When do you complete you food diary?

danmcgarrigle5
danmcgarrigle5 Posts: 90
in Food and Nutrition
I don't have a regular schedule, so I was wondering when do you complete your daily entries? Since my sleep schedule is all over the place a do it at midnight. If I could get my sleeping on lock down I would probably do it just before bed every day, that is how I started but it got a bit muddled when I'd be awake for 30+ hours some times. Just curious as to how everyone else does it, and maybe hear some reasons as to why you do it that way.
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Replies

  • trina1704
    trina1704 Posts: 17 Member
    I have the app on my phone so i tend to log as i go. I find it easier to be more accurate but sometimes i will log all at one time because my computer is faster than my phone.
  • danmcgarrigle5
    danmcgarrigle5 Posts: 90
    I have the app on my phone so i tend to log as i go. I find it easier to be more accurate but sometimes i will log all at one time because my computer is faster than my phone.

    I log as I go as well, I usually do it as I'm waiting for whatever I just cooked to cool down since I'm a bit weird and don't like foods that are too hot. I'm talking about hitting the "complete this entry" button
  • Wynterbourne
    Wynterbourne Posts: 2,225 Member
    I literally log as I go. Cut up item, weigh item, enter it. Cut up another item, weigh item, enter it. So much more accurate than estimating and only finding out after you've eaten how good your guess was.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    i log tomorrows food tonight, leaving about 3-400 calories to play with
  • Jessi_Brooks
    Jessi_Brooks Posts: 759 Member
    I complete my entry when i know I'm done eating for the night.
  • Groovyca2022
    Groovyca2022 Posts: 21,378 Member
    Right before time runs out at midnight...: )
  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
    I also log my days food the night before. I make or plan my breakfast, (depending whether or not I have a morning workout), pack my lunch and snacks for work, and usually know what I am going to cook for dinner, if not, I'll log that when I am cooking dinner the next day. I weigh most things, or cook in batches and divvy them up into portions.

    If anything changes, that's fine, but this way I can plan ahead and don't have to think about it, one less hassle on the road to fat loss.
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    i always TRY to plan my meals a week ahead and just tweek it on the day on eating if i need to swap anything ie veggies ect i then log it after dinner(around 6.00 pm)ish :bigsmile:
  • pseudomuffin
    pseudomuffin Posts: 1,058 Member
    I just do it when I think I've finished eating for the day... I operate on weird, random schedules too, where I'm up until 5 am, sleep, eat breakfast way past noon, etc., and I just worry about getting it all down more than anything.

    If I don't finish logging until after midnight, sometimes I won't bother posting it to my newsfeed since it'll keep you from completing the entry earlier the next day. I figure if someone is curious enough about my food diary they can just go to my page and read it if they really have to know!
  • bellyfant
    bellyfant Posts: 10
    It seems like a good idea to me to complete the day once I've eaten the evening snack, which for me is the last "scheduled" meal of the day, eaten around 8-10pm. In a way I feel that completing the day at that point motivates me a little to actually not munch on anything after that.
  • MissNordicLight
    MissNordicLight Posts: 140 Member
    I log everything for the day when I come to the office in the morning (I bring in breakfast, lunch and snack), then I hit the 'complete' button just because I'm curious. Before bed time I do any adjustments if necessary and hit the button again to update. I'm very organised and scheduled, that's how I like it!
  • benflando
    benflando Posts: 193
    Before the day has started. I log my food the night before. Easier and keeps you on track.
  • SamanthaClarexo
    SamanthaClarexo Posts: 353 Member
    I pre log my main meals, add my water & snacks as of and when. And edit any changes as and when they happen.
  • KCGettinFit2014
    KCGettinFit2014 Posts: 141
    Every time I eat something I log it as soon as I am finished. It keeps me from forgetting what I ate throughout the day and from having to spend an extended amount of time logging everything all at once.
  • kg4ulu
    kg4ulu Posts: 39 Member
    I log a majority of what I have planned the night before and then complete each daily entry shortly after dinner/before bed. If there are changes throughout the day, I make them. Try to set a time that you want to complete your log and log as you go along. It may help.
  • mammacoty
    mammacoty Posts: 45 Member
    I too have the app, so I log breakfast as I eat, then add supper if I know what I am having. That way I know if I need to have a light lunch, and how much wiggle room I have for snacks.
  • Jemmuno
    Jemmuno Posts: 413 Member
    I've been finishing the next day while adding breakfast, I'll add dinner from the day before then complete the day befores entry in the morning. If that makes any sense...
  • TheRightWeigh
    TheRightWeigh Posts: 249 Member
    I pretty much complete when I'm sure I'm done eating. It actually keeps me accountable. It's kind of the end button of my day lol.
  • TheLuSir
    TheLuSir Posts: 1,674 Member
    As soon as I submit my diary I am done eating for the day. It's kind of a way of telling myself "eat up now, or forever hold your peace".

