and bad stuff - across the week.

kathicooks

I totally preplan meals. Two reasons: that way I'm not as tempted to go out of my macros, and I always have the right foods on hand. I use it for meal planning and food shopping. I have next week's menus completely planned out for dinners (6 out of 7 days, one day is "clean out the fridge of leftovers!) I always assume I'll eat 4 weekday lunches of leftovers, and Friday lunch out with my work team is up in the air. I don't preplan my weekend breakfast or lunch, but I can stay on track as long as I preplan my dinners.
Basically if I don't preplan, I end up picking up carryout, or running out of fresh produce mid-week, and as a diabetic, I need to be particularly careful of how I balance my meals.
Not that this works for everyone, but it works for me and for my family.

HeidiCooksSupper

2 lbs a week is excellent. It is probably going to slow down, though, so be prepared.

I'm the opposite kind of eater. Every day is a new adventure in the kitchen. But cooking's my hobby. There's no one system that fits everyone. That's the advantage of MFP, we can adjust to what works for us and within certain nutritional truisms. For example, if you started to eat noodles and only noodles you would lose weight. You would also become very ill and perhaps permanently damage your organs. This is true of eating any ONE thing. Most important is a mix of nutrients that feeds your body well and keeps you healthy.

obrientp

I usually plan my meals in the morning or the night before. This may sound weird, but, if I know I am going to a party or big dinner, I will go to that date days in advance and log in what I'm going to have as best as I can. Then, when that day comes it's already in there and I can work my daily calories around it. It also helps me stick to what I've entered and keeps me from overdoing it. For instance, I am going to a birthday party tonight, and I want cake and ice cream. I knew this on Tuesday, so I went ahead and logged it in for today. It's already there, and I don't have to worry about it today. It seems to work for me.

EpicMeyri

Anyway, getting back on track....

OP, if your sodium was up it will cause water retention - try drinking mroe and cutting out salt (if you have a lot of processed foods it can be difficult as so many are high in salt to hide the lack of quality in the other ingredients). If you cook for yourself anyway ad less salt - if you hae a shaker block up all but one hole, as most peope shake it a set number of times and don't really know what they're adding!

Secondly, why do you want to lose so quickly? 10lb a month is rather a lot, given that 1lb a week is reckoned a "sensible" rate of decrease unless you are exceptionally overweight. If it comes off too quick its liable to bounce right back once you take your eye off it

I don't necessarily plan meals more than a day ahead, but I do keep in mind what needs using up, what is in the freezer etc. And I preplan t the extent of NOT buying things I know I can't resist, as otherwise I have to eat them.

And yes, setting a rough calorie limit per meal (don't forget snacks too) is a good idea - especially if you're looking through recipe sites, as you can see the calories per portion.

Unfortunately I cannot cook for myself b/c I dorm in school and there aren't any stoves in my building. So I kinda have to go with what I got. But I always thought losing 2 pounds a week was good. I didn't know that by doing this I'd be doing something wrong. So far I have been able to keep it off. and I do try to drink as much water as possible. But I think I will pre plan, I'll try to pre plan the meals and the calories and see how it goes from there.

Do they give you menus in advance, or is it pretty much the same choices every day? (I know at my son's Uni they put up a menu for the week). If you knwo in advance then planning will be very helpful because you won't get pulled in by impulses, but can spread everything - good and bad stuff - across the week.

yea they do, but sometimes its wrong. and the healthy options are available everyday. mhm I guess I can do that. b/c sometimes I go in not knowing what I would eat just yet and I get pulled into the "mac & cheese", "pizza", "hot dogs".. you know all the bad things I shouldn't eat at once.

Grumpy2208

Planning healthy, varied meals is a good thing.

Planning repetitive & restrictive meals which are a pain to stick too, is a poop thing.

Not necessarily. I like to eat the same things over and over again so I normally pre log my meal. The only things I change will be like if I want strawberries or raspberries today. I normally have a cup of coffeenin the morning and the same meal every night with little variance. I don't feel it's restrictive, it's just foods that I like and I already know it fits my macros.

I echo that. I pretty much eat the same things everyday. As a matter of fact I have been eating the same things for a good few years. It suits my lifestyle and works well for me.

EpicMeyri

I totally preplan meals. Two reasons: that way I'm not as tempted to go out of my macros, and I always have the right foods on hand. I use it for meal planning and food shopping. I have next week's menus completely planned out for dinners (6 out of 7 days, one day is "clean out the fridge of leftovers!) I always assume I'll eat 4 weekday lunches of leftovers, and Friday lunch out with my work team is up in the air. I don't preplan my weekend breakfast or lunch, but I can stay on track as long as I preplan my dinners.
Basically if I don't preplan, I end up picking up carryout, or running out of fresh produce mid-week, and as a diabetic, I need to be particularly careful of how I balance my meals.
Not that this works for everyone, but it works for me and for my family.

this is actually a good idea too. b/c before i used to pre-plan my meals and I felt like super restricted and then I'll want to eat something else and end up going over my calories. and I felt like I was obsessing with food when I just shouldn't think too much about the "bad" stuff. But having one day a week when I don't pre-plan sounds like I should try to see if it works for me.

woodsy0912

I am a planner for sure. Usually on sundays I will try to plan out my weekly meals allowing for 1 or 2 "free meals." I know what I like and I switch it up on a daily basis. It makes grocery shopping way easier and I never have to scramble to think of something to eat.

