Pre-log, or log as you go?

hollyrayburn
hollyrayburn Posts: 905 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Do you find it helps you more to, say, plan your day the night before, or do you just kinda go with the flow and log at each meal?

Last night, after I made my breakfast and lunch for the work day, I went ahead and logged it down for today. I even went as far as to plan my dinner. It seems that I have made wise choices, and I haveen't had any cravings or hunger pains. Naturally, if anything changes, I will be editing my entries (i.e; I had 1 piece of sandwich bread today, not two; I changed that.)

Which way works best for you? I know nothing in life in certain, but I think that pre-logging each day will help me in my journey!
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Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I usually log my breakfast after I eat it, and if I've already planned dinner, I'll log that - this helps me choose lunch based on where my numbers are for cals and macros, and makes it easier to fill in any gaps with good snacks during the day, or if I need to leave room for dessert, etc.
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    I work 12 hour days sometimes so i prepare the night before what i'm eating for the entire next day.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    I usually log my breakfast after I eat it, and if I've already planned dinner, I'll log that - this helps me choose lunch based on where my numbers are for cals and macros, and makes it easier to fill in any gaps with good snacks during the day, or if I need to leave room for dessert, etc.

    This I exactly what I do.
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    for the most part i pre-log my breakfast and lunch every day and of course if it happens to change for whatever reason i edit as needed
  • PriceK01
    PriceK01 Posts: 834 Member
    I do a little of both
  • daisymae850
    daisymae850 Posts: 127 Member
    I usually log as I go but occasionally will pre-log to keep me in line if i'm going to a bbq or such. That way I know if I have any extra calories to "play" with
  • BlackKat75
    BlackKat75 Posts: 210 Member
    During the week, I generally pre-log my breakfast, lunch and snacks on the bus on the way to work, that gives me a general sense of what wiggle room I have for dinner. I think pre-logging food helps me - I've got a plan and you know already what I'm going to eat and stops me from making not great choices throughout the day. However, I *never* pre-log exercise. I only log it after I'm done and actually earned it.
  • krouse83
    krouse83 Posts: 182 Member
    I try to plan the morning of. I usually know if I'm going out to eat for dinner or lunch in the morning and I like to log to see what I can splurge on. Also seeing that I do well during the day to where I can have dessert is always motivation for me to do well and stay on track!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I log as I go, because I never know exactly how much of what I'm going to have anyway. But typically I log it before I eat it.
  • BluejayNY
    BluejayNY Posts: 301 Member
    Weekdays I prelog my breakfast because I eat the exact same thing every day. Sometimes I prelog my usual snacks and my lunch if I brought it. It helps me get an idea of how much wiggle room there is. I also like to prelog and delete some meals just to see what the calories end up being.
  • dnunny70
    dnunny70 Posts: 411 Member
    I usually log as I go. Last night I logged my dinner ahead of time. I made a recipe so I went ahead and just added it. It also held me accountable. I wanted to eat more...but I only logged a certain amount.
  • CantStopWontStop92
    CantStopWontStop92 Posts: 165 Member
    Pre-logging! Obviously I'll go back and edit if I stray from that, but it always makes me think twice before snacking and eating bigger portions. I love my FL and don't want to disappoint them, so that sense of accountability keeps me in line pretty well:)
  • ECTexan
    ECTexan Posts: 195 Member
    I have the same thing for bfast every day and I cook all my weekday lunches in bulk on Sunday so I could prelog most stuff. I usually don't though because I'm trying to keep myself in the habit of coming to mfp every day and logging everything. I'm worried if I start to skip a day or two because I prelogged, I'll get too relaxed or forgetful and some stuff I've eaten might start to slip thru the cracks until I just don't use the site at all anymore.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    log as you go
  • springs47
    springs47 Posts: 82 Member
    I pre-log, and then if situations come up I can change it. But I like having a general idea of what I'm going to eat throughout the day.
  • Kelley528
    Kelley528 Posts: 319 Member
    I pre-log my breakfast, lunch, and snacks since I pack those foods the day before to take to work. It gives me good guidance for what I can munch on during the day if I feel I need anything extra. I never go over my daily limits this way.

    I also like having a snack after dinner so by planning the bulk of my days eating I can always manage to do this. I usually plan my dinner after I have eaten my after lunch snack.

