Log before or after you eat?

I tend to log post-consumption, because I never know if I'm going to end up leaving anything. This is especially true about eating out. Plus, I have several items I repeat frequently for breakfast or snacks (I rarely eat lunch) so I just grab one or two and add them in.

I do find that the act of logging what I eat has been very helpful in keeping my calorie intake at or below what MFP says I can have. Especially if we stop at Taco Bell when out with friends, some of their specials aren't too bad if I skip the chips and guacamole.

I pre-log days, but I try to be as flexible as humanly possible when I'm out and about with people. Sometimes I don't make it home for dinner, so my pre-planned dinner gets deleted and I figure out something else. Fortunately, a Panera opened up just a block away from where I live, and they have calorie counts for everything as well as reasonably healthful options, so I'll suggest that as an option if people want to have dinner out somewhere. If people want takeaway, I just do my best. Try to make a decent choice/portion control, or write it off and do better the next day. College life...

And sometimes being flexible is just for me. I planned my snacks as PB pretzels and beef jerky, but there was a raspberry linzer bar STARING at me. So I exchanged and still kept my calories where they needed to be. Not so much my protein, but... You know what? I'll do better tomorrow.

But it's always logged before it goes into my mouth. Always. Even if that means gesturing five people past me at Panera or Starbucks while I stand there with my phone out!

after