Before or After?

ehargettfs21
ehargettfs21 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey! Just hoping to get some opinions. Do you all log your food and exercise before the day begins and try to stick to it, or do you log it at the end of the day....or even real-time?

Today I am trying to log it before and try to stick to it. We will see how that goes!
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Replies

  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    I typically plan before and edit as things change. I find it makes it easier to stay within my calorie allotment.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    I pre log all my foods and adjust for reality. And I don't log exercise as I already built it into the TDEE equation; meaning, since I workout 6 hours a week, my account is set to moderate instead of sedentary so I eat 1 standard amount of calories so I do not eat back exercise calories. It's much easier to manage.
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
    I do that with my food, because I spend a good portion of Sunday prepping for the week. It really makes a difference for me.

    Exercise, I do it a little later in the day because sometimes my schedule just goes crazy and I'm not able to do the exercise.
  • sadgirl114
    sadgirl114 Posts: 18
    I typically plan before and edit as things change. I find it makes it easier to stay within my calorie allotment.
  • tropical24
    tropical24 Posts: 19 Member
    I prelog my food, it makes me stay in track. Any exercise after that is tacked on as bonus/sneaking in the extra bits.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Since planning the night before, it's become a lot easier I find.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    I do a mix, durring the week I tend to just eat the same things over and over so I have a pretty good idea of what things have in them so log after, if I am going out to dinner or something I try to prelog/preplan so I can still stay close to my goals.
  • laursoar
    laursoar Posts: 131 Member
    I almost always pre-plan and then adjust as I go as needed. If I put in all my meals and a solid amount of snacks, I'll sometimes leave extra calories to decide the day of as well. As someone who used to log in real time, I find that having the structure in advance helps immensely with staying in my calorie range and spacing out my snacks/meals throughout the day.
  • MommaKit79
    MommaKit79 Posts: 852
    Depends on the day, because it is actually been hard for me to plan. But, I do find when I plan I do MUCH better, especially with my restrictions I have (sugar, caffeine, carbs, etc). ON the days I pre-log and change as needed, I find I am more conscious of what I am eating and, in turn, don't eat as much stuff as I shouldn't. I log my exercise as I go, since I use my HRM to calculate it more accurately.

    I highly recommend either pre-log or log as you go...I wouldn't wait til the end of the day to log all at once...you'll be surprised what you actually don't know you are eating.
  • 99clmsntgr
    99clmsntgr Posts: 777 Member
    Pre-plan my day and adjust as I go. Since I tend to eat the same stuff day-in and day-out, it gets pretty easy. Exercise doesn't get logged until I complete it, just in case I don't actually get to it (I've been shifting my schedule to lunch-time running, which sometimes gets over-ridden by that whole "work" thing).
  • ktno1
    ktno1 Posts: 297 Member
    I log in real time unless I'm going out in which case I try to prelog and then adjust when I get home if needed.
  • momof2boyz832
    momof2boyz832 Posts: 682 Member
    During the week, when working I am able to plan ahead. The night before I log everything, pack the lunches and snacks according to what I log. I work supper around what I have left at the end of the day which allows for some changes which I may of made during the day (ie... if it was a hot chocolate or couple of chips day). During the weekend or days off I play it by ear and log it according to what I want and what I can "afford".
  • KarinaRaina11
    KarinaRaina11 Posts: 14
    i do it as i go along
  • Broderick50
    Broderick50 Posts: 842 Member
    Most of the time I log everything in the morning. I try to wait on the exercise cause that can change due to a number of things. I find it helps me stay on point also I found that planning meals helps me eat healthier.
  • chellycakes
    chellycakes Posts: 347 Member
    I log everything as I eat it. I usually don't know what I wanna eat before I actually go in front of the fridge..
  • p4ulmiller
    p4ulmiller Posts: 588 Member
    I do it immediately afterwards. I can see the benefit in pre-planning, but I guess I'm just not that organised.

    It still works OK for me.
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I write down my food and exercise in a medium sized notebook. I preplan my meals for the next day the night before by seeing what I have and scribbling a menu - it is always subjected to change. Then as I eat I officially write it down. I used to officially write everything down the morning of and end up erasing a lot of things.

    With exercise I just write it down at the end of the day since I usually go by how I feel and I never know in advance how many miles I will powerwalk for the day.

    I'm maintaining and prelogging still works great for me. Keeps me on track, saves a lot of time and takes the guess work out of what am I going to eat.
  • lknjohnson
    lknjohnson Posts: 351 Member
    I pre-log my food a day or 2 in advance.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    I generally start the day with a pretty good idea of what I'll be eating, and then I log as I go. Adjustments are made as necessary.

    I found this was much more important when losing fat. Now that I'm trying to build a little muscle mass, I pretty much eat everything in sight...
  • Kabiti
    Kabiti Posts: 191 Member
    I will sometimes do it while I'm making a meal - just to see how much I can weigh out, but for the most part my meals don't change very much so I record them shortly after eating.

    If I'm really busy or don't have internet I'll usually just do them after and estimate as needed.
  • Routerninja
    Routerninja Posts: 201
    When I am working at the office and pack my lunch, I will sit down in the morning and pre-log everything I brought in and even if I have dinner in mind I will log that as well, It's easier in my mind to go back and change things as needed. Only thing I don't pre-log is exercise,
  • LindseySprake
    LindseySprake Posts: 333 Member
    I usually log most of my food at the start of the day or even the night before and adjust any changes as and when.
    Exercise is usally at the end of the day as I take the reading from my HRM after my evening workout.

    :flowerforyou:
  • K81988
    K81988 Posts: 7
    I try to log the day before so I know what I'm going to eat, if not I log as I go. The scanner on the iphone app is great for me
  • LisaUlrey
    LisaUlrey Posts: 136 Member
    I typically log as I go. If I go over a bit, I know I need to hit the gym and if I am under, I can have some sweets.
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
    I only log it afterwards. I find that sometimes I plan on eating something at work and don't eat it and that would be a pain. That being said, when I leave in the morning, I do count out the calories I'm bringing to work. Most days I don't eat it all in one day but I make sure that even if I did it's still in a reasonable range.

    I do try to have everything logged by the time dinner is over. A lot of times I find I'm under 1500 calories, which isn't enough for me. So I might want to eat something a little more.
  • MsYasmeenJ
    MsYasmeenJ Posts: 1
    It depends on if I've prepared my meals the day before. If not, then I log real time which is why I love having the app because I have no excuse as to why I couldn't log my info.

    Good luck!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I log as I go. Sometimes if I know what I'm having for dinner, I prelog it, knowing I'll have to actually weigh what I'm eating in the evening anyway, and adjust.

    Typically I don't want to prelog most meals and snacks in case I feel like eating something specific.
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    I tried logging before, but I never stuck with what I logged.. So I edited as things changed.

    While I was losing "log as you go" worked best for me.

    Being trying different strategies in maintenance... logging at the end of the day... so i learn better how to balance healthy food and treats on the fly.
  • cjevebk8
    cjevebk8 Posts: 9 Member
    I always log as I go. I honestly never even thought to pre-log. Maybe I will try that and see if results change. Thanks.
  • viglet
    viglet Posts: 299 Member
    I TRY to log before hand. I find that it gives me an idea of what I am "allowed" to eat for each meal.

    If I log afterwards, I just find that I over eat and them as I am logging it in I'm like "DAMMIT I SUCK WHY DID I EAT ALL THAT"

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