Log Your Day In Advance?

donicagalek
donicagalek Posts: 526
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I think I'm going to start logging what I plan to eat at the beginning of the day. Anyone try this? :-/

That way I'm not scrambling to make up for anything at the end of the day. I've been in "starvation mode" all week but with a surgically altered stomach I can't make up that many calories a few hours before bed! :-D And I really think I need to focus on strength training instead of burning more calories (same argument - I CAN'T consume that many calories without pain).

Has this worked for anyone else?
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Replies

  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Absolutely! Everybody should be doing this, at least for long enough that they find their rhythm/routine. Pre-planning will give you better success, I guarantee it. :smile:
  • gillleeman
    gillleeman Posts: 397 Member
    I always plan for the next day - the night before. In my settings against each meal i.e. Breakfast I have the calories I'm allowed i.e. Breakfast 450 cals. That way I know how many cals I'm allowed for each meal/snack. It also means that every night I can have 200 cals worth of my favourity Green & Blacks chocolate if I wish.
  • becka63
    becka63 Posts: 712 Member
    I do this often. Maybe not all meals, but it helps on days when I don't exercise much as well as days when I do a lot. Just keeps me informed of how much /little I've actually got to play with.

    I also find it helps inform my choices of whether to hav pudding or not!
  • leafsan
    leafsan Posts: 21 Member
    I do this as often as possible. There are days of the week where I can't know what i'll eat for dinner, but otherwise I try to plan out my whole day as soon as I can. :)
  • Juniper3411
    Juniper3411 Posts: 167 Member
    When I was using another logging site I used to plan out some in advance too, especially when I was at work, because I knew what I had packed and I wasn't going to be able to eat anything differently! It's not like you can't go back and delete things that you don't eat right!!
  • MrsGriffin67
    MrsGriffin67 Posts: 485 Member
    I almost ALWAYS plan my meals in advance. This gives me a better perspective on my daily goals. I don't close out my day until right before bed (on most occasions). It seems to be working for me. It also helps me to know if I need to choose smaller portions or add an extra snack. Best of luck to you on your journey!
  • aristel
    aristel Posts: 110
    yes, is really the best way, I´ve been doing it since my first day on MFP. it helps a lot
  • singer201
    singer201 Posts: 563 Member
    I always plan my meals first thing in the morning. Most days, I'm taking my dinner to work, and I seldom eat out, so that makes it easier.
  • asallen7
    asallen7 Posts: 301
    Yes, I do it quite often. It helps to have a game plan when everyone at work suddenly decides to order take out. If I don't plan ahead, I usually mess up pretty bad.
  • katschi
    katschi Posts: 689 Member
    I plan my meals the night before and will sometimes tweak things the day of.
    It's the best way, IMO.
    I also prepare and pack up my food that I take to work the next day so it's ready to go.
  • JenBrown0210
    JenBrown0210 Posts: 985 Member
    Its what I do! I have to pack my food the day before for work anyways.
  • LadyT02182011
    LadyT02182011 Posts: 113
    I plan ALL of my meals in advance and input them into my diary at night. If I want something and it exceeds my nutritional allotments, then this gives me the opportunity to come up with an alternate. I love it and it helps me to stay focused without any slip ups. It's also great to input your meals in advance if you plan on eating out. Go to the restaurants website online and that way you are able to input your meal into the database before you go out and do extensive damage based on assumptions. All meals on the healthy menus aren't necessarily healthy. Good luck on your journey!
  • JustJessie
    JustJessie Posts: 162 Member
    If I don't plan ahead then I might go over. I fill it out for every meal and snack but don't click the complete button until the night of in case I need to adjust something if I grab something extra. I also plan the average amount of calories I'll burn so I eat those too.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I plan ALL of my meals in advance and input them into my diary at night. If I want something and it exceeds my nutritional allotments, then this gives me the opportunity to come up with an alternate. I love it and it helps me to stay focused without any slip ups. It's also great to input your meals in advance if you plan on eating out. Go to the restaurants website online and that way you are able to input your meal into the database before you go out and do extensive damage based on assumptions. All meals on the healthy menus aren't necessarily healthy. Good luck on your journey!

