Pre-logging entire food day vs log at end of day?

KKishaA
KKishaA Posts: 160 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
First off, I want to just say HELL YEAH to all the successes on this site. I have been a member of a few tracking sites and it seems like this one has more people actually accomplishing goals and making progress compared to the others. I have gained so much PRACTICAL AND APPLYABLE knowledge from reading the forums the last few weeks so here's a big THANK YOU! :drinker:

So far I have been deciding what I am eating for the day in the morning, packing my lunch for work, then once I get home a figure out a snack and dinner I figure out basically right before I eat it. I write down what I eat during the day in a little notebook, including extra "bites" of things, and at the end of the day I log it. This is how I found out I was addicted to candy!

Anyways, my question is for the MFPers that have been successful at keeping a steady deficit - do you feel that the most effective way to meet your daily numbers is to plan everything first and log it and follow only what you have on your schedule? My goal has been 1500k daily but I have only hit that once so far.
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Replies

  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
    It's honestly a preference.

    I have a sporadic life, so I can't always pre-log. I do when I can that way I can keep my macros in check.

    I more so log as I eat.
  • katro111
    katro111 Posts: 632 Member
    For me, I find it easier to stick to my allotted calories if I pre-log. It also helps me figure out what I want to eat, too, instead of drawing a blank when I'm hungry and need to eat.
  • kdrats64
    kdrats64 Posts: 14 Member
    I am sure it depends on the user. There is not one thing that works for everyone. I am normally like you. I prelog my breakfast and lunch because I pack those for work. But dinner can change for us, due to our busy lifestyle. But I can say that I have more success when I know what is coming up and plan a head of time.

    Good luck!
  • _Calypso_
    _Calypso_ Posts: 1,074 Member
    I try to pre-log everything that I can. Things can change and I adjust accordingly, but I find that I stick to my calories better if I pre-log and try to stick to my diary!!
  • dschassie
    dschassie Posts: 192 Member
    I recently (about a month ago) started pre-logging my day and packing my snacks and lunches according to that. It also forced me to plan my dinner ahead. This has helped me tremendously in sticking to my daily limit which is also 1500 and it forces me to re-consider any unhealthy snacks I might want to eat during the day as that would take away from dinner or the healthy snack choices I packed. It will also help you keep an eye on your macros if you prelog, I for example suck at staying at my sugar intake :) And another thing I love about this is being able to change things before eating. So let's say you prelog your day and you realize there are way too many carbs in it, change what you had planned to make for dinner. Or if you see you need much more protein, change your snack to hit the protein macro.
  • Jlmervin03
    Jlmervin03 Posts: 152 Member
    For me, I find it easier to stick to my allotted calories if I pre-log. It also helps me figure out what I want to eat, too, instead of drawing a blank when I'm hungry and need to eat.

    Same here.
  • BeLightYear
    BeLightYear Posts: 1,450 Member
    For me, I find it easier to stick to my allotted calories if I pre-log. It also helps me figure out what I want to eat, too, instead of drawing a blank when I'm hungry and need to eat.

    Same here.

    Me too:smile:
  • wannakimmy
    wannakimmy Posts: 488 Member
    For me, I find it easier to stick to my allotted calories if I pre-log. It also helps me figure out what I want to eat, too, instead of drawing a blank when I'm hungry and need to eat.

    Same here.

    Ditto
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    I pre-log 90% of the time. I know what I'm eating all day, when I'm eating it, and I find it much easier to stick to my plan if my food is packed and logged. I can keep an eye on my protein and fat minimums and adjust ahead of time as needed. I often have room for extras but I still log those before I eat or drink them.

    For me, pre-logging (sometimes my whole week!) and planning is a reason I was successful.

    You are far more likely to accurately log if you pre-log and weigh ingredients before eating them, rather than sitting down at the end of the day and trying to recall everything you ate and guess at its quantity.
  • littleandysmom
    littleandysmom Posts: 173 Member
    I log food in for the whole day in the morning.....but change if I eat something different. For me, I find that the more structured I am, the easier it is to not cheat.
  • thegilly6
    thegilly6 Posts: 137 Member
    I especailly like to do this when I'm going to a new restaurant. I'll research on-line before I go, decide what I'm going to order and log it. That helps to keep me honest to myself.
  • tkdgirlms
    tkdgirlms Posts: 73
    Preference...I log as I eat so I don't forget anything!
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    I normally just log as I eat. Occasionally I'll pre-log if I know I want to fit something in to my day. I prefer flying by the seat of my pants though. :laugh:
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I log as I go.

    My husband and I share one meal together, usually supper, depending on his work schedule. My breakfast is the same thing, so I work my lunch around what we decided to have for supper. I also have to fit things under a sodium cap.
  • NikiaSue
    NikiaSue Posts: 259 Member
    So far, I like to try to pre-log. I started pre-logging yesterday.
  • tiger4nikki
    tiger4nikki Posts: 112 Member
    I usually pre-log my breakfast, lunch and snack at least. Then I think about what I want for dinner and see if I have enough cals left for it. It seems to work better for me.
  • Routerninja
    Routerninja Posts: 201
    I pre-log as much as I can since I do have some set items, like my shakes after workout and after dinner, and if I know what I am making for lunch/dinner I will pre-log then adjust with actual weights as needed.
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
    Anyways, my question is for the MFPers that have been successful at keeping a steady deficit - do you feel that the most effective way to meet your daily numbers is to plan everything first and log it and follow only what you have on your schedule? My goal has been 1500k daily but I have only hit that once so far.

