Do you plan your calories?

kuaaina
kuaaina Posts: 44 Member
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I am thinking about planning my calories throughout the day to help meal plan a bit better.

Do you do that?

I am thinking based on a 1500 cal day.

Breakfast 300
Lunch 500
Dinner 600
Snack 100 (not a big snacker)
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Replies

  • Kjohnson2387
    Kjohnson2387 Posts: 16 Member
    I, in a sense, do that... I will plan my meals ahead of time and input them in the calorie tracker during the morning hours, that way I can adjust and make sure I dont stray from what I've put down to eat.
  • LMG0511
    LMG0511 Posts: 24 Member
    I do! I input my meals the night before. Works for me!
  • ashley0616
    ashley0616 Posts: 579 Member
    I do try to plan my days, but I also try to have my biggest meal at breakfast, smaller one at lunch, and smallest for dinner. This doesn't always work out, of course, but I aim for it. I am a big snacker, so I eat frequently and I try to stay steady all day.
  • helenmelon29
    helenmelon29 Posts: 787 Member
    I dont plan what calories Im having per meal, but I often put my food and exercise in my diary first thing in the morning so I know what I have left over for snacks etc
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    I plan all meals and snacks each week, put it into Excel, then hang it on the fridge. This makes grabbing lunches and the meat out of the freezer for dinner quick and easy, and I also generate my grocery list from this plan . . . so we now waste nothing either. I find the better your plan, the better chance of sucess you will have.
    I've been doing this for over a year now so can make my weekly plan and know that each day is right around my proper calorie mark. It took me some time to get here but it is really easy once you get on a roll.
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
    I try to keep my meals about the same each day so I guess I do kind of do that. Anyways my trainer told me its best to eat most of your calories in the morning.....so obviously you'll burn them off throughout the day. This doesn't work well for me because I just tend to be hungier in the evening but maybe something toconsider.
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
    I plan my meals as far in advance as possible this works for me as a) It helps with shopping and b) I can see what I am eating / where I am having too many calories and make healthier choices.

    I tend to plan Monday to Friday on the Monday morning and then on Friday I plan my weekend meals...

    Dinner is always my most calorific meal (around the 500cals mark)
  • JenBrown0210
    JenBrown0210 Posts: 985 Member
    It is a great idea. I plan my calories. I log everything in the morning. My biggest problem was that I wasn't eating enough at work. I wasn't packing enough at work to eat. I find it makes it easier to stay on track. I am at 1200 calories a day. I eat around 300 for each meal and then about 150 for my two snacks plus i eat back my workout calories.
  • crystal10584
    crystal10584 Posts: 334
    I plan... or try to most of the time.

    They say your biggest meal should be breakfast to get your metabolism started for the day. My boyfriend (who went from a size 46 to a size 32) says this: Eat like a prince at breakfast, a middle class person at lunch, and a poor person at dinner in regards to how big your meals are.

    your body burns more in the morning than at night... :)
  • kcphilly
    kcphilly Posts: 71
    I've done it in the past for "free days" when I know I'm going out to certain restaurants cause I always order the same things. That's on the weekends so I put it in earlier in the week to remind myself to try and go a little under during the rest of the week to bank up some calories.
  • foxxybrown
    foxxybrown Posts: 838 Member
    My diary is pretty much complete for the day already.
  • mlh612
    mlh612 Posts: 311 Member
    I have to plan my calories, otherwise I end up going way over :wink:
  • Sigra
    Sigra Posts: 374 Member
    I don't plan specifically around the perfect amount of calories I'm going to spend on eat meal. - I just throw in my lunch box what I feel is healthy and make sure all together I have around 200-300cal left for dinner. :) Example today:

    Oatmeal
    Apple
    Orange
    Grapes
    Tuna Sandwich (w/ Relish and Celery)
    Beef Jerky
    Granola bar

    Whatever I end up eating I will throw in my food diary and see how much I have left for dinner! ^^
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    I plan ahead when I go out with friends. I do some research on a restaurant's website, play with the toppings, sides and what not. I try to keep within my daily calorie goals but don't stress too much if I go over.
  • S446664
    S446664 Posts: 1
    Before you set your calorie goal I suggest you calculate your daily calorie needs based on your metabolic rate at rest. For example, if you metabolic rate at rest is 1,400 calories per day (the amount of calories you will need to "live"). You then can "earn" calories depending on your activity level (i.e. if you do a spinning class for 45 minutes, you may use up to 500 calories), add this to your base of 1400, then you can eat 1,900 calories that day without guilt. If you want to lose weight you adjust your calorie intake accordingly (500 calories less a day will help you lose 1 pound a week). If you have a gym nearby, ask them if they provide that service. It will cost you around $50. It takes about 10 minutes.
  • superstah00
    superstah00 Posts: 104 Member
    I kind of do that also. I actually input my dinner first because that is our family meal together. Then, I go from there. I think you should do whatever works best for you!! :wink:
  • sam363
    sam363 Posts: 204 Member
    Yes! Not only does it help me control calorie intake but it also helps me plan for an even blood sugar through out the day. My blood sugar is very screwed up - if I eat too many carbs such as pancakes and orange juice I will feel off for the whole day but if I don't eat enough carbs then I will also crash. I have to plan my meals to have carbs, fat, and protein otherwise it's downhill for me.