I have about 5 breakfasts I cycle through, and about a dozen lunch/ dinner recipes I often make. I will change up some ingredients sometimes and add a different veggie here and there. It keeps me happy!

EpicMeyri

2 lbs a week is excellent. It is probably going to slow down, though, so be prepared.

I'm the opposite kind of eater. Every day is a new adventure in the kitchen. But cooking's my hobby. There's no one system that fits everyone. That's the advantage of MFP, we can adjust to what works for us and within certain nutritional truisms. For example, if you started to eat noodles and only noodles you would lose weight. You would also become very ill and perhaps permanently damage your organs. This is true of eating any ONE thing. Most important is a mix of nutrients that feeds your body well and keeps you healthy.

yeah I don't understand how people can eat the same exact thing every single day. I mean I eat oatmeal once or twice a day but different type of oatmeal and with different toppings. but I also love to try new things. I love to cook! I should add you so then we can share recipes!!

bcattoes

it's really personal preference. I've never been much of a planner, and many times when I do plan a meal I end of changing it because either I or my husband aren't in the mood for it when meal time rolls around. But I know others who plan everything, some plan out the whole week in advance.

Just do whatever works best for you to keep you on track.

tricksee

yeah I don't understand how people can eat the same exact thing every single day.

I personally think they're lying. They aren't robots and some things must slip through the net.

EpicMeyri

yeah I don't understand how people can eat the same exact thing every single day.

I personally think they're lying. They aren't robots and some things must slip through the net.

I mean I guess it its their preference but with so much culture and spices around us, I can't possibly just eat the same thing everyday. and I love to try new food at least once a week. I think eventually they'll get sick and tired of eating the same thing. also doesn't the body need other nutrients.

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

I totally preplan meals. Two reasons: that way I'm not as tempted to go out of my macros, and I always have the right foods on hand. I use it for meal planning and food shopping. I have next week's menus completely planned out for dinners (6 out of 7 days, one day is "clean out the fridge of leftovers!) I always assume I'll eat 4 weekday lunches of leftovers, and Friday lunch out with my work team is up in the air. I don't preplan my weekend breakfast or lunch, but I can stay on track as long as I preplan my dinners.
Basically if I don't preplan, I end up picking up carryout, or running out of fresh produce mid-week, and as a diabetic, I need to be particularly careful of how I balance my meals.
Not that this works for everyone, but it works for me and for my family.

this is actually a good idea too. b/c before i used to pre-plan my meals and I felt like super restricted and then I'll want to eat something else and end up going over my calories. and I felt like I was obsessing with food when I just shouldn't think too much about the "bad" stuff. But having one day a week when I don't pre-plan sounds like I should try to see if it works for me.

You can always partially plan your day. Let's say you know you're going to eat oatmeal and yogurt for breakfast, tuna salad for lunch, and baked chicken for dinner but you don't know what sides and snacks you'll want. Just log what you know you'll eat and leave a few hundred calories open for snacks/sides/treats.

Querian

I fall somewhere in between. I have a few recipes I will make but the rest of the time I usually wing it. But I shop and cook for myself so that makes a huge difference.

For you I like the idea of having a basic plan but allowing yourself to deviate from it occasionally. And try to incorporate more fresh foods if possible to help reduce your sodium. Hopefully they have like a salad bar and fresh fruit and stuff to choose from in addition to the prepared foods.

It sounds like you are already doing pretty good so I wouldn't worry too much if I were you

katy_trail

toaster oven, i cook everything in that thing, after the microwave it's the most used appliance

katy_trail

i preplan very rarely, but planing does make calorie counting and dieting easier.
take out is almost always not even in my mind. if it isn't here, i'm not even considering it.

Junebugsc

i make a meal plan each week when i do my shopping list... so i know what i'm having each day and usually log the night before. my husband and i have about half a dozen meals that we usually go for on week nights, which sometimes does get a bit boring but i like to have a plan!

This^^^^. Works for my husband and I also. I also cook all the meats on the weekend and some veggies. Cut up fresh strawberries. Boil a dozen an half of eggs. All this makes it so easy to make good choices when I come home from work hungry!! I prepare my lunch and snacks and also peel my eggs fro breakfast, all the night before. Makes the morning go very smoothly! Give it a try!!