    I have gotten so used to tracking my food this way its just as routine as brushing my teeth.
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
    On normal days, I don't pre-log breakfast and lunch (the exception would be if I were going to eat out one of those meals). I like to log dinner before I eat it so that I can look at macros and calories remaining for the rest of the day (maybe I need a higher protein dinner, lower calorie dinner, have some wiggle room left for a snack, that kind of thing).
  • hdtracy
    hdtracy Posts: 49 Member
    I probably SHOULD pre-log, but I normally don't log ahead any more than 1 meal. I usually grab something for breakfast and then try to pre-log in what I'll have for lunch - dinner can definitely be a tough one to plan ahead for though, as my hubby and I can never agree on what we're both in the mood for until basically minutes before we cook it!
  • helyg
    helyg Posts: 675 Member
    I usually pre-log. I do my grocery shopping every Sunday and I meal plan for the week before I go, so it is easy for me to pre-log my lunches and dinners for he week ahead. I usually eat the same thing for breakfast so I just copy that from day to day, and then I add in snacks as I eat them.

    It definitely helps me stick within my calories.
  • Jaulen
    Jaulen Posts: 468 Member
    I try to plan and log the night before during the work week.....that way I know what I'm going to eat, and I don't 'need to think'.

    On weekends, I log as I go, with a nebulous idea of what I'll be eating that day.
  • DCruz83
    DCruz83 Posts: 99
    I've never ever prelogged, not even the first time I decided to lose weight, I just don't see how it would make sense to me. I'm not working at the moment, neither was I back then, so I have time to check stuff and try to eat whenever I'm hungry. I try to even things out here and there, maybe add a treat if I can spare a few calories but overall it worked the first time and it's working now. I could probably pre log my breakfast though as I nearly always have the very same thing!
  • hakudoshi82
    hakudoshi82 Posts: 29
    Depends on the day. Sometime it's easier to pre-log my day, or even an entire work week just to remove any need to worry. Nice to just look at what is for lunch today? If something changes, easy to fix. Othertimes it's nice just to log as I go. Though I find hitting all macros (specially sodium) is easier to hit if I pre-log the day.
  • ashleymm625
    ashleymm625 Posts: 86
    i pre-log. otherwise i find myself eating too much and being hungry at the end of the day. if i can plan my meals out ahead of time i have a better sense of where my calories are being eaten and am more apt to stick to my plan
  • ashleymm625
    ashleymm625 Posts: 86
    I usually pre-log. I do my grocery shopping every Sunday and I meal plan for the week before I go, so it is easy for me to pre-log my lunches and dinners for he week ahead. I usually eat the same thing for breakfast so I just copy that from day to day, and then I add in snacks as I eat them.

    It definitely helps me stick within my calories.

    agreed! :)
  • b61983
    b61983 Posts: 5
    i log as i go but sometimes i just go off what i did the day before
  • kittycatmeowmeow
    kittycatmeowmeow Posts: 90 Member
    It's really interesting reading how everyone logs! I tend to prelog the whole work week - kind of like a week long menu plan and then tweak it if need be. Saturday and Sundays I have no idea what I am doing so there is no point in doing that.
  • Sunitagt
    Sunitagt Posts: 486 Member
    I'm pre-logging because I'm using it to plan what I need to cook for the work-week, and it helps me know how much of snacks and things I need to buy when I go grocery shopping for the week. On my days off, I'll usually pre-log breakfast the night before, or any restaurant meals we might be planning on, but otherwise log as I go.
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
    I pre-log to the extent that I don't take a bite until I've logged the meal.

    But never the day before or for a whole day or anything like that. If I plan a big meal later I will check the DB and peek sometimes though.
  • shortie_sarah
    shortie_sarah Posts: 177 Member
    I'm a stay-at-home mom so I don't really have the need for pre-logging. I basically log it as I'm preparing it. Then when I sit to eat it, I make sure that it's all logged in, then I enjoy
  • AwesomeSquirrel
    AwesomeSquirrel Posts: 644 Member
    I always plan my food and prelog. I usually eat the same lunch and breakfast all week so it's quicker to add and copy it and then edit the serving sizes (eg. 60 g of spinach instead of 70). I'm never caught unawares against my calorie limit so I'm a strong believer in this method. It also makes it easier to a) stick to you resolve and say "no" to random treats" or b) know that you have 250 spare kcal kicking about to use on a treat.

    You fail to plan, you plan to fail.

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