    I also don't add my exercise cals until before I submit my diary. I do this to see how much I've consumed without trying to argue that I did 5 mins of pushups for that extra brownie.

    Hope this helps!
  • AmandaReimer1
    AmandaReimer1 Posts: 235 Member
    I usually don't hit the complete entry button until I'm ready to go to sleep for the night. Usually it's for me logging my water more than anything. Lol my bedtime is between 11:30-12:30.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    I usually log in as I go along on my phone. My coworkers usually have a laugh as I use the barcode scanner on my food. :) I don't hit complete until I have my evening snack.
  • nornyb
    nornyb Posts: 224 Member
    I log from midnight to midnight. I am a nightshift worker, so my sleep hours are inconsistent too, midnight to midnight works the best for me.
  • moody3157
    moody3157 Posts: 1
    As I go - iPhone app during the day and before/after mealtime at home on the computer. If I wait, I will forget or neglect to enter something.
  • kisses4dylan
    kisses4dylan Posts: 46 Member
    I try too as I go during the week! On weekends, I try and plan out my meals (this is the time Im more prone to mess up) and something about me putting it in there as I expect WORKS better than as I go (on weekends)
  • TheQueen35
    TheQueen35 Posts: 3
    I log the day before. Try to plan out meals and inbetween snacks ahead of time. That way I can prepare the day ahead if need be and measure things out. I give myself some leway to play with as well if I have a little something extra.
  • Dianescraps
    Dianescraps Posts: 84
    I log as I go on my phone, unless I know there is a certain meal planned and I don't want to mess up and be short calories for it, then I will log ahead.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    I usually log much of the day while I'm eating breakfast. Whatever I'm eating for breakfast first, then what I have planned for dinner and my planned exercise for the day. Then I can see what I have available for for lunch and snacks. Like today, after I logged breakfast and dinner, I had about 920 remaining, so allotted 400-500 for lunch and the rest for snacks. Lunch came in at 435 today, leaving 485 for snacks. That gives me the flexibility to have a snack before I run, maybe a glass of wine at dinner, and a before-bedtime snack as well. Or I can skip the wine and have two afternoon snacks. Whatever I feel like at the time.

    So I don't stop logging until bedtime. Since I'm flexible about snacks, I need to check and make sure I ate enough to be close to my goal calories for the day. If not, it's time to reach for the peanut butter and a spoon.
  • Justamom410
    Justamom410 Posts: 90 Member
    I work from home...so I log as I go. Much easier for me to keep track of things. Plus, if I've been "good" all day, and we're going out for dinner that evening...I know just how much exercise I need to get in to get any "bonus" calories to spend at dinner. Makes life SO much easier!
  • chels0722
    chels0722 Posts: 465 Member
    when I'm done eating
  • dawnj87
    dawnj87 Posts: 98 Member
    I don't complete my food diary until I am done eating for the day. So like when I'm working I might not finish it until around midnight or even after midnight, then I have to go back to that day but I still wait until I'm done for the day.

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