Pre-adding food to my food diary.

karmahunger
karmahunger Posts: 373 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I 've been preplanning what I am going to eat in a day, and preplanning workouts. Is this a bad idea?
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Replies

  • mearlie
    mearlie Posts: 224
    There's no WAY for me to meet my caloric restrictions or meet my exercise goals WITHOUT pre-planning. However, I DO often pre-plan and then I edit said plan, depending on how my day is going!
  • SummerBaby93
    SummerBaby93 Posts: 16
    Whatever suits you and makes your weight loss easier (within reason of course - y'know, no crash dieting, starving, missing meals, excessive food/exercise) is never a bad idea. :) I usually pre-plan my days, especially if I'm busy. But don't overplan, otherwise the days you go off track you'll probably start punishing yourself, and that's a nasty cycle to get into!
  • cml81450
    cml81450 Posts: 4 Member
    i like to pre plan breakfast and lunch. especially if im working because i already have my lunch made. for dinner i leave open what i think will be enough calories to have a nice meal and then if we decide to go out i don't feel guilty eating what i like.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I will often log what I plan to have for dinner so I know what I can eat for the rest of the day. I would never log a workout until it's completed though. I don't want to eat for calories I haven't earned yet.
  • bkesecker
    bkesecker Posts: 163 Member
    I don't think so. I do it all the time to keep me honest and on track. Do what works for you.
  • ATOLLIT
    ATOLLIT Posts: 149
    If I know what I'm going to eat in advance, then I log it so I can work out what calories I'm allowed for the rest of the day. Similarly if I KNOW I'm going to walk the 30mins each way to uni and back, I log it all in one go, as it saves time and effort, and I'm more likely to actually keep logging that way. Actual gym workouts rather than walking are much more likely to change though so I probably wouldn't log those beforehand.
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
    That's the only way I can stay on track, really---even if I do edit throughout the day!
  • farmwife3815
    farmwife3815 Posts: 326 Member
    I pre plan for my base calories. If I know I'm going to be working out, I will keep that in the back of my mind but I don't eat the calories until the workout is done. find what works for you and stick to it!!
  • AlissaFL
    AlissaFL Posts: 80 Member
    I don't pre-add any food or workouts since I am home all day and I never know when something might come up and I would have to change it. For me, it's to remind myself to think about it all day long, but if I worked, then I would have to handle it differently. I do look up meals before I eat if I am trying to decide what to have. As long as it is working for you and you are getting the results you want, then keep doing it...don't fix it if it ain't broke!
  • LovetheNewMe
    LovetheNewMe Posts: 29 Member
    I pre-plan most of my meals and I also use the recipie builder a lot to build my meals so I know exactly what I am going to eat. It helps me stay focused. I edit if I do not eat what I planned.
  • bonniecarbs
    bonniecarbs Posts: 446 Member
    I love it that way, it helps me a hella lot.
  • cutekatie
    cutekatie Posts: 10 Member
    I eat the same thing every day for breakfast so input a few days ahead of time my breakfast. After I make my lunch for the next day I input that into MFP as well.

    I do that so I see how many calories I have left over for dinner and snacks and also because I'm very careful on my high protein, low carb meal plan, I want to know how much more protein I can have.
  • bemott
    bemott Posts: 180
    I find it super helpful and smart! Hope it works well for you. It helps me especially when I'm having a tough time and wanting to eat eat eat.
  • kwkinter
    kwkinter Posts: 1
    I don't see why. I think it's a great idea to pre-plan...as far as I know, you can always modify your tracker if you tweek anything.
  • davery1985
    davery1985 Posts: 142 Member
    I always pre plan my food!! Its the best way to know that you are eating the right amount everyday. I dont log exercise until i actually do it though. xx
  • shelbyarod
    shelbyarod Posts: 34
    I like to pre-plan my food as well as my workouts because it holds me accountable and keeps me in check! However, make sure that you plan reasonable goals for the day, otherwise it may seem too overwhelming and you may be less likely to accomplish it. Small steps at a time! :happy:
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    I do a little of both. I'm really more a moment-to-moment type, but if I know something is coming up, I pre-plan. For example, yesterday was my husband's birthday and I knew we would have dinner at a restaurant. I wanted extra calories for that so took the dog for an 82 minute walk (I was trying for 90 minutes) plus kept my daytime meals on the low-calorie side.
  • GCAsMom
    GCAsMom Posts: 120 Member
    That's the first thing I do before I take my first bite; plan out my entire day, including snacks. I very, very rarely go over my calorie allotment because of this. For me, pre-planning is one of the vital keys to success. :)

    Edit to add: I do go back in and make adjustments as needed during the day when necessary. Gotta be a little flexible. :)
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    Pre-planning food is fine, but I would never pre-log a workout.
  • djsawruh
    djsawruh Posts: 8
    I always plan ahead! It's helped me be really successful.
  • teneh
    teneh Posts: 39
    I do it all the time! I don't see anything wrong with it (:
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    I do that everyday.... My husband and I went to the movies this last weekend and I knew what I was having before I even left.....
  • beekuzz
    beekuzz Posts: 428 Member
    There's no WAY for me to meet my caloric restrictions or meet my exercise goals WITHOUT pre-planning. However, I DO often pre-plan and then I edit said plan, depending on how my day is going!

    Ditto for me. I finally found the MOVE option in the food diary.
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 639 Member
    I always do it, it's easy because M-F most of my meals are the same. Then on the weekend I know what treats I want or that I'm going out to a restaurant and pre-enter those high calories so I can work the rest of my day around it and know how much exercise I need to put in.
  • jensweighingin
    jensweighingin Posts: 168 Member
    I've been preplanning and logging my meals whenever I can. I've edited when needed, but it takes the 'worry' about what I'm eating and it's done. I don't prelog exercise, because the burn can change! I do workout in the morning, so that's easy to log when I get to work or get home.
  • beekuzz
    beekuzz Posts: 428 Member
    Pre-planning food is fine, but I would never pre-log a workout.

    Yes, this too. Because once you log it, it stays on your feed page even if you delete the exercise. If you add another exercise, it will add it but not subtract. You gotta earn it or else you wont do it.
  • ClementineGeorg
    ClementineGeorg Posts: 505 Member
    I think it is better to pre-plan that get to that day, wonder what to eat and making a bad choice.

    I pre-plan meals especially on very busy days. I also prepare the snacks, fruits, I weight food and package everything. Sometimes I am on the go all day and without preparing the night before I would not be able to go on with this diet.

    The important thing is to not forget to also add things you eat besides the pre-plan.
  • paulywoo
    paulywoo Posts: 169 Member
    I like to pre plan my meals so I don't go browsing in the refrigerator when I'm hungry. I also walk my dogs twice a day for 40 mins so I update this each morning. Any other exercises like swimming I only update after I've done them.
  • RealWomenLovePitbulls
    RealWomenLovePitbulls Posts: 729 Member
    pre-planning helps see where u will be at for the day and it is not set in stone, it can be adjusted. it also lets you know if you have some wiggle room for an unexpected treat or whether u should pass on it that day. it also gives you a real idea of what you are consuming, for example: i CAN eat 3 or 4 tacos (loaded up with cheese, sour cream, taco sauce, etc.) but i'm satisfied after 2, plug in the numbers ahead of time and decide is that 3rd taco really worth it, when i'm not actually hungry it just tastes good
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    I plan my day. Otherwise how will you know if you can roll with things that come up? I don't add exercise until I do it. It doesn't really matter though, I eat the same amount regardless.

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