    It's also a great way to know what I need to buy for groceries and have the least waste possible. Plus if I plan for lunches and snacks I'm not tempted to just grab something on the fly and blow my calorie intake.

    Good luck. Try planning for a week at a time or as often as you grocery shop. It takes me about an hour every two weeks to plan but I get to try new recipes and my hubby knows what's for dinner since it's posted on the fridge.
  • grneyety
    grneyety Posts: 46 Member
    I always log what I think I'm going to eat at the beginning of the day or the night before so I know if I have any calories left over.
  • eguillory79
    eguillory79 Posts: 6
    I plan my meals the night before and log them into my food diary. It works for me during the week, because I only eat what I have already logged.
  • sam363
    sam363 Posts: 204 Member
    Before you set your calorie goal I suggest you calculate your daily calorie needs based on your metabolic rate at rest. For example, if you metabolic rate at rest is 1,400 calories per day (the amount of calories you will need to "live"). You then can "earn" calories depending on your activity level (i.e. if you do a spinning class for 45 minutes, you may use up to 500 calories), add this to your base of 1400, then you can eat 1,900 calories that day without guilt. If you want to lose weight you adjust your calorie intake accordingly (500 calories less a day will help you lose 1 pound a week). If you have a gym nearby, ask them if they provide that service. It will cost you around $50. It takes about 10 minutes.

    You can also do this for free using a BMR calculator. MFP has one or you can Google it.
  • emrogers
    emrogers Posts: 328 Member
    Yes, I do. I ususally will break it down depending on what I'm doing that day. If I know that I'm having dinner w/family etc. I prepare for that or make sure I get an extra workout ( bring clothes to work, etc. ) I pack all of my meals, excep dinner of course and so I know exactly what I'm having everyday. This for me, sometimes causes me to have the same things over and over especially if they're fast and easy. :) But I think for better success this is a must.
  • SeasideOasis
    SeasideOasis Posts: 1,057 Member
    Ive absolutely gotten into the habit of pre-planning. Does it always work? Nope. But its not like what I enter in the morning cant be changed :laugh: :laugh:

    However, more times than not, I usually stick pretty close to the plan I set for myself. Im a busy body for sure (full time work, part time work, plus 6 college classes), so it helps me keep my eyes on the prize. Also, if I see that I have an extra couple hundred calories after entering my food in, I know I can go ahead and grab that apple while Im waiting for class without fear or wonder of how many calories I have already consumed for the day!

    I hope this is helpful! Good luck!
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    I don't plan any of my meals. I know about how much to eat for my 3 meals and 3 snacks, but overall it looks something like this:

    breakfast: 350
    snack 1: 150
    lunch: 300
    snack 2: 150
    supper: 500
    bed time snack: 100
  • mangorabbit
    mangorabbit Posts: 219 Member
    Y'know, planning calories is probably a really good idea, and in some ways I do - breakfast tends to be a pretty standardized meal for me... but after that so much depends on where I am and what I am doing. I applaud the planning and organization mentioned by others here - that is a lot of motivation/organization to get things sorted up to a week in advance. Wow!

    I do tend to try to input my meals before I eat them...to get an idea of where I am going to be calorie-wise - maybe skip the crackers later, or not have that second helping of potatoes... But I am generally so random in my food consumption that planning too far in advance does not work very well.

    Whatever way you choose to do it, just remember, be honest in your food diary - it is there for you.
    =)
  • allornothinggrl
    allornothinggrl Posts: 15
    I ALWAYS plan my entire day in the morning...that way I stay on track and never go over! I also plan my entire weeks meals and post it on the fridge...everything is easier if you have a plan!!:happy:
  • bgeer34
    bgeer34 Posts: 135 Member
    I dont plan what calories Im having per meal, but I often put my food and exercise in my diary first thing in the morning so I know what I have left over for snacks etc

    This is what I do also so that I make sure I make the wisest choices when I get ready for a snack
  • pyro13g
    pyro13g Posts: 1,127 Member
    Sort of, I just record what I have eaten or plan to eat. It doesn't vary very much.
  • 2BaNewMe2
    2BaNewMe2 Posts: 102 Member
    I pre plan my dinners. I make a 2 week menu for dinners and post it on the fridge. I started doing this because my son is a picky eater and he can check to see whats for dinner before he goes to work. If I am having something he doesn't like (anything pork for instance) he will get something for dinner on his way home.

    This also helps me to plan the easiest meals on the days I go to the gym.
  • Lunachic77
    Lunachic77 Posts: 434 Member
    I, in a sense, do that... I will plan my meals ahead of time and input them in the calorie tracker during the morning hours, that way I can adjust and make sure I dont stray from what I've put down to eat.

    I do the exact same thing...in the morning I log in my breakfast, lunch and dinner so I don't stray and that way if I have any spare calories left over I can have a snack throughout the day...basically I just budget my day calorie wise.
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
    I do plan, but I don't have a rigid amount of calories for every meal. Generally I know what I'm going to eat for breakfast and lunch and what snacks I plan to eat. From there, it's just planning my dinner to meet the calorie/nutrient goals for the day. Only a few times have I been able to actually design a dinner to be perfect in terms of what I have left for the day.

    That's definitely the next step in calorie counting, though. Not being reactive and just logging what you eat, but being proactive and planning everything you eat. If you do it right, you can come much closer to your goals and it becomes even harder to cheat.
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