Do you plan your calories?

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  • emrogers
    emrogers Posts: 328 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    Sort of, I just record what I have eaten or plan to eat. It doesn't vary very much.
  • 2BaNewMe2
    2BaNewMe2 Posts: 102 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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.
  • RZO42488
    RZO42488 Posts: 64
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    Wishfull thinking........but yes definately helps keep your mind and body on the right track.
  • MyNameIsNotBob
    MyNameIsNotBob Posts: 565 Member
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    Yes, somewhat.

    I typically eat a small breakfast (300 cals.), so I know that won't vary too much. Then, if I know I'm going out for dinner, I'll estimate what I'm eating there (or working out--same there). Then I can see how many cals. I have for lunch / snacks. I always try to leave myself 200 calories for the middle of the night. Those are definitley my phantom calories and if I don't account for them, I still eat them. I have no willpower against the peanut butter jar at 2 a.m.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    No, not at all. I just eat when I feel like it, and when I run out of daily calories, I stop eating.
  • fuzzymel
    fuzzymel Posts: 400 Member
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    I always plan my meals. When I don't is when I get in calorie trouble.
  • pinksherbert
    pinksherbert Posts: 38 Member
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    PPPPPP - Proper Planning Prevents P*** Poor Performance! Ha ha...

    Yes, I definitely plan mine - usually for most of monday morning (dont tell the boss!) otherwise I would go over. And I usually have to account for weekend plans and dinners out so that I can save a few cals for later on in the week.

    This week is tough as we are out for a special bday dinner on wednesday, then my brother is here from overseas at the weekend (=drinking and eating out a lot). So I have planned to have a 'net' 6 days (so they even out to 1200 a day over 6 days). I will have a 'cheat day' on saturday which may mean I dont lose overall or I will be making up for next week, but I want to make sure that I dont let the diet rule the life, without 'giving up' completely for the week - which is what I would have done before.

    Having bro here for the weekend also means I wont have time for any exercise, so will have to do more in the week this week (busy week and work too!).

    good luck! x
  • skinnyjeans13
    skinnyjeans13 Posts: 179
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    I find the only way I can manage to keep track of everything is to prepare most of my food in advance, and enter it on MFP the night before or in the morning.... I can then see what I'm working with and if there's any wiggle room. I can't stand when I realise at 7pm that I have to make up calories!
  • ang_mitch
    ang_mitch Posts: 13 Member
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    I always input what I am having for the day in my diary in the morning, that way I can see what I have left for snacks throughout the day. I also try to plan my meals, especially dinner, on a sunday, then I can make sure I haveall my groceries bought on Monday for the week. I find this helps with not just reaching for whatever, but it also helps my bank account, because I am not wasting food that doesnt get ate.

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