    I find I have the most success when I pre-log everything the night before. That way, I know exactly what to eat without even having to think about it, since all the thinking has already been done at a time when I wasn't hungry or rushed. I just follow what my food diary says to eat. I even look at restaurant menus online and figure out exactly what I will eat there and log that in advance.

    I find I'm not as successful if I don't plan ahead because there are too many surprises and too many times I am stuck wondering how many calories and carbs I can still have for the day. Especially at a restaurant, I don't want to be asking for the calorie counts and trying to figure them out while I'm hungry. I like to have it done already.
  • adipace815
    adipace815 Posts: 112 Member
    I actually do a pre-plan log first thing in the morning with a general snack/meal plan for the day. If I don't then I will find myself in trouble at the end of the day when I am most likely to cheat. I am one of those guys that has to have a snack before bed at night or I am going to be up snacking in the middle. So I always know what I am going to have at the end of the day and go ahead and pre-log it. I usually throw in a lunch and dinner plan that fits within my daily goals and if I do any adjusting throughout the day, I just make it fit within the daily.
  • thesimsisters
    thesimsisters Posts: 73 Member
    We plan out our meals when we go grocery shopping every two weeks. So I already basically know what we will be having what day. So I prelog every night what I will have the next day. The only thing I do not prelog are my evening snacks, as those change based on what I want at the time and on my burned calories.
  • ThePinkPanda
    ThePinkPanda Posts: 208 Member
    honestly, it's all personal preference. i started off logging at the end of the day and now i log everything mostly the night before. i log it so i can hit my ratios (i carb cycle) and then i cook everything that night. for me, having everything pre-planned and pre-cooked helps stave off the temptation to eat out or eat junk as a quick fix. i definitely still eat out, but i can plan it in advance and fit it into my goals. admittedly, i'm not perfect (shocking, i know :p) and things need to be changed on the fly, but overall, i like being prepared.
  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
    I ALWAYS pre log so I know where I have to skimp and where I can indulge. If that slice of peanut butter pie wasn't calling out to me yesterday, and if I hadn't pre-worked a lighter lunch/dinner, then I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the hell out of it last night. soooo good. For me, I need to pre-plan so I don't go over.
  • eatspopcorn
    eatspopcorn Posts: 63 Member
    I don't pre-log my whole day, but I usually have an idea in mind of what to do for lunches and dinners and log it before I eat it. I have enough low cal snacks around the house that if I'm peckish in the evening I know what I can grab that still fits into my calories left for the day.
  • bongochick45
    bongochick45 Posts: 130 Member
    I've recently started pre-logging and it's a good reality check for me. Especially when I'm in the office and someone brings in treats. On the weekends my life is a little more scattered so it's harder for me to pre-log, but it's definitely a preference if I can do it.
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    Week day mornings I pre-log breakfast, morning/afternoon snack, and lunch. I know what I brought to work so I log it. Dinner I log after I make it. If I am going out to eat I try to pre-plan/maybe pre-log. Weekends I log as I eat.
  • CorlissaEats
    CorlissaEats Posts: 493 Member
    I pre-log my day. Work days are easier since I take my food with me and know what I will eat. Dinners I usually pre-log and then adjust based on actual portion. Logging first thing in the morning allows me to know whether I can go out on a coffee run with a coworker, or have dessert, or wine with dinner. Sometimes dinner plans change but by then I know how many calories I have available.
  • ibleedunionblue
    ibleedunionblue Posts: 324 Member
    Prelog things I know I will eat if I have time. Like the things I pack for lunch at work, or even the morning oatmeal.
  • RRB2000
    RRB2000 Posts: 77 Member
    I basically just log as I eat it. If I know ahead of time what I'm having for lunch or dinner, I'll go ahead and log. But most of the time I don't know ahead of time. Logging as I go allows me to see how much I have left for dinner or even a snack.
  • 99clmsntgr
    99clmsntgr Posts: 777 Member
    Since I pack my snacks and lunch, I tend to pre-log during the week then adjust my day as I go. The only thing I don't log ahead of time is any exercise for the day, just in case it doesn't actually happen.

    Weekends tend to be a little more free-form with Sundays, at least lately, being a non-logged free day.
  • ottawaheather1970
    ottawaheather1970 Posts: 5 Member
    I'm new to MFP and haven't lost much weight but I really enjoy the planning and pre-logging part of it. Lunch for me is usually leftovers from the night before so it seems just as easy in the morning to add my breakfast and lunch cals at the same time. As well, I also know how much I have left to play with for dinner, which is especially helpful if friends want to dine out. Also like others, I will check out a menu before going out to dinner so I can scout out the lowest cal meals, and then adjust my exercise or intake the rest of the day to allow for it so I am not starving myself. I really can't say any more good things about this program and I am hoping to have a lot of success with it and continue to use it for a long time. So to answer the question - long winded - I log both in the AM and PM - pre-log lunch and dinner if I can when I log breakfast, then I adjust for snacks, any changes and water just before bedtime.

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