    Me too! It helps me see if I have to back off on portion sizes or if I have room for a not so perfect snack like chocolate, cheese, etc.
  • Therapist_mama
    Therapist_mama Posts: 135 Member
    I wish I were this good at planning as I have heard from all of you! I'm good to be planning as I go! I need to spend some time doing this though as I do find myself scrambling at the end of the day to get my calories in. I guess that will be my next goal here.
  • avenathus
    avenathus Posts: 113 Member
    I do this a lot, especially for breakfast and lunch. When I know I am going out to eat I also do my research online (if I can) about what I'm going to eat there, then log it. It helps me stay on track in the long run.
  • 123456654321
    123456654321 Posts: 1,311 Member
    I always do this.
  • DebbieLaviolette
    DebbieLaviolette Posts: 89 Member
    Do y'all also plan your calories burned in advance to so that you don't constantly have a deficit late in the day...that worries me....I
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Do y'all also plan your calories burned in advance to so that you don't constantly have a deficit late in the day...that worries me....I

    Absolutely. When you're planning out your meals you should have the rough estimate of your calorie burn factored in already.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    My breakfast, lunches and snacks are the same Mon-Fri, so all I have to figure out are my dinners.
  • BrandNewMia
    BrandNewMia Posts: 461
    I usually (with the exception of this weekend) plan my menu at least one day in advance. It's a great way to make sure you eat a variety every day, and I find that it helps me manage my cravings. For instance, if I am craving something today, I will put it on my diary for tomorrow and then work the whole day around it so I don't go over on calories or sodium.

    I think if you try it, you will be very pleased with the results!
  • DebbieLaviolette
    DebbieLaviolette Posts: 89 Member
    I am very type A and to have everything planned for the week is crucial to my success...thanks for all the info!!!!!
  • sbwood888
    sbwood888 Posts: 953 Member
    I never plan my meals in advance. I just eat what I feel like having at the time (provided that I have enough calories left to eat it). If I am running low on calories, I just pick something that is low in caloreis but still sounds good to me. Works for me.
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
    I think I'm going to start logging what I plan to eat at the beginning of the day. Anyone try this? :-/

    That way I'm not scrambling to make up for anything at the end of the day. I've been in "starvation mode" all week but with a surgically altered stomach I can't make up that many calories a few hours before bed! :-D And I really think I need to focus on strength training instead of burning more calories (same argument - I CAN'T consume that many calories without pain).

    Has this worked for anyone else?
    Yes I do this too, often, and then I use MFP (the iPhone app) as my shopping list.
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    i log in advance...and if i decide on something different, i just make adjustments.
  • atomiclauren
    atomiclauren Posts: 689 Member
    I definitely log next day's meals in advance - mostly lunches I make the evening before. I take salads/greens a lot so logging all those gram-intensive items ahead of time is way less of a pain!
  • KevKidd
    KevKidd Posts: 26 Member
    Yes! My wife and I do this. We plan the night before what we plan to eat for the entire next day. That we there is no scrambling around trying to figure out what to eat. We feel it helps us stay on track.
  • kristarablue
    kristarablue Posts: 702 Member
    Do y'all also plan your calories burned in advance to so that you don't constantly have a deficit late in the day...that worries me....I

    Absolutely. When you're planning out your meals you should have the rough estimate of your calorie burn factored in already.

    Wait, how do you know??? I mean, what if something happens and you can't make it to the gym and I don't say this lightly because I go as much as possible, but sometimes things happen. Such as a child is sick or your former (husband) can't take the kids due to a bus. meeting. There are a myriad of reasons why you would be unable to estimate your workout calories ahead of time. Then the food, I basically know what I am going to have for breakfast and lunch, but dinner is always a crapshoot. I don't know what I am going to have time to make..ever. I never log anything until it is done...just incase. Look I know my life is cattywampus at best sometimes, but there are too many variables to accurately record ahead of time.
  • roxie0920
    roxie0920 Posts: 41
    I plan, plan, plan! I plan a lot in my head. I know what I'll be having the next two weeks. That's how I make my grocery list. I know what five dinners I'm going to have the next 5 days, and I pick out my dinner the night before. I log all my food in the beginning of the day, and I add my exercise in too. I even adjust my workouts around my diet. Planning my meals ahead let's me know if I need an extra 10 minutes or so of exercise. And you can program meals and recipes into MFP which makes logging much easier!
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Do y'all also plan your calories burned in advance to so that you don't constantly have a deficit late in the day...that worries me....I

    Absolutely. When you're planning out your meals you should have the rough estimate of your calorie burn factored in already.

    Wait, how do you know??? I mean, what if something happens and you can't make it to the gym and I don't say this lightly because I go as much as possible, but sometimes things happen. Such as a child is sick or your former (husband) can't take the kids due to a bus. meeting. There are a myriad of reasons why you would be unable to estimate your workout calories ahead of time. Then the food, I basically know what I am going to have for breakfast and lunch, but dinner is always a crapshoot. I don't know what I am going to have time to make..ever. I never log anything until it is done...just incase. Look I know my life is cattywampus at best sometimes, but there are too many variables to accurately record ahead of time.

    Well after a while, you get into a routine and you start to know your typical numbers. And if you miss a workout here or there due to real life stuff that comes up, so be it. Things sort of average out. So in my case, I know my typical calorie burn in a given day is 2800-3000 (including exercise which is around 250 cals give or take). So I aim to eat about 2300 or so calories in a given day (my burn minus my 500 deficit). On the rest day I don't exercise, so my deficit is a bit less that day. I still eat roughly the same.
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